Re: [OT] NASCAR (dale earnhardt)

[Shawn C Meze <skerocdriver@juno.com>]

On Mon, 19 Feb 2001 18:24:43 -0800 (PST) Ron Pieper <rapieper@yahoo.com>
writes:
>It's call HANS...for Head And Neck Support?  


I finally got to watch some TV tonight. HANS device is the tag its
getting.  


>F1 and
>CART require it...NASCAR doesn't.  


Apparently the company that makes it produced only 4. Then FIA made them
a required item so they produced 4 a day. Yesterday they got 36 orders
from NASCAR teams. So it looks like it will be a volunteer piece of
equipment for NASCAR. 


>It's a restraint
>worn around the neck that connects the helmet
>restricting head motion vs. body motion.  


I've seen one and its a very simple piece of equipment. Years ago I
remember Kyle Petty (back before his pony tail days when his locks were
flowing.) tried a similar device but the technology wasn't there to make
it practical and effective then. I suspect that it will be a common item
for all of the top racing classes. 


>As it was,
>and crude as it sounds, Dale's head kept traveling
>when his body didn't, effectively pulling his head
>nearly off, and tearing apart some vitals at the base
>of his brain (so I understand).  Same with Adam Petty.


Base spinal fracture? I think that's what the reports called his injury.
The Dr. said that a HANS device might of saved DE's life. Anything is
possible. Then I saw DW on LArry King saying that even if he had a HANS
device he wouldn't of lived due to the severity of the impact. I also saw
the oncar footage and it was a slight left and a wicked right snap turn
and bam, into the wall. It was much more a severe hit that it looks on
TV. Then again, having taken alot of in car footage myself while being
the driver, nothing on tape looks as severe as it really was. 
Not that ive had ANY kind of experience as what Dale had. I'm simply
saying that ive taped while driven the car (Autox or road course) and
said to people, "Wait until you check out this tape where I used my
amazing driver skills and saved the car from sure peril". Then I watch
the tape and it looks like a little sideways, no big deal nothingness. I
know it was much bigger deal being behind the wheel. 

The impact I saw on from the #3 car TV tonight......... floored me. 


>Dale showed how good he and Jr. were at the 24hrs of
>Daytona, and his death is a loss for all race fans. 
>NASCAR will be the worse without him...he keyed it's
>entry into the *real* big time.


I was seriously anticipating next years 24 hour event. I guess I can
still watch and hope for the best for the Corvette team again. Just wont
be the same without Dale being there. He looked really good in a Vette
too! Its a shame. 


Shawn Meze
86' Jetta GLi 8V       84' Scirocco 8V           88' Corvette "SS"
82' Scirocco GTi -FSP 30-   79' "Project FSP Scirocco"
The Fastest, Quickest, Cleanest and best looking Scirocco in all of San
Diego!
http://www.Geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1308/index.htm

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