[dalyduo]

You know... I voted for drivers choice yesterday for a lot of the same reasons MJAmok did but after further reflection, I'd like to change my vote to making them mandatory: (Can I do that Sy?)

First, I don't think I want the decision about purchasing an important piece of safety equipment left to my judgment when the issue is money. That's really what we are talking about here. If a HANS device cost 25 or 50 bucks this wouldn't even be up for discussion. Every new helmet would come with one and we'd all be wearin' em.

Ye 'Ol Red Mist takes many forms. Imagine you are young (or even distinguished and mature like myself :-), have limited resources, and are pawing the ground to strap yourself into a car and be competitive. Faced with the option of purchasing a HANS device or running a lapping day what do you do? There are still way too many easy excuses for those on a budget to put themselves at risk and choose the lapping day (or car parts if not SB) over the HANS. So I say build in the cost up front and mandate it. It will only save lives, support the sport and reduce medical costs.

Ponder the outcome this past weekend if our Red Bull young gun Cole Nelson, with no HANS device and no brakes after his turn one collision, had hit the Jersey barrier next to the escape road head-on at speed instead of flying deep into the muck off the end of the escape road. The youngest fastest and most fearless drivers may feel basal neck injury is only a minor threat and opt out, when they are, in fact, the most at risk. Not Good.

We've all had high speed near misses that, during thoughtful reflection, make choosing a HANS device a no-brainer (so to speak). But those misses are quickly forgotten when the adrenaline starts pumping again. The relative infrequency of basal neck injuries is both a blessing and a curse. The threat of it happening isn't in our face all the time so protecting against it feels like more of a choice than it should be.

Second, the emotional impact to this group of drivers if a member were lost due to a preventable basal neck injury. (Key word, PREVENTABLE) would be devastating. The SBRS would then have to mandate them and people would bad mouth the SBRS for not doing it sooner. The negative publicity would certainly hurt business and possibly threaten the series. So there are some legitimate social and series self preservation (for the collective good) reasons for mandating a HANS that go beyond the individuals right to determine their safety needs.

Jeez, I'm getting dizzy from being up so high on this soapbox...

Anyway, I'd now like to offer a very dark top ten list in favor of keeping HANS devices optional.

Top Ten reasons the SBRS should keep HANS devices optional:

10. If the crash is survived... Free motorized wheelchair "chair control clinic".
9. If crash not survived... first "Memorial" race is named after you.
8. Finally get some return on that life insurance policy your brother-in-law sold you.
7. Stop the rapid depletion of our nation's precious carbon fiber reserves.
6. No longer have to justify the huge expense of racing to anyone.
5. Be the new fast guy on the recently repaved "Hell" road course.
4. For drivers already using HANS devices... One less pass for a podium finish.
3. Finally have something in common with Dale Earnhardt and Adam Petty.
2. They're a poor substitute for a good toilet seat.

And the number one reason HANS devices should not be mandated by SBRS...

1. Thinning the herd occasionally is a good thing.

I did say "dark" didn't I... :-)

Adios,
Pat