American Racing News Vol 1, Issue 2 Issue 7 | страница 4

What are you doing to make the sport safer? Safety advancements are needed in short track racing. one are full of these popular complaints. How many people do we need to lose before we do something? How many more orphans and widows will there be before enough is enough? Well let me tell you what NASCAR has done. They have made stock car racing safer than it ever has been. Five point safety harnesses, fuel cells, on-board fire extinguishers, purpose-built racing seats, soft wall technology and head and neck restraints all have either been a direct result of NASCAR's efforts or boosted by them. We at American Racing News normally stay away from the dark side of racing. Crash photos rarely make it to our publication, and we completely pulled and changed an issue when a beloved racer was tragically taken from us. Maybe we are not "hard" news reporters and, that's okay with us. We like the lighter, enjoyable side of our sport and, we won't apologize for that. Today is different. Today I must voice my opinion. We all like to rip on NASCAR and, I have done my share too. We all like to cry foul when the big guys do something we don't approve of. NASCAR did this and, NASCAR did that. Editorials like this Where are the other groups? Who is making sprint cars safer? I'm not saying that they’re not out there, I just want to hear from them. What are you doing? What can we do to help? Racers have not been the most cooperative when it comes to safety. While it typically is expensive for competitors to buy new equipment, what price is too much to save a life? Racers and fans alike worry these safety measures will slow down or, otherwise have a negative affect on the racing action. Whatever the reasons, resistance to safety improvements has been shamefully prevalent. I am no engineer but I don't believe all changes have to be big things. I saw a sprint car with a test dummy dropped upside down and the dummy's head hit the ground with enough force to be devastating. Could a clamp-on safety cage or loop give a driver's head life saving room? Perhaps a ratcheting harness would hold the driver safely in the seat. Maybe all new sprint cars should have a taller cage. I don't know the answers. Hell, I don't even know all the questions except this one. What are you doing to make the sport safer? American Racing News will do anything we can to help companies or organizations that are trying and, we'll never ask you for a penny to do it. Email [email protected] with your ideas.