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Monday, February 19
Safety research an ongoing study
By Jack Arute
Special to ESPN.com
Dale Earnhardt's tragic death puts the issue of safety in the forefront yet again. But while it is easy to say increased attention is needed, coming up with comprehensive solutions is the hard part.
|  | | Dale Earnhardt believed an open-faced helmet was as safe as high-tech models worn by most of today's drivers. |
"The problem," says V.P. of Operations for the IRL, Brian Branhardt, "is gathering definitive information to ensure that whatever changes you make are not counterproductive.
"The variety of tracks and equipment makes it difficult to institute effective measures."
Sanctioning bodies share safety information. CART and the IRL and NASCAR communicate about this topic without reservation or concerns about proprietary information.
"I'd like to see all of us convene as a commission and accelerate the process," said CART's director of Medical Operations Dr. Steve Olvey.
NASCAR has been particularly victimized by a rash of tragic deaths over the past 12 months starting with Adam Petty and now Earnhardt, but Barnhardt says pointing a finger at NASCAR is unfair.
"NASCAR runs more miles (because of the number of NASCAR sanctioned events) than any other sanctioning body in the world. To single them out is wrong. Their exposure is far greater simply because of the number of events they run.
"I know that the NASCAR community is hurting right now and I feel very badly for them. But I will tell you that NASCAR has been vigilant about safety issues as any sanctioning body should be."
The IRL and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have funded an ongoing study of retaining walls at the University of Nebraska. They have erected sections of "soft wall" at the Indy Speedway but results have been inconclusive.
Arie Luyendyk tested the "soft wall" a couple of years ago during an IROC event. While the impact was horrific, Luyendyk walked away. But the data gathered from the crash indicated that more modifications were necessary.
"Both the IRL and CART carry on board data recorders to help us understand what happens during a crash," says Barnhardt. "But coming to statistically accurate conclusions is hampered by the varying track designs, configurations and crash specifics.
"Each crash has its own signature and that makes it tough."
CART mandates the use of a helmet tether system known as the "HANS Device" -- an acronym for head and neck safety device. Its a 20-year project for Michigan State Biomechanics professor Robert Hubbard.
"My brother-in-law is road racer Jim Downing. I grew up a race fan and have spent more than one weekend working on Jim's pit crew."
Hubbard retired from General Motors after working in the late '70's developing the auto giant's crash dummy, so when Jim asked him to look into racing crashes, Bob set about mixing his passion with his profession.
They discovered that by immobilizing a driver's head with tethers from his helmet to a carbon fiber hoop that encompassed his upper torso and remained stationary under the shoulder harness that a driver's head was less susceptible to trauma and whiplash.
Getting drivers to adopt the HANS device as part of their safety equipment has been a slow process, especially in NASCAR.
"There is a comfort factor. A 500-mile race puts a premium on this. For two weeks I was in Daytona working with NASCAR drivers to solve some of the comfort issues."
Randy LaJoie, winner of the Busch Series Napa 300, is one of Hubbard's converts.
"We worked with Randy and after he made some adjustments to his seat and we fitted the device, I understand that he wore it for the first time when he won the Busch race."
Hubbard never had the chance to discuss his device with Earnhardt while in Daytona.
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