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At the Indianapolis test session, Winston Cup drivers
were re-introduced to the revised HANS (Head and Neck Support) Safety
Devise. The device was designed by Robert Hubbard, PhD., Professor, College
of Engineering at Michigan State University, to minimize head and neck
injury during racing accidents. Kenny Wallace, driver of the Square
D/Cooper Lighting Chevrolet, was so impressed with the new advancements in
the system, he has ordered one for his race car.
"I already have the HANS device on order. I got a
good look at it during Indy testing and I liked it. The old HANS version
from a couple of years ago used to be a big, bulky support system. It didn't
give you much mobility and it made you feel real confined. Now they have a
real small one, and I thought that it was worth looking at. Bobby Labonte
tested it, and gave them some good suggestions to improve the HANS device.
The system is now to the point where it's worth putting on without hurting
the driver's head mobility. With the new adjustments, you can look out to
the left and right with no problems."
"When the HANS device gets here, all I'll need to do
is adjust my seat a little bit. The head support on my seat needs to be
moved back a tad, because the HANS device tends to push your head forward.
I think with all the tragedy that has happened this year, it's an issue
that needs to be addressed. Like I said, I have the system coming and it'll
be in place for Indy."
"I've always had a toe-clamp on my throttle. That's
something that drivers used to use in the old days. We got away from it
because stuck throttles didn't threaten drivers' lives until now. I've had
a toe-clamp in my car all season. It's something that I'm proud of. I also
have a long kill switch. It's right there so I can slap at it and kill the
engine if a problem arises."
"There's a group in Indianapolis that has created a
five-foot thick wall that's made out of rubber. This wall actually bolts
onto the existing wall. When race cars hit it, there's no foam to clean up,
so it doesn't delay the race. Every race track needs to "bite the
bullet" and purchase this technology for the driver's sake. Safety is
not only the racing teams' responsibility; it's also the track's duty. It's
worth the investment for the owners. I wouldn't want to run a race track
and have to read a story about a death during my event." (PR)
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