NASCAR immediately mandates restraints
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive
October 17, 2001
6:47 PM EDT (2247 GMT)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR on Wednesday announced that drivers in its three national touring series must wear a head and neck restraint device, effective immediately, whenever their race vehicles take to the track.
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Jeff Burton
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The mandate will first serve in the Winston Cup Series, which opens practice Friday for Sunday’s EA Sports 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Use of either the HANS or Hutchens device will also be required in the Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series.
NASCAR has encouraged drivers to wear a head and neck restraint this season after three drivers -- one in each series -- died from head injuries in 2000. In the 2001 Daytona 500, seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt died of a basal skull fracture.
Since then, a majority of drivers in all three series currently wear the devices. The latest outcry came when part-time Busch Series driver Blaise Alexander, who was not wearing a head and neck restraint, died of head injuries during an ARCA RE/MAX Series race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
NASCAR officials said there were deeper issues involved in the decision to make the ruling at this time.
"NASCAR has worked closely with safety experts, drivers and manufacturers to address issues that led some drivers to feel that these devices might make them less safe," NASCAR senior vice president George Pyne said. "NASCAR's decision making drivers' side windows wider and our educational seminars for drivers have created greater comfort with using these devices.
“The willingness of the manufacturers to work with drivers in addressing potential drawbacks and explaining benefits also has allayed drivers' concerns. We will continue our educational efforts."
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Kevin Harvick
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At the last three Winston Cup events, a huge majority of competitors used a head and neck restraint. One of the differences of opinions had been the necessity to use a device only on a larger track versus a shorter one or in races as opposed to practices or qualifying sessions.
At last weekend’s Winston Cup Old Dominion 500 at the half-mile Martinsville Speedway, Pyne said all but nine drivers in the race used a device. At the previous two superspeedway races, at the 1.5-mile Lowe’s oval and the similar Kansas Speedway, all but one driver -- 2000 Raybestos Rookie of the Year Tony Stewart -- used a device.
Stewart has expressed questions about his comfort while wearing the device.
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Tony Stewart
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“Mike Helton has spoken with Tony and we expect the Joe Gibbs Racing car and Tony Stewart to show up at the race and we expect them to comply with the rules,” Pyne said. “What we are trying to do is the right thing for the entire industry.”
Pyne said any penalty for attempting to enter the track without a device had not been determined.
“At this point we’re going to assume the car owners and drivers will abide by the rules,” he said. “We will address that situation as it comes up, but we are anticipating they will abide by the rules.”
Pyne said a head and neck restraint mandate for the nine NASCAR regional touring series -- which have either completed or almost completed their 2001 schedules -- would more than likely be made prior to the 2002 season.
Pyne said a decision to mandate the devices for the thousands of NASCAR Weekly Racing Series competitors, who race at short tracks across the country and whose seasons have already completed, was also being evaluated.
In addition to the restraint ruling, Pyne also provided an update on a number of safety initiatives, including:
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Robby Gordon
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* An Occupant Restraint Study announced in August is now under way. Outside experts hope to gather new data on restraint systems by studying the hardware, webbing and mounting of seatbelt systems. The results of this study will be implemented prior to the start of the 2002 season.
* Progress continues to be made in the driver compartment, including much-improved seating and additional padding throughout the cockpit area. Experts in restraint systems and energy management made presentations to drivers and crew chiefs in Indianapolis and Richmond, Va., earlier this year.
* Accident data recorders have now been tested under racing conditions in each of NASCAR’s three national series, including being used in all vehicles in the most recent truck race, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the Winston Cup race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Winston Cup director Gary Nelson reports that valuable information has been gathered from the tests and that NASCAR is on schedule to have the data recorders in full use for the 2002 seasons in all three national touring series.
* Interviews are in progress for a full-time medical liaison that would attend every Winston Cup event and keep detailed medical histories on all drivers.
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Ricky Rudd
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* Candidates for the position of full-time accident investigator are being reviewed.
While experts have agreed that the greatest gains can be made in the area of occupant restraint, NASCAR is also looking beyond the cockpit for safety enhancements:
* NASCAR continues to work with the Indy Racing Northern Light Series on the development of new barrier technology. Pyne cited the IRL as the leader in this effort. He said tests have been under way at the University of Nebraska for more than a year and significant progress has been made.
* NASCAR is participating in a joint project with the major auto manufacturers to address the structural design of its race cars, as well as energy absorption materials. NASCAR’s “state-of-the-art computer model,” developed as part of the investigation into Earnhardt’s death, is being used with some modifications as part of the project.
“We will continue to concentrate on safety issues and work both inside and outside the industry to make our sport as safe as possible,” Pyne said.
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