NASCAR mandates age requirement

By Stephen Thomas, CNNSI.com
December 14, 2001
5:24 PM EST (2224 GMT)

Following its recent announcement that all pit crew members will be required to wear fire-protection equipment and full-face helmets in 2002, NASCAR announced Thursday that drivers, crew members and other participants in the Busch series, Truck series and all NASCAR Touring series must be age 18 or older in order to compete. This rule merely extends one that already applies to Winston Cup racing.

NASCAR president Mike Helton

New safety regulations by NASCAR next season require pit crew members who go over the wall during races or practice to wear helmets and fire-resistant clothing.

Drivers also must wear helmets and fire suits during practice, qualifying and competition, something that has been routine for some time but is now a rule.

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"After careful consideration and deliberation, we concluded it was in the best interests of safety, competition and professional development that we institute these new age requirements," NASCAR president Mike Helton said in a statement.

"Younger competitors need as much experience as they can accumulate before competing at NASCAR's professional levels. They need to hone driving skills, knowledge, and judgment that is best learned at the local level, as with NASCAR's weekly racing series. After the age of 18, and with this experience, younger competitors should be better prepared for regional or national competition."

Thursday's statement also reiterated that NASCAR would require crash-data recorders -- so-called "black boxes" -- in cars next year. Furthermore, Thursday's release states that "all parts of a driver's body must be protected by fire-resistant clothing and/or equipment."

Previous to this, NASCAR couched many of its proclamations on safety equipment such as fire suits and even seat belts as simply a "recommendation." However, the full text of these recent amendments, which was included in a long technical bulletin sent to teams in late November, continued NASCAR's long-standing tradition of leaving the safety onus squarely on the driver.

Kyle Busch, 16, competed in six Craftsman Truck Series races in 2001.

"Each competitor is solely responsible for the effectiveness of personal safety equipment used during an event. NASCAR is not responsible for the effectiveness of any personal safety equipment," read the longer technical bulletin.

Thursday's press release also stated that all cars will have to have a fire extinguisher in the cockpit, within the driver's easy reach, beginning next year.