On the Right Track How Safety Innovation Saved the Sport of NASCAR
A research paper by Doug Robbins 1
Doug Robbins
English Composition II
23 February 2017
Robbins – Lumerit College Composition II – Assignment 2
Since NASCAR was officially incorporated on February 21, 1948, (History.com) drivers have competed on sand, dirt and eventually, asphalt and concrete. The motivation for them was to either win the race or finish as high as you can in the running order. The prize money was the
“driving” factor that kept these racers coming to the track. The ability to make enough money, in order to provide food and pay bills, outweighed the driver’s concern for their own safety. Cars crashed and drivers were severely injured or died. That was the chance they were willing to accept every time they climbed into a race car. Still the racing continued to grow and more tracks were built. While technology improved as the years went by, drivers were still getting hurt or killed as a result of on track accidents. The sport experienced multiple tragedies during the first
14 months of the 21st Century. NASCAR went through a period of reflection and reacted. The actions they took, resulted in making racing more safer for the drivers of today, than at any time in its 70 year history.
On May 12th, 2000, at the New Hampshire Speedway, a 19 year old budding NASCAR star would lose his life during an (Xfinity) race practice. Adam Petty, the grandson of NASCAR racing legend Richard Petty, crashed his race car into a concrete wall, reportedly at over 130mph, while entering turn three at the speedway. The single car, head on collision, was caused by a stuck gas pedal that did not disengage. Petty was killed instantly on impact. The cause of death was due to a “massive head trauma” or the medical term “fatal craniovertebral junction injury or 2
CVJ (Lentati). On July 7th, 2000, another NASCAR driver was killed in nearly the same location on the New Hampshire track, in the same manner and due to a “stuck throttle.” Kenny Irwin, Jr., a Cup Series regular, was just 30 years old (Halford 12).
Sara Lentati wrote in the April, 2015 issue of BBC Magazine, that NASCAR reacted to the “stuck throttle” issue by introducing a mandatory switch that was to be installed on all of the race cars/trucks (steering wheels), that race in its series’. The switch would consist of a red button that when activated, would immediately shut off the vehicle. Adam’s father, former race car driver and current NBC broadcaster, Kyle Petty, described the effect of the new safety device: “The ‘kill switch’ is like shutting off the main [circuit] breaker in a house. When you pull the main switch, every light goes off. [With the kill switch]…all the power of the car goes away” (Lentati). Lewis Franck, a motorsports writer commented, “NASCAR has always been slow to implement safety changes, [compared to] Formula One and other motorsports” (Lentati).
Three months later, (October 12, 2000), at Texas Motor Speedway, NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series driver, Tony Roper, suffered a severe neck injury after a head on crash with the track wall. The neck trauma was so severe it cutoff blood flow to his brain. He died in the hospital the following day, at 35 years old (CBSNews.com). Three drivers dead. Each one representing one of NASCAR’s top three racing series, (known today as) the Camping World
Truck Series, Xfinity Series and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. All three from head on collisions with concrete walls and all three died from severe neck trauma. Some may have viewed this as the NASCAR version of the “celebrity curse of threes,” with such a short timeframe between the tragedies. But 4 months after Roper’s death in Texas, the racing world would change forever. 3
On February 18th, 2001, the sport of NASCAR stood still. Running in third place, behind the first and second place cars he owned, Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was doing his best to hold of the competition. In the middle of the last turn of the Daytona 500, (the biggest and richest race of the year), and with the checkered flag in the air, Earnhardt, Sr. died in a collision with the outside retaining wall. His famous/infamous #3 black Chevrolet was bumped from behind and at 180 mph, the car impacted the concrete wall, slid down the banking into the infield grass (George).
He was killed instantly. The cause of death was….wait for it…, a fatal craniovertebral junction injury (G. Smith 759). Gone in less than an instant was the 7-time NASCAR champion (one of only two at the time, former driver Richard Petty, the other) and winner of 76 cup races at the sports highest level. Father, husband, son and grandfather. Farmer, businessman, celebrity and
“everything NASCAR.” The one fans referred to as [the other] “Man in Black” or “The
Intimidator,” was dead. Concrete walls, head on collisions and severe neck trauma, once again, rained down upon the racing landscape. For NASCAR, the HANS Device or equivalent was still not a mandatory part of the driver’s safety package (G.Smith 760).
Dale Earnhardt, Sr.’s (#3) deadly crash into outside wall at Daytona, on Feb 18, 2001 4
The HANS Device (Head and Neck Support) was designed in 1990 by two men, Dr.
Robert Hubbard and his brother in law, Jim Downing. Larry Webster wrote in Car and Driver
(online) that at the time of the HANS project, Hubbard was employed as a biomechanical engineer at Michigan State University. His previous occupation was with General Motors working with “crash dummies” in order to understand and improve on passenger safety during car accidents. Downing was a race car driver and brought plenty of on track experience to the table. He was also able to experiment with the HANS and provide real time feedback during the early stages of development.
The idea behind the creation of the HANS Device was because a racing friend, of both
Hubbard and Downing, named Patrick Jacquement, died in a racing accident in 1981 (G.Smith
756). The cause of death to Jacquement, was “fatal craniovertebral junction” or CVJ. The force of the head and neck moving forward, during impact, caused the base of the skull to fracture and the bones to lacerate the carotid arteries that supply blood to the head and neck. The effect of this
“whipping action” leads to massive hemorrhaging of blood. According to Dr. Gabriel Smith,
“this traumatic injury was the most common cause of death in motor sports, prior to 2001” (756).
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The initial prototype for the HANS was ready for testing in 1984 (Webster). The idea for the invention was to reduce/eliminate further skull fractures during racing incidents. The HANS consists of a collar type device (made up of Kevlar and carbon fiber) that the driver places onto their shoulders and has straps and fasteners to connect to the drivers’ helmet. During an event such as an impact with a wall or another vehicle during a race, the driver (secured with their seatbelt) would not go into motion and their head and neck (along with the additional helmet weight) would be restricted from snapping forward due to the HANS restraints. In 1990, the
Hubbard /Downing “company” was formed in Atlanta and began to sell the HANS device.
According to Downing, he thought they would sell out of the HANS Device as soon as the doors opened (Webster). Over the next 10 years, only 250 units were sold. Downing said that they were not making any money and that they continued on in order to provide “a service to the racing community.” Webster mentioned that “a case could be made that HANS Devices should be standard equipment for the estimated 400,000 amateur racers in the U.S. However, he goes on to say that the “price [of anywhere from $800-$1600 for the HANS], is likely the problem” for that particular demographic. Downing did close with the fact that they “took orders for about as many HANS devices, the first week after Earnhardt’s death, as they did since they opened” [in
1990] (Webster).
Former Racer Jim Downing, exams an early version of the HANS Device he helped co-invent. 6
In 2003, Dean Sicking was the director of the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He was given a task by then NASCAR president, Mike Helton, to install SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reducing) barriers, at all of the oval tracks where
NASCAR’s top three racing series compete (M. Smith). Sicking knew from experience, that there would not be enough materials, (mainly the 8x8x3/16-inch steel tubing), to complete such a huge task at all of the NASCAR tracks, by the end of 2004. After buying up all the available steel tubing in the United States, Sicking went back to NASCAR, with a plan.
Styrofoam inserts to absorb impact 8x8x3/16-inch Steel Tubing
Original concrete wall
Racing Surface
Cut away view of the SAFER Barrier (Steel and Foam Energy Reducing)
Because it wasn’t realistic to cover every square inch of (concrete) wall, at every track that NASCAR races, Sicking and his team devised a type of “triage” system for each racing venue, until more material came available. They looked through all of NASCAR’s accident records from each track, to include injuries and fatalities, in order to identify the most critical safety areas first. Next the team looked at areas of a particular track where a driver had a hard impact, but did not sustain any injuries. After putting together a game plan, Sicking and his team set out to begin the SAFER barrier installation (M. Smith). 7
Basically, the description of the SAFER barrier is that it is installed between the existing concrete retaining walls and the racing surface (Bielenberg). Stacked and welded together, the
SAFER steel tubing is roughly 40 inches tall. There is approximately a 20 to 30 inch open space between the original concrete wall and the SAFER barrier, all the way around the track.
Styrofoam inserts are placed in the open spaces between the two walls and serve as “shock absorbers” or “springs” during vehicular impact. Essentially, the wall is designed to “flex” upon impact whereas a concrete wall does not. When a race car makes contact with the SAFER barrier, (depending on the angle of impact), the force of the impact transfers the energy from the vehicle and distributes it throughout the surface of the SAFER wall (Bielenberg). If the vehicle merely grazes the wall on a straightaway or in a corner, the damage to the wall and the vehicle is mostly cosmetic. However, if a vehicle hits the wall at a more direct or acute angle (front end or rear end of car), the SAFER wall will absorb the impact and a ripple effect will transfer the energy force of the impact down the length of the steel tubing wall. At the same exact moment, the foam inserts in between the outer and inner walls, are “pressed” into action. They will accept
NASCAR race truck impacts SAFER Barrier. Note the “soft wall” flex vs. the old style concrete wall, below the black poles. 8 the impact force from the SAFER wall and help to transmit the energy along the length of the wall, away from the initial impact zone itself (Bielenberg). Should there be more than one point of contact along the SAFER wall, from either the original car or possibly multiple vehicles, then the process of the energy transfer, at impact, repeats.
NASCAR drivers who have had the experience of racing and making contact with concrete track walls, have nothing but high praise for the SAFER barriers. Whenever there is an accident during the race involving a car getting into the wall (especially a hard hit), the wrecked driver, in his post medical center interview, will almost always mention some form of gratitude for the “soft walls.”
NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, North Carolina
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In January 2003, NASCAR officially opened its doors to their new Research and
Development Center in Concord, North Carolina. The 61,000 square foot facility is responsible for the sports safety initiatives, competition enhancement and cost containment for the teams
(NASCAR PR). One of NASCAR’s biggest projects, once the center was built, was the implementation of the Car of Tomorrow prototype or COT. The COT was the product of the big safety push following the death of Dale Earnhardt, Sr., in 2001. It was here, at the newly built
R&D Center, where the car was designed, developed and tested. The COT debuted in 2007, participating in 16 Cup races. It ran the full 26 regular race season in 2008 (a year ahead of schedule) and the end of season “Race to the Chase,” 10 race playoff (NASCAR PR).
There were several factors that went into the design and production of the COT. The first was fairly obvious, driver safety. Some of the improvements in the new car included larger
“windows” allowing easier entry and exit for the driver. (This feature also was a benefit to the rescue personnel, allowing them more room, in order to extricate the driver during an emergency situation. Along with the emergency rescue theme, an optional roof hatch was also added to assist in gaining access to the driver should the need arise. The driver’s seat was also moved 4 inches closer to the center of the car (away from the left side door area). This move, along with lining both driver and passenger doors with energy absorbing foam padding, was engineered to protect the driver should the car be impacted around the door area (Diaz). The “roll cage” that surrounds the driver, was further reinforced and was a bit higher and wider, with additional steel tubing in order to protect the driver during crashes and potential roll over situations.
The COT did not arrive without a few drawbacks. One immediate flaw that had drivers, fans and manufacturers upset, was that all the cars looked exactly the same, regardless of manufacturer sponsorship. (This was a cost savings idea from NASCAR to save all the race 10 teams teams money and to provide “equal” competition). The only differences were the factory
“brand” engines, on the inside, from the various car companies and several manufacturer logos on the front and rear (hood and trunk lid) of the COT (George 1). Another item on the COT that the drivers did not like was the driving and handling of the new and improved vehicle. The rear deck lid or trunk, featured a black wing that was supposed to act like a “spoiler” to help stabilize the car and prevent the back end from “stepping out” in the corners of the track. The wings were property of NASCAR and were “loaned out” to the race teams, before the race weekend and promptly returned after the cars were back in the garage area. NASCAR officially “retired” the
COT at the end of the 2012 race season. While many still agree that the COT was not the most popular race car to ever grace the track in NASCAR’s top series, they will agree it was the safest.
Cut away view of NASCAR’s 2007 version of the “Car of Tomorrow” or COT. 11
While some NASCAR fans watch racing for the enjoyment of the sport, for the rivalries or the strategy that unfolds during the closing laps. Others watch the races to see who wins, loses or crashes. No matter what one’s reasoning for following the sport, it is fair to say that nobody watches NASCAR every week, expecting a body count. Credit to NASCAR, for stepping up and fixing the safety problems, after the loss of four drivers between 2000 and 2001. With the racing world still in mourning, they initiated a huge safety program that is still evolving to this day. The biggest safety implementations that were undertaken, following Earnhardt, Sr.’s passing, included the HANS Device “requirement,” impact absorbing walls (SAFER barriers) and a more safer constructed vehicle, also known as the “Car of Tomorrow.” These three monumental accomplishments from NASCAR, despite the hundreds of crashes that have occurred in all three of its major series since 2001, have resulted in zero fatalities (Berkowitz 256).
Question: “Does it matter whether the safety changes occurred based of demands from the NASCAR fan base, the sponsors paying the bills or the 40 helmeted warriors who strap in, go fast and turn left every weekend?” The answer is “NO.” The fact is that safety changes
“occurred” and the sport of NASCAR was given a chance of redemption. That is all the people need to know. Truth be told, at the wave of the checkered flag, the drivers of NASCAR are more safe today, than they were 15 to 20 years ago.
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Works Cited
Berkowitz, Jason P., et al. “When Going in Circles is Going Backwards: Outcome Uncertainty
and Fan Interest in Nascar.” When Going in Circles is Going Backwards: Outcome
Uncertainty and Fan Interest in Nascar by Jason P. Berkowitz, Dennis P. Wilson, Craig
A. Depken :: SSRN, 24 Mar. 2010,
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers2.cfm?abstract_id=1571412. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
Bielenberg, R., Faller, R., Sicking, D., Rohde, J. et al., "Initial In-Service Performance
Evaluation of the SAFER Racetrack Barrier," SAE Technical Paper 2004-01-3526, 2004,
doi:10.4271/2004-01-3526.
Diaz, George. "Car of Tomorrow: NASCAR bids goodbye to Car of Tomorrow with no regrets
as season kicks off with Daytona 500." Tribunedigital-orlandosentinel. N.p., 16 Feb.
2013. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. nascar-car-of-tomorrow-0217-20130216_1_race-car-felix-sabates-robin-pemberton>. George, Patrick E. "How NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow Works." HowStuffWorks. N.p., 05 Dec. 2008. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. basics/nascar-car-of-tomorrow.htm>. Halford, Bethany. “Materials for the Modern Gladiator” CEN RSS, 2 Feb. 2009, cen.acs.org/articles/87/i5/Materials-Modern-Gladiator.html. Accessed 18 Feb. 2017. 13 History.com staff. “NASCAR founded.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2009, history.com/this-day-in-history/nascar-founded Lentati, Sara. "The death that changed Nascar." BBC News. BBC, 29 Apr. 2015. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. NASCAR Public Relations. "NASCAR Research & Development Center." NASCAR Research & Development Center | NASCAR Home Tracks. N.p., 17 Aug. 2010. Web. 21 Feb. 2017. er>. Smith, Gabriel, MD. "JNS JOURNAL OF Neurosurgery OFFICIAL JOURNALS OF THE AANS since 1944." A revolution in preventing fatal craniovertebral junction injuries: lessons learned from the Head and Neck Support device in professional auto racing | Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, Vol 25, No 6. N.p., 12 July 2016. Web. 11 Feb. 2017. Smith, Marty. "Getting to the heart of the soft wall." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, 04 July 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2017. issues-nascar-officials-drivers-talking-door-door>. 14 Staff, CBSNews.com Staff CBSNews.com. "NASCAR Truck Driver Dies." CBS News. CBS Interactive, 13 Oct. 2000. Web. 18 Feb. 2017. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nascar- truck-driver-dies Webster, Larry. "Saving Racing's Neck - Feature." – Feature – Car and Driver. N.p., Apr. 2004. Web. 16 Feb. 2017. feature>. Graphics Cited Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Fatal Crash- Page 3 http://1.bp.blogspot.com/- 7BnQy1CCWHI/TWKWULrTHwI/AAAAAAAAABc/mmFl6- gFMDo/s1600/de+accident.jpg HANS Device-Page 4 http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jserFZpGlKo/UodlUlHAIJI/AAAAAAAAA9g/a9XkrF- Z21o/s400/How-the-HANS-Device-Saves-Lives-placement-626x382.jpg Jim Downing-HANS Device Co-creator- Page 5 http://theracefannetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/TechHouseSpeedUpdate1.jpg 15 SAFER Barrier Diagram-Page 6 http://static.nascar.com/content/dam/nascar/articles/main/SaferBarrierEDU.png/jcr:conte nt/renditions/original SAFER Barrier in action-Page 7 http://www.arnrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/pb-120224-paludocrash- 724p.photoblog900.jpg NASCAR Research and Development Center-Page 8 http://hometracks.nascar.com/files/imagecache/story_top_image/2010_NHT_NASCAR_ RD_Center_700.jpg NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow-Page 10 http://www.jayski.com/schemes/2007/COT/cot-press-enterprise.jpg