In other news, I decided a pedal upgrade was in the works - I was tired of having my right foot slip off the brake while trying to heel-toe (more like ball-toe for my size 12 feet) and thus I ordered up some OMP pedals. Very happy with the end result.
How to remove the stock metal covers:
Bare pedals:
New pedals mounted - I have adjusted the brake pedal up one notch as it was catching on my right foot. Also, I should note that I used some aftermarket bolts for the gas pedal as the provided bolts were not long enough to go through the plastic and I wasn't keen on trimming it down enough for it to work. Thus, I used ~2.5" bolts and a good sized washer on the back side. Set up beautifully now.