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Old 08-11-2004
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sydude sydude is offline
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Age: 53
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Exclamation An Open Letter to Skip Barber Regarding HANS devices - Please Vote & Give Feedback

The HANS device has now become a mandatory safety requirement in all major racing series, from NASCAR to both Indycar series, from Formula Mazda to Formula BMW, and as of July 1st every FIA sanctioned event from WRC to DTM to Formula 1.

While our Skip Barber cars may not achieve the top or average speeds of any of those series, our cars are still fast enough to get us into serious trouble. In a crash, sometimes our cars are slowed from high speeds (70-140mph) down to 0 mph in 6 feet or less, as has been witnessed numerous times recently at Lime Rock, Barber Park etc. The G forces generated by these impacts are really high, whether or not the car absorbs a lot of the impact.

At Barber Park this year, I made a mistake and went off at the exit of Turn One at around 90 mph, did a half spin on wet grass (I didnŐt slow down at all) and then hit the tire wall backwards at probably around 80 mph. The tire wall absorbed the energy progressively and made the impact relatively soft. The force was spread completely and almost evenly through my entire back and head, and I luckily had no injuries or residual pain. But the impact was very heavy, and the decelerative force generated A LOT of pressure on my back and head.

I'm really concerned that few if any of the drivers have the physical strength to support their heads under such loads if they went in head first instead. I don't profess to be an expert, and I might very well be completely wrong, but I think that if I had hit that wall head on without a HANS, there would have been no way that I could keep my head restrained and from stretching unnaturally forward. What would have happened to me without one? I'd probably just be really sore. But repeat this accident with 20 different drivers of varying physical conditioning and 20 different impact scenarios, and I think that you'll get at least one avoidable injury or worse. I've seen the videos on Basal Skull Fractures. If you have too, I think you would also be very concerned.

I think that most of the experienced and committed Skippy regulars use the HANS, but very few of the new or irregular drivers do. Maybe 50% of all of the drivers use them, and another 25% are on the fence about getting one. I know that they are expensive, but so are some of our heads, and so it should be considered requiring their use at all events.

If drivers are required to use it, the 25% on the fence will go buy them tomorrow. You could then outfit and provide your school/racing series helmets with HANS devices for the other 25%, which are generally the new drivers that haven't yet considered purchasing a helmet, or for the drivers that find it prohibitively costly. You could then even use it as a marketing tool - 'The first series/school to provide and require the HANS device' etc.

I think we all have a responsibility to look out for and protect each other. I believe in the HANS device and that one day it will save one of us. It's really important that you voice your opinions and thoughts on this matter either way. Please submit your vote as well as replying with your thoughts.

Thank you

S.A.
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