Head and Neck Restraint Devices
News and Links

    HEAD and NECK RESTRAINT NEWS/COLUMNS

  • HANS advancements approved by NASCAR: HANS Performance Products announced that NASCAR has approved the use of the new Vision Advantage PLUS sliding tether system and the HANS Device Sport Series. The new Vision Advantage PLUS sliding tether system permits improvements in left and right visibility by allowing easy but controlled rotation of a racer’s helmet. The proven results are tethers that allow over four times the field of view of competing head and neck restraints. The HANS Device Sport Series provides drivers with class leading performance at a value price. Starting at $595 for youth sizes, the Sport Series features a revolutionary carbon fiber composite combined with an innovative and proprietary molding process. NASCAR did extensive testing to ensure their driver’s protection. Sales Director Howard Bennett said, “We’re very pleased that NASCAR approved the Vision Advantage Plus sliding tether and HANS Device Sport Series. We recognize they trust us to keep NASCAR participants secure.” Introduced at the PRI show in December of 2007, the Vision Advantage Plus sliding tether and HANS Device Sport Series have been approved by the SFI Foundation and the FIA.(HANS PR)(6-10-2008)

  • HANS in space? Astronauts wearing HANS devices? It could happen, according to Dr. John Melvin, who helped NASCAR improve the safety features of its stock cars since the start of the 2001 racing season. Melvin said NASA has taken an interest in the data gathered by NASCAR's black box recorders over the last five years and may apply stock car safety standards to its upcoming moon and Mars programs. "NASA has become interested in this data for protecting the crew of the lunar and Mars modules," Melvin said. "I'm working with them, along with some other people, trying to get this data built into their understanding on how to protect people." When NASA ditches the shuttle program and goes back to Apollo-like capsules, the space agency plans to bring the returning space craft home with a ground landing.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(1-21-2008) Comment here

  • Less Expensive HAN's available: HANS Performance Products announced their brand new HANS Device - the Sport Series. The design is guaranteed to provide the same level of industry leading safety as existing HANS Devices, but retail at just $695. All models in the $695 Sport Series offer the same proven strength and protection as existing HANS Devices. Breakthroughs in carbon fiber molding technology have allowed HANS Performance Products to pass cost savings directly onto racers. Sport Series models become available in the new-year. The most popular sizes will be available first. Pre - production parts will be at the HANS booth during this week's PRI show.(HANS Performance Products PR)(12-18-2007)

  • Hutchens Hybrid to join HANS in NASCAR: on July 13th, the Hutchens Hybrid joins the HANS Device as the only head and neck restraint systems allowed by NASCAR for use by drivers in all its touring series. Both restraint systems meet SFI 38.1 certification, the only standard currently recognized by NASCAR to measure head load and rapid egress requirements. Trevor Ashline, designer of the original Hutchens device and president of Safety Solutions, said his new Hybrid easily passed the rigorous SFI 38.1 testing process, with impressive angular impact numbers, and exceeded the stringent NASCAR head and neck restraint criteria.(ESPN Icons)(7-7-2007)

  • Kyle Busch's HANs Device cracks in Busch crash: UPDATE 2: NASCAR on Monday tried to figure out why Kyle Busch's HANS device cracked during a spectacular crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Busch wrecked in Saturday's Busch Series event, when he was hit from behind and his car ended up on its roof before rolling several times through the grass. His HANS device, a NASCAR-mandated head-and-neck restraint system, cracked in the accident. "It performed the way it was supposed to, but it had a slight stress crack in it after the accident," NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said. NASCAR sent the device back to manufacturer Hubbard Downing in Georgia for examination.(Associated Press)(5-1-2007)
    UPDATE: Officials from HANS Performance Products downplayed the crack found in Kyle Busch's HANS Device after a spectacular crash in the Busch race last weekend at Talladega. After the crash, a crack was found in the head-and-neck restraint that is worn on a driver's shoulders and has a carbon fiber piece that sits behind the helmet. "We were pleased to see Kyle shrug off such a dramatic wreck," HANS Performance Products CEO Mark Stiles said in a statement. "It takes a lot to even produce a slight stress crack in a HANS Device. It worked as designed, and was ready for more action - like its driver." The device is made primarily of carbon fiber, a high-strength, lightweight material. It was not revealed how large the crack was. General Motors Director of Safety Tom Gideon said he did not know where the HANS Device cracked, but with Busch walking away, he wasn't alarmed.(SceneDaily.com)(5-1-2007)
    UPDATE 2: Kyle Bush tried, but failed, to break his HANS Device in a "big-one" at this past weekend's Busch Series race at Talladega. Kyle gets to walk away and race another day, thanks to the safety systems in his car, and the HANS Device he wears in every race. Three years of use and abuse, then one huge front-end wall hit, 8-barrel rolls, 2 spins on his roof, and a body slam have failed to break the HANS Device. The only injury was to his HANS Device - As James Bond might have said, "cracked, not broken." HANS Performance Products CEO Mark Stiles commented, "We were pleased to see Kyle shrug off such a dramatic wreck. It takes a lot to even produce a slight stress crack in a HANS Device. It worked as designed, and was ready for more action - like its driver!" He continued, "HANS Devices are the only head and neck restraints built to the strength standards demanded in all major international race series. While other manufacturers are content with simply meeting the requirements of the SFI 38.1 performance specification, we go the extra mile. It just makes sense." Inventor of the HANS Device, Professor Bob Hubbard added, "Since we introduced the first HANS Device more than 20 years ago, we have focused our research and development on providing racers with robust and reliable products. Wrecks like Kyle's confirm the value of this investment. Having over 35,000 HANS Devices in use worldwide means we get a lot of feedback on how they work, time and time again, to help save lives and livelihoods." Details and information about HANS Performance Products at hansdevice.com.(HANS Performance Products PR)(5-3-2007)

  • Hutchens Hybrid approved by NASCAR: Safety Solutions and LFT Technologies announced the approval by NASCAR of their new Hutchens Hybrid (Hybrid) head and neck restraint as an available option for all NASCAR touring series drivers. Effectively immediately, the Hybrid will be available for use for drivers during private testing. Beginning July 13, the device will be allowed for use during actual competition. With this approval, the Hybrid now joins the HANS Device as the only head and neck restraint systems allowed by NASCAR for use by their drivers.(Safety Solutions PR)(2-9-2007)

  • HANS Performance Products Receives Jack O’Neal Safety Award: Bob Hubbard and Jim Downing, inventors of the critically acclaimed HANS Device, received the Jack O’Neal Safety Award at USAC's 51st National Awards Banquet this past weekend. The award originated in 1957. It is presented to those who have made outstanding contributions to the safety of motorsports. The award is presented in honor of Jack O’Neal, a longtime USAC safety official. Receiving the award, Bob Hubbard commented, “We are honored to be presented with the Jack O’Neal Safety Award. Jim and I started developing head and neck restraints 25 years ago. It’s highly satisfying to have USAC recognize our hard work and to know that we have significantly advanced racing safety.” Details and information about HANS Performance Products are available on the company’s website hansdevice.com.(HANS Performance Products PR)(1-28-2007)

  • NASCAR now requires six-point belt harnasses: NASCAR is requiring drivers in its three national series to wear six-point belt harnesses beginning this season. Most drivers already used a six-point device but some still used five-point seat belts. The six-point harness has an extra strap and does not come straight up through the crotch as a five-point. Some of those using the five-point belts have added two straps to make it a seven-point system. Drivers went through their annual safety briefing with NASCAR's safety expert Steve Peterson, General Motors biomedical research scientist Dr. John Melvin and General Motors Racing Safety Manager Tom Gideon on Tuesday morning. Melvin said the change in belt requirements was probably the biggest change for 2007.(SceneDaily.com)(1-10-2007)

  • HANS Device wins Award: Bob Hubbard and Jim Downing, founders of HANS Performance Products, manufacturers of the internationally award winning HANS Device, are the recipients of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association’s (AARWBA) inaugural Auto Racing Safety and Humanitarian Service Award. The award will be presented at the AARWBA’s 37th All America Team Banquet in January, where Jack Roush will be giving the keynote address. The AARWBA committee, comprised of professional motor sports journalists and photographers, were given a list of organizations and people who met certain criteria for the award. Part of the criteria required acts of kindness of heroic proportion without regard to the consequences. Details and information about HANS Performance Products are available on the company’s website http://www.hansdevice.com or by calling 1-888-HANS-999 or 770-457-1046.(HANS PR)(12-3-2006)

  • HANS Performance Products Wins Award for Great Office Environment: HANS Performance Products, renowned leader in head and neck restraint technologies, recently won an Eagle Innovation Award from the GBS Eagles program of the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. The program identifies and honors exceptional private companies in the Southeast. HANS Performance Products has been awarded their 2006 Office Environment Award. HANS Performance Products was inducted into the GBS Eagles program in 2005 after being recognized as one of the Southeast’s fastest growing private companies. The Eagle Innovation Awards are to recognize Eagle companies for innovative and creative accomplishments over the past year. The office environment award rewards company’s who have created ways to keep employees more productive. Details and information about HANS Performance Products can be seen at www.hansdevice.com.(PR)(10-15-2006)

  • HANS Device Featured at 5th World Congress of Biomechanics: HANS Performance Products, known for the internationally award winning head and neck restraint, the HANS Device, was featured today at the 5th World Congress of Biomechanics in Munich, Germany. Hubert Gramling, a Safety Consultant to the FIA Institute for Motorsports Safety, presented an update on HANS Device performance, that he co-authored with Bob Hubbard, to congress members from around the world. Hubbard a Professor of Biomechanics at Michigan State University, along with well-known racer Jim Downing, developed the HANS Device. As an engineer for Mercedes, Hubert worked with Bob in the 1990's to help adapt the HANS Device for formula car cockpits. When asked to comment, Dr. Hubbard said: "We are pleased to have Hubert speak on behalf of HANS Performance Products. Hubert has assisted us with many ideas and knows the HANS Device extremely well." The 5th World Congress of Biomechanics is being hosted by The Institute of Biotechnik e.V., the Technical University of Munich and Munich University of Applied Sciences. It brings together biomechanical experts to review experimental and applied technologies in all areas of biomechanics. More than 2,000 participants from the top industrial nations such as Asia, India, Central and South America and countries in Eastern Europe are expected to attend. Details and information about the 5th World Congress of Biomechanics are available on their website wcb2006.org. Details and information about HANS Performance Products are available on the company's website hansdevice.com.(PR)(8-3-2006)

  • New Head-Neck Restriant Certified: Safety Solutions has just announced the New Hutchens Hybrid head and neck restraint. The Hybrid is already SFI 38.1 Certified. The testing was witnessed by NASCAR Head and Neck Restraint Committee member John Melvin who commented that he liked the device. The Hybrid was officially submitted to NASCAR for evaluation last week. The device has already been in use in NHRA Funny Cars and borrows a number of attributes from Safety Solutions and LFT Technologies R3 and Hutchens II. The device features a low back to help get into and out of the race car and a short back section with a wide chest strap and two front buckle attachments to make it the most secure head and neck restraint on the market. For more information on the device see www.hutchensdevice.com.(Safety Solutions PR)(5-24-2006)

  • Isaac Surpasses SFI Performance Specs for Head and Neck Loads: Isaac, LLC announces record setting performance for its damper-based, Intermediate model head and neck restraint. Testing to the SFI Spec 38.1 offset protocol, the Isaac system not only was at least as effective as competing models in classic measures such as neck tension, it was over four times more effective in reducing lateral head torque caused by side impacts. Isaac, LLC is based in Orlando, Florida. It specializes in protection from head and neck injuries. More info at isaacdirect.com.(12-30-2005)

  • New Head and Neck Restraint Device: Safety Solutions, Inc. a Mooresville, NC Corporation has released a new Head and Neck restraint system for the Racing Industry. The developer of the Hutchens device, and the only strap Head and Neck Safety System used in Nascar has developed a new series of Safety Solutions for all Racers. Mr. Trevor Ashline President of Safety Solutions, Inc. comments, “We have added new top performing devices for this upcoming racing season. With the competitive nature of racing, drivers cannot afford to risk injury. With over two hundred-sled tests, we learned what it really takes to keep a driver safe in a single or Multiple Impact Crash from all angle of impact. There is a lot to be learned from the Crashes in racing accidents; so we applied the Data along with Hundreds of sled test data to develop this new device. The Hutchens Device II Pro was the next natural step from the Original Hutchens Device. We were able to apply what we had learned from thousands of races and developed a comfortable device that will protect the driver without standing in the way of the Racers ability to Race.All of our Head and Neck Safety Devices are SFI 38.1 rated and tested at 70 G’s.” The Hutchens Device II Pro is a patented Carbon Fiber Head and Shoulder restraint system designed to keep the driver safe in frontal and multiple impact crashes. “On the racetrack anything can happen when drivers are this competitive," says Ashline”. For more information on these and other Safety solutions designed for all ages you can call 1 (800) 731-4404 or go to www.HutchensDevice.com.(Yahoo News)(12-13-2005)

  • Hutchens II passes NASCAR mandated SFI 38.1 Specification: Safety Solutions announced the new Hutchens II which has passed the NASCAR mandated SFI 38.1 Specification. NASCAR officials were present and set-up the testing done at Delphi. The official request for approval to NASCAR will be submitted by the end of this week, although copies of the test data have been received by there officials. The Hutchens II combines a small carbon fiber spacer used to change the helmet tether pivot points to better control the occupant head motion early in the event. A single 3 inch Kevlar back strap drapes over the carbon spacer and anchors to the seat belt buckle, like a traditional Hutchens Device. The carbon spacer and strap harness combine to provide an all around better performing restraint with major benefits not only in frontal and angular frontal impacts tested in the stringent SFI 38.1 standard, but also in side and multiple impacts where some current restraints fail. For more information on the Hutchens II visit the website www.hutchensdevice.com.(Safety Solutions)(7-14-2005)

  • ARCA and HANS only? Jarrett to get ARCA ride? After last Saturday's ARCA crashfest ay Daytona that left just 10 of 41 cars running at the finish — including an accident which resulted in multiple injuries to driver Billy Venturini's second vertebrae and the disc below — expect the sanctioning body to re-evaluate its head-and-neck devices. Venturini, 28, was wearing a Hutchens device that NASCAR has removed from its list of approved apparatuses in all NASCAR series except the weekly racing series. In his post-qualifying news conference, Dale Jarrett said that Bill Venturini Sr. had inquired on Jason Jarrett's availability for the next two months while Billy recuperates.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(2-16-2005)

  • New Retriant Approved by ARCA: Not NASCAR but...ARCA sent out a Bulletin that the R3 Head and Neck Restraint from LFT Tech (LFTTech.com) was approved for the 2005 Season giving the drivers a choice in their personal safety systems. The Hutchens Device will be legal through through the 2005 season. The R3 joins the HANS and Hutchens Device in the family of Head and Neck Restraints. Currently the R3 has been accepted in IHRA, NHRA, Hooters Pro Cup, SCCA, IMCA and USAC. NASCAR is currently reviewing the R3 for use in their top touring series. The R3 Head and Neck device was certified to the SFI 38.1 spec back in November at The Delphi Research Center.(2-1-2005)

  • Stewart not happy with the HANS UPDATE: #20-Tony Stewart said he is ''not comfortable'' wearing the HANS device, but has no choice. NASCAR made the head-and-neck support system mandatory this season. Stewart had been wearing the less-restrictive Hutchens device, but it's no longer allowed. Stewart initially balked at using even the Hutchens device, but was forced to do it two years ago when NASCAR ordered drivers to use either the Hutchens or the HANS. After further study NASCAR decided the HANS afforded greater protection and announced that starting with next month's Daytona 500 only the HANS can be used.(Tennessean)(1-27-2005)
    UPDATE: After struggling to find a comfort level with the HANS head and neck restraint device over the past couple of weeks, Tony Stewart wishes NASCAR, which has banned the Hutchens restraint device, offered an alternative. Stewart met with HANS co-creator Robert Hubbard last Tuesday to develop a solution but doesn't believe there will be a quick fix.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(1-31-2005)

  • HANS Device is it, no Hutchen's Device in NASCAR UPDATE 2 another device?: NASCAR will require drivers in the Nextel Cup, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series to wear the HANS (Head and Neck Support) device during practice, qualifying and race competition. Drivers will no longer be able to use the Hutchens device to meet NASCAR's requirement to use a head-and-neck restraint. The story says the Hutchens device failed to meet minimum standards in tests conducted by SFI Foundation Inc. The Hutchens device, which was developed by Richard Childress Racing team manager Bobby Hutchens, has been used by some drivers who have said it gives them more freedom of movement inside their cars.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(1-3-2005)
    UPDATE: NASCAR will only allow its competitors to use the HANS device in 2005 because the other head-and-neck restraint system did not meet performance standards. Drivers have had a choice of restraint systems since 2001, when NASCAR began requiring all competitors to use either the HANS or Hutchens devices following an investigation of Dale Earnhardt's death. NASCAR spokesman Mike Zizzo said Monday that the Hutchens failed to meet minimum standards from testing by SFI Foundation Inc. The HANS device was approved by SFI, a California-based nonprofit organization that sets standards for specialty/performance automotive and racing equipment. The HANS (Head and Neck Support) resembles a collar and slides on like a football players' shoulder pads, then hooks onto the helmet. The Hutchens device is a series of straps that connect across the chest and at the waist. Most drivers preferred the HANS, but Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart [and Rusty Wallace] have been known to race with the Hutchens. NASCAR mandated use of a restraint system in October 2001, after an investigation of Earnhardt's death the previous February. Earnhardt died of a skull fracture, the same injury that killed NASCAR drivers Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin and Blaise Alexander in a one-year span. Many experts believed the fractures could have been prevented with use of a restraint system. But with drivers reluctant to use restraint systems and lingering questions about their effectiveness, NASCAR did not require their use until Earnhardt's death made the issue a top priority. After numerous studies, the sanctioning body required the use of a restraint and allowed drivers to choose. Last season, NASCAR evaluated several different systems, hoping to approve new ones before the 2005 season.(ESPN.com/AP)(1-4-2005)
    UPDATE 2: The following is a statement from Trevor Ashline, President, Safety Solutions, regarding NASCAR's ban of Hutchens Device: "I have spent the last three years working closely with NASCAR officials to successfully develop and distribute head and neck restraint systems that provide life-saving protection to its drivers. While one of my systems, the Hutchens Device, consistently met NASCAR's testing requirements during those three years, I applaud their recent decision to raise the bar and mandate the use of only those head and neck restraint systems that meet or exceed the stringent testing criteria recently developed by NASCAR for the SFI Foundation. The Hutchens Device was among those systems tested last November that has not yet met the SFI specification. The Hutchens Device will be submitted to SFI at the end of January 2005. Over the past three years, we have developed and introduced the next generation of head and neck restraint systems, called the R3 (LFTTech.com). As one of the products that were submitted to NASCAR last November, the R3 was the first head and neck restraint system to exceed the SFI 38.1 specification after it was written. Yet, to date, the only restraint system selected by NASCAR has been the HANS Device. If there were additional criteria beyond the SFI specs that NASCAR used to make their selection, I am unaware of it. The R3 has been providing superior head and neck protection to drivers in other auto racing sanctioning bodies such as Local Tracks, SCCA, IMCA, NHRA, IHRA, APBA, HSR, Porsche Club and USAC. As the first to pass the SFI specification test last November, I am anxious to learn what additional NASCAR criteria the R3 needs to meet in order to provide the same level of superior protection to NASCAR drivers." For more information on the R3 restraint please go to www.lfttech.com.(Safety Solutions PR)(1-6-2005)

  • Stewart and the HANS: #20-Tony Stewart used a Head And Neck Support (HANS) device during a race for the first time in Sunday's New England 300, team officials confirmed. Stewart was among the few drivers who had not used one of the two approved head and neck support devices before NASCAR mandated them in the fall of 2001. He said claustrophobia made it difficult for him to feel comfortable to use the HANS, and when the restraints became required he opted to use the less restrictive Hutchens device until Sunday.(Thatsracin.com)(7-21-2003)

  • Head and Neck Restrait Update: NASCAR managing director of competitionGary Nelson said NASCAR consultant John Melvin has examined at least six new head-and-neck restraints products designed to protect the neck in crashes. Only the Hutchens Device and the HANS device are approved by NASCAR. NASCAR has not approved the use of any new energy-absorbing walls or head-restraint systems for the 2003 season. "Each one is unique and some offer benefits in some areas and less in other areas," Nelson said. "Our job is to sort that out and make sure we do no harm by allowing something. We still are looking at the ones that have been submitted." Nelson and Melvin were among the presenters Wednesday in a safety meeting with the drivers.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(1-9-2003)

  • Restraint Refresher Course: In a safety seminar this morning at the speedway, the inventors of the HANS and Hutchens head-and-neck restraints are expected to give drivers a refresher course on the proper way to wear each device. There's growing concern drivers have not been wearing the devices properly, possibly reducing their effectiveness in a crash.(USA Today)(1-8-2003)

  • New Head and Neck Restraint: The G-Force Racing Gear Research and Development team spent over two years designing the SRS-1. The design parameters were driver comfort, ease of use, ease of ingress and egress from the racecar, performance comparable to other competing devices and a price that would not break the bank. The end result is that the G-Force R&D team met or exceeded all of these parameters. The SRS-1 was also designed as a complete system to be used in concert with an approved helmet. All helmets with attachment points for the SRS-1 have to meet Snell or SFI certification with the points manufactured into the helmet. They must also meet a test to help ensure the mounting points integrity in the event of a crash. This is a problem with other add-on type devices. The G-Force SRS-1 helmet restraint device consists of a cable that attaches to helmet. This cable attachment allows the driver better freedom of movement to turn their head from side to side. Another benefit to this freedom of movement is that under braking, it helps hold your head up for less driver fatigue. The cable is attached to the restraint strap. The restraint strap will have a specific length for each driver and may possibly be different for each racecar the driver uses. The restraint straps are available in half-inch increments and additional restraint straps may be purchase separately. The reaction rod is attached to the other end of the restraint strap. It is encased in a fire retardant material that helps center the rod under the seatbelts behind the driver's head. Based on how the seat belts are configured and what type of drivers seat, the reaction rod is available in one-inch increments, 9 to 13 inches. The SRS-1 kit will come with a 12" reaction rod and Velcro strap that is used to perform a measure to determine what length restraint strap is required. Read the instructions with the SRS-1 and determine which parts are needed. Return the enclosed form and any parts that need to be exchange to G-FORCE Racing Gear and the correct parts will be sent to you to complete your SRS-1. The G-FORCE Racing Gear SRS-1 has been sled tested at Delphi, Wayne State University and other labs. Many experts today agree that over 4000 Newtons of force pulling on the neck may cause injury. The test results from Wayne State University used a stock car type seating arrangement with no side supports for the head. The test was a 50G pulse at the drivers seat. This may not sound like much, but it is like hitting a concrete wall and stopping with a 50G impact.
    HELMETS APPROVED FOR USE WITH THE SRS-1. GFRG Pro Force AERO; GFRG Pro Force AIR; GFRG Pro Force 1; GFRG Force 1; GFRG Force 1 Graphix. No other helmets approved at this time. Existing helmets CANNOT be retrofitted to work with the helmet restraint device.(G-Force PR), no word on if this is NASCAR approved.(12-28-2002)

  • Marlin switches to the HANS: #40-Sterling Marlin used the HANS device Friday and plans to wear it for the rest of the season. Marlin had been wearing a Hutchens device since last season. He decided to switch safety devices after suffering a sore neck in a crash in the Richmond race two weeks ago. Marlin tested with the HANS device at Kentucky Speedway this week, experienced no discomfort and made the change.(Roanoke Times)(9-21-2002)

  • Head and Neck Restraints Tested: Wayne State University officials conducted crash tests Tuesday on a new HANS device, a Hutchens device and a new head restraint called a D-cel. Ken Adams, company director at Hubbard-Downing, which produces the HANS, said company officials used the test to try out a new attachment to the helmet that is supposed to make it easier for drivers to hook and unhook the tethers to the helmet. Adams said the new attachment also is stronger and lighter. Once the new piece passes the test, Adams said the company is ready to add those to their head-and-neck restraints. The D-cel being tested is a new head-and-neck restraint device. It's made by Safety Solutions, which now makes the Hutchens device. The D-cel device wraps around the driver and relies on the pelvis to anchor the system. The harness does not hook into the lap belt as the Hutchens device does. So far, the only head-and-neck restraints approved by NASCAR are the HANS and the Hutchens device.(Roanoke Times)(6-26-2002)

  • New head and neck retraint: On June 12th, Speedway Safety Equipment, an Alabama based company, sucessfully tested it's re-designed head retraint system at Wayne State University. This device, known as the White Head Restraint System was first designed and manufactured in 1980. Subsequently, it was also copied by other manufacturers. Since then, however, data has become available that has allowed the White Head Restraint System to continue the evolution toward the strongest head and neck safety device available on the market. Dr. John Melvin, NASCAR consultant, helped to oversee the crash tests performed on this device. These tests confirmed that the White Head Restraint System's results showed a 25% improvement over the same tests performed with the Hutchens Device. These numbers were in agreement with the computer modeling done by Dr. Paul Begeman of Wayne State University, prior to the actual crash tests. The design of the White Head Restraint System, which is comprised of head and body restraints, meets the requirements for all forms of auto racing. This includes NASCAR, open wheel, drag racing, late model series', and Bandalero. George White, designer of the White Head Restraint System stated that "commercial production began immediately after the tests. This has been a very -important project for the entire team that has worked with the White Head Restraint System, and I am pleased with the results.. Our product is competitively priced, providing the opportunity for use to all drivers." The White Head Restraint System is now available for purchase.. For more information, please contact: Speedway Safety Equipment, George White, (877) 791-2333.(STB Marketing Group PR)(6-19-2002)
    AND or call direct at (205) 491-2109 or visit their website at speedwaysafetyequipment.com.(6-20-2002)

  • New restraint devices on market: The two companies that provide the head-and-neck restraint devices used in NASCAR's top divisions have new models on the market. Trevor Ashline, the engineer who invented the head-and-neck restraint known as the Hutchens device, is putting the finishing touches on a new model called the D-Cel Harness. Ashline has tested the device in simulated crashes, and several drivers have tried it in test sessions that were not part of a regular racing event. The new restraint differs in that the straps pull more from the driver's pelvis, and there are fewer adjustments needed once the driver puts the device on. The D-Cel, which is recommended for sprint car and go-kart drivers, will sell for $400, while the Hutchens is $325. NASCAR has not yet approved the D-Cel for use in competition. The makers of the HANS device also have a new model out. It is almost identical to the device now in use, except that is costs less and weighs more. The newer model costs $975 versus $1,275, but is heavier because the materials used to build it are less expensive. Both HANS devices are legal for use in NASCAR.(Atlanta Journal Constitution)(5-31-2002)

  • New Seat Belt Requirements: NASCAR announced today additional seat belt restraint system safety requirements for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series that becomes effective Thursday, March 7. In addition to each vehicle already being equipped with a NASCAR-approved seat belt restraint system and installed in accordance with the directions provided by system manufacturers, the new mandates provide a supplement to the installation requirements for stock cars. (NASCAR PR)(3-5-2002)
    AND NASCAR late Tuesday issued a technical bulletin adopting a series of new safety requirements for occupant restraint systems used in its Winston Cup series. The bulletin outlines several new guidelines regarding the placement and mounting of seat belts and shoulder harnesses in stock cars. The guidelines take effect on Thursday, in time for this weekend's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. As part of a series of safety initiatives NASCAR said it would undertake in light of its exhaustive report issued in August on the death of seven-time series champion Dale Earnhardt, a study on occupant restraint systems was commissioned by Drs. John Melvin and James Raddin. Melvin is one of the world's leading experts on head and neck restraints. Raddin is a member of the Earnhardt report's investigative team and heads Biodynamic Research Corp. in San Antonio. "These new requirements are a direct result of the occupant restraint study announced last August to research the hardware, webbing and mounting of seat belt systems," NASCAR President Mike Helton said in a statement released with the technical bulletin. The new guidelines mandate the use of at least one of two latching systems for seat belts, either a latch/lever or cam lock. Their use will provide a common connection among the lap belts, shoulder harnesses and anti-submarine belts. Other guidelines focus on the webbing of the belts, an area the Earnhardt report dealt with in great detail. Earnhardt died in a last-lap wreck at the 2001 Daytona 500. The report said a separated left lap belt - likely caused by "dumping" - contributed to his death. Dumping occurs when seat belt webbing is pulled or moved significantly to one side of the metal adjustment device through which the webbing is threaded. Following the release of the Earnhardt report, NASCAR worked to educate car owners, crew members and drivers and seat belt manufacturers about the problem of "dumping."(ThatsRacin.com)(3-6-2002)

  • Simpson to Sue NASCAR UPDATE: ESPN.com has learned that Simpson is fingering NASCAR for wrongly accusing his safety company of playing any part in Earnhardt’s demise on the final lap of the Daytona 500. Bill Simpson wants his name absolved in the death of his friend Dale Earnhardt. Attorneys James H. Voyles and Robert W. Horn will file a suit Tuesday morning in an Indianapolis superior court. Simpson has confirmed he is filing a multimillion dollar lawsuit, charging NASCAR with defamation of character, false invasion of privacy, defamation by implication and reckless disregard for the truth. "NASCAR brought me to my knees like nobody else ever has and, for eight months, I felt impudent because these charges just kept coming and there was nothing I could do," said Simpson, who received several death threats and eventually moved out of his former home in Charlotte, NC. Everyone who has ever dealt with NASCAR has acquiesced to them and nobody will stand up to them. But they picked on the wrong guy this time. I'm not going away quietly and they deserve to pay for what they did to me and my company's reputation. This isn't about money. This is about integrity and the truth." NASCAR spokesman Mike Zizzo said his organization would not comment.(ESPN)(2-11-2002)
    UPDATE: Simpson Performance Products issued a statement Tuesday in which is said it would not be party to any lawsuit against NASCAR. “We have been working cooperatively with NASCAR for the past several months on ways to improve driver safety, to support NASCAR’s efforts on building strong safety programs and to contribute valuable input to the process,” said Simpson Performance Products CEO Chuck Davies. The statement was released in response to several news reports that indicated Simpson Products founder and former president Bill Simpson would file a lawsuit against NASCAR for, among other things, defamation of character.(ThatsRacin.com)
    AND Bill Simpson intends to pursue his multi-million dollar lawsuit against NASCAR and will file it Wednesday morning in Indianapolis, but he'll go it alone after Simpson Safety Products asked to be removed as a plaintiff.(ESPN)(2-13-2002)
    UPDATE suit filed: Bill Simpson was unable to elicit an apology from NASCAR on Tuesday, leaving him convinced that a lawsuit he filed today is his only recourse against stock-car racing's sanctioning body. "I guess the word 'apology' is not in NASCAR's vocabulary," he said after a day of negotiations. "So, we'll see them in court." Simpson, a resident of Avon, IN, filed an $8.5 million lawsuit this morning in Marion County Superior Court, claiming NASCAR wrongly blamed the construction of seat belts made by his company in the death of seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500.(Indianapolis Star)(2-13-2002)

  • Restraints being used: Thirty-seven Cup drivers are using the HANS device this week, and 16 others are using the Hutchens Device.(Roanoke Times)(2-13-2002)

  • Hutchens Device Testing: Richard Childress Racing Team Manager Bobby Hutchens says his "Hutchins Device" head and neck restraint was scheduled for testing Thursday at Wayne State University by safety expert Dr. John Melvin. Hutchens has developed an upgraded version of the device and is anxious to see where the numbers fall and hopefully move down the road with a better product. Hutchens is hopeful the numbers show a reduction in neck tension. Hutchens says "there are a lot of things NASCAR and it's experts are doing that nobody's seen yet that hopefully in the next couple months will come to be as far as being something permanent in the garage area that I think will help all of us." Hutchens.has learned a lot about safety and engineering principals.when it comes to.belts and seats and that NASCAR and the teams are "turning over every rock we can turn over to make it better for these guys". The "HANS" and "Hutchens Device" are the only two head and neck restraints current approved by NASCAR.(PRN's Garage Pass)(1-11-2002)

  • Seat Belt News: Dale Earnhardt customized his seat belt mountings in his race car in a way the manufacturer said was dangerous, and his harness failure may have contributed to his death in the Daytona 500. On Tuesday, NASCAR outlawed customized seat belt placements for the 2002 season, and in effect vindicated beleaguered seat belt maker Bill Simpson. Next year's guidelines regulate seat belt systems and describe in detail what drivers and pit crews must wear during practice, qualifying and races. On Tuesday, NASCAR issued its strongest language to date on seat belt systems. NASCAR's six-month investigation of Earnhardt's crash indicated the left lap belt of his harness system "dumped," or buckled then tore during the crash. NASCAR all but said Earnhardt's belt system was improperly mounted when the sanctioning body released its findings in August. Simpson has said that if properly mounted, Earnhardt's seat belt system would not have failed, and that he warned the seven-time Winston Cup champion several times to mount his harness according to manufacturer's specifications. There was no attempt during 2001 to change customized mounting positions, but the language in NASCAR's upcoming rules package indicates that area of the rule book will change dramatically in 2002. Specifically, the new rule reads: "Each car must be equipped with a NASCAR-approved seat belt restraint system. Unapproved seat belt restraint systems or components will not be permitted," and "The seat belt restraint system must be installed in accordance with the directions provided by the system supplier and/or manufacturer." NASCAR didn't specify which seat belt systems are approved for the 2002 season.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(12-15-2001)

  • Stewart wears Hutchens AND: A few minutes before 11, Tony Stewart and crew chief Greg Zipadelli came from the hauler and walked to the car. Zipadelli helped Stewart latch on the Hutchens device, under the unblinking eye of competition director Steve Peterson.(SpeedVision)
    UPDATE: After some tense moments early Friday, Tony Stewart finally relented and wore a head and neck restraint device before he began practice at Talladega Superspeedway. NASCAR on Wednesday mandated the use of either the HANS or Hutchens device by all drivers in its top three series - Winston Cup, Grand National and Trucks. Stewart was the only regular Cup driver who did not wear one of the devices on a regular basis. After the practice session started, Winston Cup series director Gary Nelson stood by Stewart's car and asked him if he had received the bulletin about the use of head and neck restraints. Stewart replied, "Yeah, but I didn't get the one about helmets being required." Stewart then left his car and went to the NASCAR hauler, where he had a heated exchange with Nelson. When it was over, he returned to his hauler, removed his uniform, dressed in street clothes and went to his motorhome. After a short while, he returned to his hauler, put on his uniform, put on a Hutchens device and got into his car. After exchanging words with NASCAR official Steve Peterson, he pulled out of the garage and onto the track. He ended up posting the 40th-fastest speed.(That's Racin'), Stewart will start 37th at Talladega, using a provisional to make the race(10-19-2001)
    COLUMN: a few interesting columns about Stewart - Tony Stewart, back to the wall, is raging in solitude by Monte Dutton of the Gaston Gazette; and There's another side to the Stewart story by David Poole of the Charlotte Observer/That's Racin'(10-21-2001)
  • Green helping out: Jeff Green, driver of the #10 Nestlé Nesquik Ford in the BGN, believes so strongly that NASCAR drivers should be wearing a head and neck restraint device, that he's willing to put his money where his mouth is. Green wasn't sure why some drivers were not wearing any type of device, so he decided to do a little investigating. He knew that most full-time BGN regulars were wearing some sort of system, either a HANS device or Hutchins device, but he wasn't sure about the other drivers; the ones competing in the series from time to time, not necessarily every weekend. He guessed that the drivers who competed on a limited basis possibly did not have the funds available to purchase a head and neck safety restraint system. The costs for a HANS device can range anywhere from $1,500 to $1,800 and the cost of a Hutchins device is lower, around $300. Either can hurt a budget when money is so tight trying to make a name for yourself. After doing some research with NASCAR, Green found out his theory was true. Most drivers not using a device were the drivers that did not compete full-time. He did not want cost to be the reason a driver would not be wearing this essential safety equipment. So Green decided to take it upon himself to offer to pay for a system for any driver who does not have the means to do so(Speedway Illustrated)(10-18-2001)

  • Stewart wears Hutchens: A few minutes before 11, Tony Stewart and crew chief Greg Zipadelli came from the hauler and walked to the car. Zipadelli helped Stewart latch on the Hutchens device, under the unblinking eye of competition director Steve Peterson.(SpeedVision)
    UPDATE: After some tense moments early Friday, Tony Stewart finally relented and wore a head and neck restraint device before he began practice at Talladega Superspeedway. NASCAR on Wednesday mandated the use of either the HANS or Hutchens device by all drivers in its top three series - Winston Cup, Grand National and Trucks. Stewart was the only regular Cup driver who did not wear one of the devices on a regular basis. After the practice session started, Winston Cup series director Gary Nelson stood by Stewart's car and asked him if he had received the bulletin about the use of head and neck restraints. Stewart replied, "Yeah, but I didn't get the one about helmets being required." Stewart then left his car and went to the NASCAR hauler, where he had a heated exchange with Nelson. When it was over, he returned to his hauler, removed his uniform, dressed in street clothes and went to his motorhome. After a short while, he returned to his hauler, put on his uniform, put on a Hutchens device and got into his car. After exchanging words with NASCAR official Steve Peterson, he pulled out of the garage and onto the track. He ended up posting the 40th-fastest speed.(That's Racin'), Stewart will start 37th at Talladega, using a provisional to make the race(10-19-2001)

  • Green helping out: Jeff Green, driver of the #10 Nestlé Nesquik Ford in the BGN, believes so strongly that NASCAR drivers should be wearing a head and neck restraint device, that he's willing to put his money where his mouth is. Green wasn't sure why some drivers were not wearing any type of device, so he decided to do a little investigating. He knew that most full-time BGN regulars were wearing some sort of system, either a HANS device or Hutchins device, but he wasn't sure about the other drivers; the ones competing in the series from time to time, not necessarily every weekend. He guessed that the drivers who competed on a limited basis possibly did not have the funds available to purchase a head and neck safety restraint system. The costs for a HANS device can range anywhere from $1,500 to $1,800 and the cost of a Hutchins device is lower, around $300. Either can hurt a budget when money is so tight trying to make a name for yourself. After doing some research with NASCAR, Green found out his theory was true. Most drivers not using a device were the drivers that did not compete full-time. He did not want cost to be the reason a driver would not be wearing this essential safety equipment. So Green decided to take it upon himself to offer to pay for a system for any driver who does not have the means to do so(Speedway Illustrated)(10-18-2001)

  • Hutchens Responds: Hutchens Comments on NASCAR's Mandate of Head and Neck Restraints(10-18-2001)

  • NASCAR mandates head and neck restraints: NASCAR on Wednesday made mandatory the use of a head-and-neck restraint device by drivers in its top three series - Winston Cup, Grand National and Trucks - effective immediately. NASCAR has encouraged drivers to wear such devices, either the HANS or Hutchens device, this season, but had not required their use. "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," said George Payne, NASCAR senior vice president. "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." A majority of all NASCAR drivers currently use a head and neck restraint device. In Winston Cup, only one driver, Tony Stewart, currently does not use such a device. "This is a smart decision that will make racing safer for all drivers," said three-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon. "NASCAR's efforts to connect drivers with safety experts and its willingness to work with manufacturers has helped most drivers recognize the benefits of these devices."
    Pyne also updated the progress of other safety initiatives:
    An occupant-restraint study announced in August is under way. The results of the study will be implemented prior to the 2002 season.
    Progress continues to be made in the driver compartment, including seating and additional padding throughout cockpit area.
    Accident-data recorders have been tested in all three major NASCAR series. NASCAR remains on schedule to have the data recorders in full use for the 2002 season.
    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.
    Candidates for the position of full-time accident investigator are being reviewed. Pyne also said Wednesday that NASCAR currently has no data that would indicate the so-called "Humpy Bumper," designed by Lew Composites of Las Vegas and initiated by Lowe's Motor Speedway president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, would provide additional safety for cars. Pyne said NASCAR would continue to look at additional data as more crash testing is done with the bumper. NASCAR also will continue to work with the Indy Racing League in the development of new "soft-wall" technology and with manufacturers in addressing concerns with the designs of the cars as well as energy absorbing materials.(That's Racin'/NASCAR PR)(10-17-2001)

  • Stewart's Response to Head Restraints: On the second day of a two-day test at Atlanta, [#20] Tony Stewart took time to respond to NASCAR's mandate that drivers use either a Head And Neck Support (HANS) or Hutchens device beginning this weekend at Talladega. "I think a head and neck restraint is a good idea," said the driver of the #20 Home Depot Pontiac in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, "and I think it's great that a lot of drivers are wearing them. But I also believe that a head and neck restraint has to be right for each individual driver. What is right for one person may not be right for another. I want to wear something, but I haven't found anything yet that I'm comfortable with. It's not that I don't want to wear it, and I'm not being bull-headed about this, but there is nothing right now that I'm comfortable wearing inside the race car. When I ran Indy cars, there was a time once when I had the foam headrest that goes around the rim of the driver's cockpit touch the top of my shoulders. I ran one lap, pulled in and bailed out of the car because I felt like I was getting trapped inside the car - just because the headrest was touching the top of my shoulders. It wasn't because of anything mechanical, it was because of my own anxiety that comes from being claustrophobic. That's how the HANS device makes me feel. If I have a helmet device that doesn't fit properly or isn't comfortable, then how comfortable am I going to be six inches from guys who are on all four corners of my race car? I tried out the Hutchens device during a Talladega test back in August, put it on three different times, and it was on me three different ways. It was never in the same spot on my body twice. That concerned me, because there didn't seem to be any consistency in how it formed to my body. I'm still committed to finding an appropriate head restraint system that suits my safety needs, while at the same time allowing me peace of mind inside the race car."(Edelman PR), one of Stewart's biggest problems with using a device is that he is extrememly claustrophobic(10-17-2001)

  • SpeedFX: Head Restraints: Part 1 of 3 and Head Restraints: Part 2 of 3 and Head Restraints: Part 3 of 3 by Tony Stevens(10-10/14/19-2001)

  • NASCAR mandates head and neck restraints: NASCAR on Wednesday made mandatory the use of a head-and-neck restraint device by drivers in its top three series - Winston Cup, Grand National and Trucks - effective immediately. NASCAR has encouraged drivers to wear such devices, either the HANS or Hutchens device, this season, but had not required their use. "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," said George Payne, NASCAR senior vice president. "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." A majority of all NASCAR drivers currently use a head and neck restraint device. In Winston Cup, only one driver, Tony Stewart, currently does not use such a device. "This is a smart decision that will make racing safer for all drivers," said three-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon. "NASCAR's efforts to connect drivers with safety experts and its willingness to work with manufacturers has helped most drivers recognize the benefits of these devices."
    Pyne also updated the progress of other safety initiatives:
    An occupant-restraint study announced in August is under way. The results of the study will be implemented prior to the 2002 season.
    Progress continues to be made in the driver compartment, including seating and additional padding throughout cockpit area.
    Accident-data recorders have been tested in all three major NASCAR series. NASCAR remains on schedule to have the data recorders in full use for the 2002 season.
    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.
    Candidates for the position of full-time accident investigator are being reviewed. Pyne also said Wednesday that NASCAR currently has no data that would indicate the so-called "Humpy Bumper," designed by Lew Composites of Las Vegas and initiated by Lowe's Motor Speedway president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, would provide additional safety for cars. Pyne said NASCAR would continue to look at additional data as more crash testing is done with the bumper. NASCAR also will continue to work with the Indy Racing League in the development of new "soft-wall" technology and with manufacturers in addressing concerns with the designs of the cars as well as energy absorbing materials.(That's Racin'/NASCAR PR)(10-17-2001)

  • Stewart's Response to Head Restraints: On the second day of a two-day test at Atlanta, [#20] Tony Stewart took time to respond to NASCAR's mandate that drivers use either a Head And Neck Support (HANS) or Hutchens device beginning this weekend at Talladega. "I think a head and neck restraint is a good idea," said the driver of the #20 Home Depot Pontiac in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, "and I think it's great that a lot of drivers are wearing them. But I also believe that a head and neck restraint has to be right for each individual driver. What is right for one person may not be right for another. I want to wear something, but I haven't found anything yet that I'm comfortable with. It's not that I don't want to wear it, and I'm not being bull-headed about this, but there is nothing right now that I'm comfortable wearing inside the race car. When I ran Indy cars, there was a time once when I had the foam headrest that goes around the rim of the driver's cockpit touch the top of my shoulders. I ran one lap, pulled in and bailed out of the car because I felt like I was getting trapped inside the car - just because the headrest was touching the top of my shoulders. It wasn't because of anything mechanical, it was because of my own anxiety that comes from being claustrophobic. That's how the HANS device makes me feel. If I have a helmet device that doesn't fit properly or isn't comfortable, then how comfortable am I going to be six inches from guys who are on all four corners of my race car? I tried out the Hutchens device during a Talladega test back in August, put it on three different times, and it was on me three different ways. It was never in the same spot on my body twice. That concerned me, because there didn't seem to be any consistency in how it formed to my body. I'm still committed to finding an appropriate head restraint system that suits my safety needs, while at the same time allowing me peace of mind inside the race car."(Edelman PR), one of Stewart's biggest problems with using a device is that he is extrememly claustrophobic(10-17-2001)

  • Stewart still restraintless UPDATE but Spencer to wear one: #20-Tony Stewart used the Talladega test to try out a Hutchens device, but he didn't like it. "I was pretty uncomfortable with it," he said, adding that he had trouble figuring out how to get in and out of the car with the device's straps in place. Stewart, who is one of only two Winston Cup drivers 9the other #26-Jimmy Spencer) not wearing a head and neck restraint, said he ruled out the HANS restraint. "I don't want anything else on my neck," he said.(AJC)(8-31-2001)
    UPDATE: #20-Tony Stewart won't wear a head and neck safety device in the Southern 500 at Darlington. However, #26-Jimmy Spencer has decided to wear the Hutchens restraint system for the race. A team representative for Stewart said Friday that although the driver wore a Hutchens device during testing this week at Talladega Superspeedway, he would not put one on at Darlington. After Friday's Winston Cup practice, Spencer said he was undecided about his plans for the safety device. However, before qualifying, he told reporters he would use the Hutchens system.(CNN/AP)(9-1-2001)

  • Head Restraint Testing: NASCAR’s commissioned investigation into head and neck restraint systems, announced during the release of the Dale Earnhardt investigation results, is slated to get under way in the coming week, NASCAR vice president of corporate communications Jim Hunter said Saturday. Drs. Dean Sicking and James Raddin, the spearheads of the Earnhardt investigation, will conduct the investigation alongside Dr. John Melvin, a world-renowned restraint expert.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(9-9-2001)

  • Little E dons a head restraint UPDATE Stewart and Spencer are the only non wearers: #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., at the urging of several fellow Winston Cup drivers, wore a head-and-neck restraint device for the first time in Saturday afternoon's final practice session at Michigan. "I was just trying it out," Earnhardt Jr. said. "In the past week or so a couple of drivers asked me if I would try it out. So I figured I probably should." Earnhardt Jr. said he would likely wear the device in Sunday's Pepsi 400 and in further Cup races(That's Racin')(8-19-2001)
    UPDATE: only two drivers, #26-Jimmy Spencer and #20-Tony Stewart, were not wearing head-restraint devices, among the 43 participating in the Michigan event.(SpeedVision)(8-20-2001)

  • Ontrack Online: Head Restraints by Jonathan Ingram(7-11-2001)

  • Safety Count: by NASCAR's count, 23 drivers were wearing the HANS (Head and Neck Support) before the start of the race. In addition, 10 drivers were wearing a second device designed by Bobby Hutchens, general manager of Richard Childress Racing. So that means 10 drivers in the 43-car field declined to wear any kind of restraint system. NASCAR doesn't require drivers to use anything, but more and more of them are open to trying new restraint systems since Dale Earnhardt's death. Hutchen's device differs from the U-shaped HANS in that it's only a series of belts that hook into a drivers helmet and existing seat belt system. The HANS is an actual piece that goes on over the shoulders and hooks onto the helmet(That's Racin'/AP)(7-8-2001)

  • Hutchens Device News: the Hutchens Device (a head and neck restrait device) was featured on FSN's Totally NASCAR and expplained by inventor Bobby Hutchens (of Richard Childress Racing). A few notes: the device also helps prevent a driver from sliding down from the seat in the event of an accident, the device costs $300, Hutchens is making a smaller device for younger racers, toll free number is 800-731-4404 and the website www.hutchensdevice.com should be operational by next week(7-3-2001)

  • HANS pioneers honored: Jim Downing and his brother-in-law, Dr. Robert Hubbard, were given the Louis Schwitzer Award Friday by Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The two were recognized for the invention and continual development of the head and neck safety (HANS) device, designed to prevent the type of whiplash that caused the deaths of NASCAR drivers Kenny Irwin, Adam Petty and Dale Earnhardt. "I definitely think they should be commended," Jeff Gordon said. "I'm wearing it, I'm proud of it. It took a while for me to get adjusted to it, but now I don't want to go on the race track without wearing it." About 600 drivers world-wide are using HANS. The company is approaching 1,000 orders for this year. "I can't see any reason why every driver who races cars and boats with a shoulder harness shouldn't be wearing one of these things," Hubbard said. "I think that day will come some day."(AJC)(5-19-2001)

  • Simpson Restraint UPDATE: Simpson Performance Products has developed a head restraint system that is quickly catching on in NASCAR's Winston Cup and Busch Series divisions. The Simpson Decelerator, a concept originally developed by NASA and common among mountain climbers, restrains the head and neck and also features a tear-away strap that slows the acceleration of the head during violent impacts. Like the HANS device and other head and neck restraint systems, it is designed to reduce the violent whipping motion of the head that causes basilar skull fractures, injuries that killed Dale Earnhardt, Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin. Several Winston Cup and Busch Series drivers tried the system at Talladega April 20-22. Among them were Ron Hornaday, Joe Nemechek, Jeremy Mayfield, Kenny Wallace, Buckshot Jones, Jeff Green and Jay Sauter. Others who have the system and plan to try it include Mike Skinner, Ward Burton, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Unlike the HANS device, the Decelerator features no bulky collar that limits head motion and vision. It also features two quick release points that make it easier to climb out of the car in the event of an accident. Unlike the Hutchins device, which wraps around the driver's chest, waist and crotch and connects to the seat belts, the Simpson system features straps that mount to the roll bars behind the driver's seat and runs through the same route as the shoulder belts. Those straps connect to the decelerator strap, two pieces of webbing that is folded and sewn together and connects to a mount on the front of the driver's helmet. Upon impact, the stitching in the decelerator straps tear apart, slowing the acceleration and forward motion of the driver's head. The sewn straps must be replaced after a crash. The Simpson system has been tested by noted biomechanical engineer Dr. John Melvin and proved to be nearly as effective as the HANS device, Malone said. The system costs about $200, plus the replacement straps, compared to about $1,200 for the HANS device.(Winston Cup Scene - need subscription to read online)(4-26-2001)
    UPDATE: "Are you going to wear the HANS device?" With safety at the forefront of recent headlines, Kenny (Wallace) has been asked this question almost as many times as people have asked "When you gonna get a sponsor?" Kenny experimented with the HANS device during recent practice sessions at both Nashville and Talladega but wasn't yet comfortable with the device. "We've got to make some adjustments to the HANS to get it to fit in with my seat, and do some more testing before I'm comfortable with it." Kenny stated after a run in Talladega. For now, Kenny has put his trust in a new restraint system developed by Simpson Performance Products. See full story and image at the Kenny Wallace Racing Site(4-28-2001)

  • Martin Wears HANS: quoted in the past as saying he wouldn't wear the HANS or similar device, #6-Mark Martin donned a Hans safety device for the race at Talladega(Anniston Star)(4-24-2001)

  • Mayfield Tried Different Device: Jeremy Mayfield tried out a new restraint system this weekend. The device, manufactured by Simpson, works as a decelerator in a crash. Unlike some restraint systems, the decelerator works to absorb force by moving slightly with the body. "When the car does come to a dead stop pretty fast, if you stop the head immediately, your brain keeps going," Mayfield said. "This slows down and almost tears a little bit before it stops. So as your head is moving, [the device] starts tearing at the rest depending on what the G-forces are." Three quick releases on the system allow the driver to quickly exit the car following a crash(Richmond Times Dispatch)(4-22-2001)

  • Waltrip Endorses the HANS: Darrell Waltrip said yesterday NASCAR should mandate its drivers use a specific safety device known as the HANS. Waltrip joined several hundred Dale Earnhardt fans at a tribute to the fallen driver at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. Earnhardt died Feb. 18 in a crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500. He was the fourth NASCAR driver killed in 12 months. Many, including Waltrip, say the HANS - short for Head and Neck Support - could have prevented those deaths. "That thing gives you a 60 percent better chance of surviving a wreck like that," said Waltrip, now a Fox television analyst. "If [NASCAR] won't make it mandatory, they ought to at least send out a bulletin that says, 'We highly recommend the HANS device.' And they should highly recommend it to the point where if a driver doesn't want to follow the recommendation, maybe his car has a little problem getting through inspection."(AP/Philadelphia Daily News)(4-19-2001)

  • No HANS for Burton: Jeff Burton is wearing the Hutcherson Device (note: thought it was the Hutchens device), an alternative to the HANS (head and neck safety) Device that is supposed to prevent the neck-whipping action that may have caused Dale Earnhardt's death. "The reason I like it is because in a rearward impact, there is absolutely zero problem with the device causing some sort of issue that we don't know about," Burton said. "When I look at the HANS Device, with the parameters that we have to work in, the HANS is crammed into the car, crammed up against the driver's head and crammed against the seat." The HANS Device was designed for open-wheel racing and has been adapted for stock cars, although not to a universally acceptable degree. Some drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., are not wearing any head-and-neck restraint system. Burton concedes that the Hutcherson Device is not as effective in a head-on impact as the HANS, but he says that at a 30-degree impact, it works just as well.(Dallas Morning News)(4-5-2001)

  • Head Trauma Project: A research project detailing head trauma in a crash could lead to safer equipment for drivers in all racing series, including NASCAR. Dr. Steve Olvey, director of medical affairs for Championship Auto Racing Teams, is leading a project that essentially will create a crash data recorder for the head. The device will fit in a driver's custom-fitted earpiece. The device that is placed inside the foam earpiece is an accelerometer - which is basically like an airplane's black box for the head. An accelerometer measures the direction the head travels in a crash and the forces applied to it.(Roanoke Times)(3-25-2001)

  • Skinner and the HANS UPDATE: many folks have emailed me and wondered what Mike Skinner thought about the HANS device and the situation where there was quite a bit of fire. On ESPN2's RPM 2Night Skinner said he may had taken him a little longer to get out with the HANS device, but he was happy with it's performance and he will continue to wear the device. He said the length of time to get out of the car had more to do with him shaking off the effects of the crash and trying to get the steering wheel and unstrapping the belts and the HANS device(3-20-2001)
    UPDATE: Mike Skinner credits the HANS device with helping him avoid serious injuries in a crash late in Sunday's race at Darlington. "I've taken a lot less severe hits than this and hurt a lot worse," Skinner said. "I give a big thumbs-up to the HANS device. It kept me from hurting a lot worse than I did." Car owner Richard Childress said the HANS device did not prevent his driver from exiting quickly. Skinner told Childress that he didn't drop the left net, which is between the driver's head and the window net, at first and that held him up. Skinner said that he slid forward in the seat in the wreck and got his belt stuck against the steering wheel, further slowing him(Roanoke Times)(3-21-2001)

  • The HANS at Atlanta: On Friday, #66-Todd Bodine received the results on the head and neck safety belt system he developed with Bill Simpson. After discovering his system was 40 percent less safe than the HANS device, Bodine was fitted for his own HANS device on Sunday morning before the start of the race. AND BGN driver, Elton Sawyer claims the HANS device saved his life on Saturday following his wreck on Lap 58 of the Aaron's 312 BGN race. The device is designed to withstand a minimum of 1,500 lbs. of force but gave way, dissipating additional energy after Sawyer made contact with the wall in Turn 2. Ford Racing program manager Jay Novak said the system "did exactly what it was supposed to do."(Sporting News) AND Matt Kenseth said his new HANS device presented no problems when he had to make a hasty exit from his smoking car after a blown engine. Drivers have expressed worries that getting out of the car with the hefty safety collar could be a problem. NASCAR has considered widening the window opening on the driver's side to allow for an easier exit in an emergency(Winston-Salem Journal)(3-12-2001)

  • DW Tests the HANS: Darrell Waltrip, FOX TV commentator and former NASCAR Winston Cup driver, flanked by fellow race commentator Jeff Hammond and brother Michael Waltrip, guided Darrell into the fit and feel of the new HANS (head and neck support device system) safety device. Darrell, wearing a 1997 IROC uniform, said he wanted to "see first hand what the HANS device felt like while sitting behind the wheel." Brother Michael's #15 NAPA Chevrolet Monte Carlo was used for the test(AMS Site)(3-10-2001)

  • Waltrip to wear HANS at Atlanta UPDATE: Like many drivers, Michael Waltrip had been interested in the HANS device, but chose to wait until he could try it in his car at speed under testing conditions before making the final decision to use it in competition. Waltrip tried the HANS device during testing at Atlanta last week and found he had the necessary mobility and vision to use it safely in the car. He will begin wearing it in this weekends Cracker Barrel 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway(Speedway Illustrated)(3-7-2001)
    UPDATE: actually Waltrip wore the HANS at Las Vegas for the first time(3-8-2001)

  • First HANS win UPDATE: told that Jeff Gordon was wearing the HANS device today, becoming the first CUP driver to win using the device. A story earlier reported he was not going to wear it today, but the folks at HANS say he did wear it today(yes I saw him remove a device when he unbuckled from the car)(3-4-2001)
    UPDATE: Race winner Jeff Gordon also wore the (HANS) device. "It rubs on my collarbones," he said. "I want to find a way to soften that. If that's what I have to give up to be safer, I'm fine with that."(Alabama Live)(3-5-2001)

  • Stricklin Tests the HANS: #90-Hut Stricklin crash-tested his HANS device Sunday. A blown right front tire sent Stricklin's car into the wall. Stricklin was not injured and credited the head and neck support system for that. He first raced with the device last week at Rockingham. "I was pretty impressed," Stricklin said of the HANS device. "Any other time an impact like that, you would feel your back and neck stretch." Stricklin said his head and neck felt fine(Roanoke Times)(3-5-2001)

  • HANS News: Michael Waltrip said that he'll wear the HANS device, a head and neck support system, in today's race. Waltrip tried it at a test session at Atlanta last week. Last week, at least seven of the 43 drivers wore a HANS device at Rockingham. They were Dale Jarrett, Brett Bodine, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Robert Pressley, Hut Stricklin and Terry Labonte. About seven other drivers wore other restraint systems(Roanoke Times)(3-4-2001)

  • CNN/SI: Safety first - Waltrip says HANS device not bad to work with by Stephen Thomas(3-4-2001)

  • RacingOne: HANS Device: Part One - What is Everyone Talking About? by Tina Balazs(3-1-2001)

  • CNN/SI: Turning down safety - Plenty of NASCAR drivers opposed to HANS device by Stephen Thomas(3-1-2001)

  • AutoRacing1: The HANS Device saved my Fathers life by Zak Larimore(2-28-2001)

  • Roanoke Times: More drivers turn to safety devices by Dustin Long

  • saw this in my local newspaper but found it posted at the Tennessean: How head restraint works

  • AutoRacing1: Safety - Soft Walls or Soft Cars? by Mark Cipolloni(2-26-2001)

  • Sporting News:
    Earnhardt crash opens debate for HANS by Lee Spencer
    Time for NASCAR to change the rules -- for safety's sake by Dave Kindred
    NASCAR execs deflect safety debate by Andy Clendennen(2-21-2001)

  • That's Racin': Earnhardt goes home; HANS device orders increase by Jim Utter and Liz Chandler(2-20-2001)

  • Drivers Order the HANS: On the day after Dale Earnhardt's death, several NASCAR teams ordered a safety device designed to protect drivers from head and neck injuries. The Head And Neck Support (HANS) device was designed to lessen the pressure on the most vulnerable part of the body -- the neck and base of the skull -- in the type of crashes that killed Earnhardt and three other NASCAR drivers in the past year. On Monday morning, several NASCAR teams contacted the Hubbard/Downing Inc. in suburban Atlanta to place orders for the brace, said Ken Adams, a plant manager. There was a call from Roger Penske's team, which has Rusty Wallace and Jeremy Mayfield as its drivers, and defending Busch series champion Jeff Green. Adams said the plant was producing only three devices a week just a few months ago. The output has been increased to four or five a day, and the company had 35 orders just hours after Earnhardt's death.(AP/ESPN)(2-19-2001)

  • Speed Magazine: Success of neck collar has people talking by D.C. Williams(2-17-2001)

  • Orlando Sentinel: Drivers pass on safety device by Ed Hinton(2-15-2001)

  • Florida Times Union: Drivers' safety in good HANS - Deadly wrecks spur wider use of collars to guard head, neck by Don Coble(2-13-2001)

  • SpeedFX: HANSel and Gretel by Matt McLaughlin(2-12-2001)

  • More Safety and the HANS: in part from That's Racin': Saturday morning at an oceanfront hotel in Daytona Beach, Ford brought in people who make their living studying how the human body reacts to the kind of impacts seen in auto racing crashes. These true experts were there to conduct for the media a seminar similar to one Ford presented to the its drivers during a testing session here in January. Paul Stanecki, the aerodynamics manager for Ford's racing program who also coordinates the racing program's various safety efforts, brought video presentations of computer models generated from data collected during crashes in CART racing and applied to typical crashes seen in NASCAR. The video was dramatic. It showed clearly that a test dummy was subjected to far less potentially damaging stresses when protected by a HANS device. Dr. Robert Hubbard, a professor of biomedical design research and the man who invented the HANS device, was there, too. He said that he believes that if Petty or Irwin had been wearing his device, they could have survived their crashes at New Hampshire last year.(2-11-2001)

  • PPI and Safety: In an effort to improve safety for its NASCAR Winston Cup athletes and personnel, PPI Motorsports will implement several new and continuing initiatives for its Tide Racing(#32-Ricky Craven) and McDonald's Racing(#96-Andy Houston) teams this season. The team's safety measures, which will be developed and used throughout the season, include the following components:
    Testing and development of pit safety helmets for over-the-wall crews
    Required use of race day fire suits by all pit support personnel
    Utilization of the HANS device by drivers #32-Ricky Craven and #96-Andy Houston
    Installation of six-point safety harnesses, foam bead seat liners, pedal-activated throttle safety switches and cable-activated throttles in the team's Tide and McDonald's Fords.
    PPI Motorsports began testing and using the HANS device, six-point safety harnesses, foam bead seat liners and throttle mechanisms last season with positive results. The team's new measures - pit safety helmets and fire suits - extend the initiative beyond the drivers to include other at-risk personnel(PPI Motorsports site)(2-6-2001)

  • Safety News: NASCAR is conducting safety meetings during each manufacturer's test at Daytona this month to provide Winston Cup drivers with data about safety issues and devices that may consider running in their cars. Ford teams had their meeting on Tuesday during a luncheon break on their second day of testing. General Motors teams are scheduled to have the same meeting Friday and one is also planned during the Dodge test next week. Ford drivers interviewed during Thursday's stops on the UAW-GM Motorsports Media Tour said that a consultant talked with them about changes they may want to consider in their seat belt systems and about the head-and-neck restraint system commonly called the HANS device. Ford has offered to pay the bill for any driver who orders a HANS device for his car.(That's Racin') and a story at The State(1-13-2001)

  • AutoRacing1: The future of the HANS® Device in NASCAR - part 4 of 4 by Frank Ryan

  • AutoRacing1: The future of the HANS® Device, Part 3 of 4 by Frank Ryan

  • Autoracing1: The History of the HANS® Device - Part 2 of 4 by Frank Ryan(11-8-2000)

  • AutoRacing1: Should NASCAR mandate the HANS® Device? Part 1 of 4 by Frank Ryan(11-1-2000)

  • Las Vegas Sun: NASCAR must consider HANS device by Brian Hilderbrand(10-21-2000)

  • HANS Device Mandatory? Don`t be shocked if NASCAR suddenly mandates the "HANS" head-and-neck restraint system for use this season, rather than waiting for next year. CART and Formula One already have made the newly refined device mandatory for drivers next season, and NASCAR -- in the wake of the deaths of Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin -- has been taking heat for not yet following the open-wheel series` lead. Ford and General Motors are intensely encouraging their NASCAR drivers to use the device, and there are hints that NASCAR soon may spring what would amount to at least a public relations surprise(Orlando Sentinel)(8-10-2000)

  • More Safety: When a race car traveling at extreme speed slams into a concrete wall, the body of the driver remains strapped in by a harness, but the driver's neck and head stretch far forward, sometimes smashing the steering wheel or going beyond the wheel. The Head and Neck Support (HANS) system, designed to keep the head in place during an accident, was developed 15 years ago by Robert Hubbard, a professor at Michigan State's bio-mechanic constructions research laboratory, and his brother-in-law, racer-businessman Jim Downing, but it has become the latest push in racing safety. See full story at the Detroit News: Safety device gets push by Angelique S. Chengelis. HANS is a rigid collar-shaped carbon fiber shell that is held onto the upper body by seat belts and is fastened to the helmet with flexible nylon tethers attached to both sides of the helmet. It weighs a pound and a half and because the tethers are flexible, drivers still have full movement of their heads(7-21-2000)

Humpy Bumper
Soft Walls
Main Safety Page
Jayski's Silly Season Site Cup News Page
Jayski's Silly Season Site Main Page

the Jayski site is owned and served by:


Images used with permission,
This page designed by Jayski LLC, 1996-2008© All Rights Reserved.
Jayski's® is a registered trademark of Jayski LLC
Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form without permission or credit.