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Article Series: NASCAR
Everything You Need To Know About NASCAR
NASCAR's
High Safety Standards
In 2001 the racing car lost a legend and great
racer. Dale Earnhardt died in a crash that occurred at the
Daytona 500 in Florida. Anyone who was watching that terrible
day will never be able to forget the stunned moment when the
crowd was told that Dale Earnhardt had died. Many drivers have
been injured in crashes at many of the NASCAR raceways. Jeremy
Mayfield, Terry Labonte, and others have missed races and been
badly hurt in racetrack crashes.
NASCAR
has been working on safety standards for their cars since
the first green flag was dropped and racing began. Although
they are making strides in safety, some precautions are not
compulsory and are left up to the discretion of the owner and
driver. Improvements have been made to the seats the drivers
use. They now wrap around the rib cage and give more support
during a crash. It effectively spreads the impact over the
entire rib cage instead of letting it concentrate in a small
area. Some new seats wrap around the driver’s shoulders as
well.
Seat
belts are an important part of the safety equipment in
NASCAR racing cars. They are stronger than a regular seat belt
and are harness style. Two straps come down over the driver’s
shoulders, two wrap around the waist, and either one or two
come up between the driver’s legs. Since the death of Dale
Earnhardt, Adam Petty, Tony Roper, and Kenny Irwin, NASCAR
has made it compulsory for all drivers to have the HANS head
and neck restraint in their car. This device is made from Kevlar
and carbon fiber and has tethers on the collar to help reduce
the tendency of the head to snap forward during an accident.
Roof
flaps for cars were designed to keep cars from going
airborne and flipping over and over down the track. The designers
developed flaps that flip up and disrupt the airflow over the
roof when a car is turned around. It isn’t guaranteed the car
will stay on the ground but usually keeps them where they belong!
Some safety
precautions have been around for several years
but have not been adopted by NASCAR. Some tracks installed
softer walls to cushion a car that slams into it and helps
absorb the impact. Concrete walls are gradually being replaced
on the big circuit although they have been used extensively
in small local raceways. There are four types of barrier walls
that are being used. A cellofoam barrier that is made of plastic
foam encased in polyethylene is just one of the innovations
for safer walls.
Pit
safety has also been examined and steps have been taken
to protect the pit crews in pit lanes. Seeing one crewmember
being flipped over and injured after being hit by another racecar
made many owners demand their crews wear helmets for protection.
Crewmembers are required to wear fireproof suits, gloves and
other protective gear. Safety glasses are required for tire
changers and an extra fire apron for pit members who responsible
for fueling the cars. Speeds are watched and speed limits strictly
enforced on pit row.
NASCAR continues to look at safety concerns and put new rules
into effect each season to keep drivers and pit crewmembers
safe. Hopefully we will not lose another driver because of
gear that doesn’t give enough protection. NASCAR continues
to recommend safety precautions such as kill switches on the
steering wheel and devices to prevent stuck throttles. Drivers
also have wheels that are designed to pop off if a driver is
involved in a crash. Many experts recommend that NASCAR sets
up a new separate and dedicated safety department to improve
over-all safety for the drivers.
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2008
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