NASCAR Unveils “Air Titan” Track-Drying Technology: Less than eight months ago, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France tasked the team at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., with developing a means to shorten the delay caused by rain. The reasons for the initiative were many, but at the top of the list: Fans, whether in the grandstands or watching on television, should not have to wait long before racing resumes following a downpour.
NASCAR announced Phase 1 of France’s vision, introducing the Air Titan track drying system that will debut during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway. This innovative technology, steeped in science and created by the NASCAR R&D Center, will reduce track drying time, improve the racing product and enhance the fan experience – starting this week and including The Sprint Unlimited on Saturday night at 8:00pm/et on FOX.
“In a short amount of time, our talented team at the NASCAR R&D Center imagined, designed and built the Air Titan, an innovative device that will dramatically improve the race-viewing experience for our fans,” France said of the initiative’s first phase. “With its far-reaching potential and impact, we believe the Air Titan is a big win for the motorsports industry, and eventually will enhance many surface cleaning and drying industries as well.”
With the ultimate goal of reducing track-drying time by up to 80%, the NASCAR R&D team took an advanced scientific approach during the production of the Air Titan. Using compressed air, the Air Titan efficiently and reliably pushes water off of the racing surface and onto the apron where vacuum trucks will remove the remainder of the moisture. Jet dryers will follow each Air Titan, drying any excess water that remains on the racing surface.
As part of the Air Titan’s testing process, NASCAR enlisted the expertise of the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) in Auburn, Ala., International Speedway Corporation’s track construction group, Racing Surface Technologies and QualPro Inc. Additionally, Elgin Sweeper Company, Sullair and Ring Power CAT also provided equipment during the testing, and will be part of the track-drying process at Daytona during Speedweeks. For the immediate future, jet dryers and vacuum trucks will continue to be used during track-drying efforts. Over time, the innovations of the Air Titan will lessen the carbon footprint of track drying, decreasing both emissions and noise pollution. The next evolution in the innovative technology will be to optimize the power source.(NASCAR)(2-12-2013)

Elgin Sweeper Introduces Crosswind Specialty Track Sweeper: Elgin Sweeper has introduced a modified Crosswind Specialty Track Sweeper that is set to make its debut at NASCAR racetracks around the country this racing season, beginning with the Daytona 500 on Feb. 24. The Track Sweeper plays a supporting role in a new racetrack drying initiative that features a combination of air power and vacuum suction to dry rain-soaked racetracks. The regenerative air Track Sweeper adapts features from Elgin Sweeper’s highly successful Crosswind GRS (glycol recovery sweeper), a special-purpose sweeper used to vacuum liquid glycol from airport runways. This specialty sweeper includes unique features developed for racetrack sweeping and maintenance applications, such as a side air-blast nozzle, a reverse sweep system, a 20,000 CFM-rated blower and a hydraulically-driven side broom with plastic bristles.
During track testing conducted in conjunction with NASCAR last November in Daytona, this same vacuum technology proved to efficiently vacuum water from the pores of the racetrack, and worked even better with the new track-drying technology designed by the NASCAR Research and Development Center. Working together to remove moisture from the track surface, both technologies dramatically accelerated the drying time. Developed as a more effective alternative to the current track-drying method, the system, featuring the Crosswind Track Sweeper, is expected to expedite the process.
The specialty sweeper was modified with input from racetrack officials in the NASCAR circuit. Elgin Sweeper representatives – along with Jeff Miles from Key Equipment & Supply Company, an Elgin Sweeper dealer based in Kansas City, Kans. – worked with NASCAR to address track maintenance issues, as well as fire, safety, medical and security concerns. A lifelong racing enthusiast, Miles is also a lead driver for the Richard Petty Driving Experience and has logged more than 350,000 miles in NASCAR-style stock cars. Traveling to tracks across the country has given Miles an added appreciation for clean track conditions.(much more info at prlog.org and at Elgin Sweeper's facebook)(2-11-2013)

NASCAR will debut new track trying procedure: NASCAR will roll out a new track drying system this season that will dramatically speed up the process to get racing surfaces back to green-flag conditions following a rain shower. After NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France set a goal to improve drying times by 80 percent, the team at the Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., went to work on developing the new machine. "Our group in the R&D center went right to work on that," France said Tuesday night on "NASCAR Live." "We engaged third-party help and we'll have it for Daytona. We won't be at 80 percent, but we're going to be dramatically better with a whole new system on how to dry the track as much as 60 percent (faster) and we will get to the 80 percent goal." The ultimate goal is to see a superspeedway like Daytona International Speedway race-ready in 30 minutes rather than two hours and a short track like Martinsville Speedway completed in 15 minutes. France said the new air-powered machine that is followed by a vacuum system will not only be faster but better for the environment, eventually eliminating the current process of using jet dryers powered by kerosene jet fuel that's been in place since 1976. "We're patenting some technology that (uses) air pressure," France said. "Think of it as giant tanks, scuba tanks, that drive air out and blow water - or anything else - off the surface in a dramatically better way. It's a big solution. We're not (all the way) there yet, but it's ready now."(Motor Racing Network)(1-10-2013)

Bill Simpson tackles football concussions with new helmet: Bill Simpson, the former California drag racer, Indianapolis 500 driver and motorsports safety innovator has created a football helmet that he and others believe could revolutionize the sport. Simpson knows this because he knows what he's talking about when it comes to making safer helmets. Researchers believe it because they have seen data charts. “Most helmets succeed at distributing force over a large area, but [Simpon's helmets] actually absorb the energy and dissipate the force more effectively,” said Eric Nauman, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University. “The results are impressive.”(full story, lots of quptes and more at Autoweek)(1-19-2013)

President of HANS comments on track safety: Jim Downing, the former sports car driver and principal of the HANS device (head and neck support) said that short tracks and drag strips are deficient due to "lack of proper safety equipment." Downing, president of HANS Performance Products (owned by Simpson Performance Products) said, at the IMIS Safety and Technical Conference in Indianapolis that driver fatalities on those tracks have been increasing because those types of tracks lacg the safety equipment required at the bigger ovals. Downing based his opinion on a Charlotte Observer study titled "Death at the Track," in the years 1991 to 2001 the total number of driver deaths from crashes was 144. During the ten-year period after Earnhardt's death, the total rose to 171, an alarming increase of 27 driver fatalities due to racing accidents. Part of the problem, Downing opined, was due to the fact that these type of local tracks are not televised so that news of injuries or fatalities don't make it into the mainstream media. The safety needs to improve on short ovals and on drag strips where weekend warriors are participating and where the most deaths are occurring, said Downing. Of the 171 deaths during the years 2001 to 2011, 126 occurred on these types of tracks. SAFER barriers may not be feasible, said Downing, but his presentation documented that 34 of the deaths involved the type of head and neck injuries prevented by Head and Neck Restraints.(Auto123)(12-9-2012)

Infield care centers not required to do concussion checks: NASCAR vice president of competition Steve O’Donnell said Thursday that tracking concussions of drivers is a “subjective call.” Dale Earnhardt Jr. will miss Saturday’s Bank of America 500 and next weekend’s race at Kansas after suffering two concussions over the past six weeks. One came in an accident at a test in late August at Kansas Speedway; the second occurred during the last-lap crash Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. It wasn’t until Earnhardt saw a neurosurgeon this week, however, that he was diagnosed. Dr. Jerry Petty, who saw Earnhardt, made the decision to sit him for two races. Earnhardt, who was checked by medical personnel at both tracks following the wrecks, said Thursday he understood and “trusted” Petty’s decision. “It’s very tough,” O’Donnell said of NASCAR’s role. “It’s still a subjective call. It’s something we take a look at week in and week out. So we’ll continue to do that.” Doctors staffing NASCAR infield care centers can – but are not required to – give drivers a Concussion Reduction Technology test or MRI if a concussion is suspected. Drivers with concussions must receive medical clearance to return to racing. O’Donnell said there have been nine confirmed concussions in NASCAR’s three top divisions – Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck – during the past five years. “We look at (the cars), candidly, as a rolling laboratory,” said O’Donnell. “Each and every event, we try to learn something new and make them as safe as possible, and I would say our race cars are the safest in the world. I think when you look at the concussion history that we’ve had, that’s less than two per year. I don’t want to minimize that because any concussion is a cause for concern, and we’d like that number to be zero.”(Charlotte Observer)(10-12-2012)

Simpson Performance Products Acquires HANS: Simpson Performance Products, Inc. announced the acquisition of HANS Performance Products. This expands Simpson racing safety products to include the prestigious HANS Device Head & Neck Restraint System. "We are glad to have the HANS Device under the Simpson umbrella of racing safety products," stated Chuck Davies, CEO of Simpson. "This acquisition positions Simpson as the clear market leader in innovative racing safety products. Our total restraint system capabilities now include a comprehensive range of car restraints for all types of racing, including seatbelts, in-car nets, parachutes and the top models of head and neck restraints in the world today. We are excited about the new team we are forming and the growth possibilities for the future." HANS Performance Products, formed in 1991 by five-time IMSA driving champion Jim Downing and Dr. Robert Hubbard, will be operated in Atlanta as a separate division of Simpson Performance Products. Downing and Dr. Hubbard, inventor of the HANS Device, will continue to provide engineering experience and support to Simpson and its HANS division.(Simpson PR)(9-27-2012)

Changes coming to roll cages in 2013: NASCAR has issued technical bulletins in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series that address a safety enhancement to the driver's roll cage and will take effect beginning in January 2013. The cars in both series will feature an additional forward roof bar and a center roof support bar that will intersect near the front center of the roll cage. This addition comes following extensive testing at the NASCAR Research & Development Center and is an effort to strengthen the roll cage and help make it an even safer compartment for the driver.(NASCAR)(9-15-2012)

NASCAR to use extra pace car behind jet dryers: NASCAR officials announced a change to have an extra pace car with flashing lights behind the last jet-dryer truck on the track in all races in all three series -- Sprint Cup, Nationwide and the Camping World Trucks Series. The change, which was explained to the Sprint Cup teams during the drivers' meeting Sunday morning at Phoenix International Raceway, comes after Juan Pablo Montoya's car spun into a jet-dryer truck during a caution period in the Daytona 500 Monday night. The drivers of the jet-dryer trucks also will wear helmets and fire suits during each race, but that is a change agreed upon by officials at race tracks that play host to NASCAR events, not a rule instituted by NASCAR.(ESPN)(3-5-2012)

Jet dryer operators to wear firesuits, helmets: Jet dryer operators will wear firesuits and helmets this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway as part of a safety move following Juan Pablo Montoya's fiery crash in the Daytona 500. Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said his track will take action as well. Jet dryer operators, whose job entails blowing debris from the track following wrecks as well as drying the racing surface, do not wear firesuits because they typically are not around fires. "My guys will [wear them] because, if nothing else, I like them and they're good guys," Gossage said. "I want firesuits and helmets for those guys. I want at least four-point [seat-belt] harnesses. I want to look at roll bars. I want to look at the right kind of fire extinguishers in the truck.(Scene Daily)(3-2-2012)

SAFER barrier tethers need inspecting: The Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barrier system currently in place at all NASCAR facilities has significantly reduced driver injuries, but the aging nylon tethers may need to be replaced soon, according to the man who developed it. Dr. Dean Sicking, director of the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska, said the SAFER barriers have three major components: structural steel tubing, closed-cell polystyrene foam blocks and nylon retention tethers. The foam blocks begin to lose their effectiveness for dissipating energy after about five years, Sicking said. But the nylon tethers are also affected by the elements, particularly sunlight. And since most of the tracks installed their SAFER systems between 2003 and '04, the tethers are now in need of inspection. "Almost all of the tracks have replaced the foam once," Sicking said. "I've informally inspected the tethers during my walks around the tracks. And the tethers are now reaching a point where they need to be looked at." Sicking said tracks shouldn't be overly concerned about tether replacement, but they should be aware that it could become an issue in the future. Because the tethers help hold the SAFER barrier in place, Sicking said the failure of multiple tethers could result in a disastrous situation, particularly if it happened during a race weekend. For example, a track the size of Daytona may have several thousand tethers in place -- and if they failed, it could create chaos. The good thing? Tethers are relatively inexpensive, Sicking said. And it's something each track can budget for in advance.(NASCAR.com)(12-11-2011)

Simpson Hybrid Pro Head Restraint Receives NASCAR Approval: In a Technical Bulletin issued September 27, 2011 to all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car owners crew chiefs and drivers, NASCAR approved the Simpson Hybrid Pro device for use in its touring series. The Hybrid Pro is the second Simpson head restraint to be approved by NASCAR. Simpson is one of only two approved manufacturers worldwide for NASCAR and SFI 38.1 approved head restraint systems. This approval represents the culmination of years of research and testing by Trevor Ashline, Safety Engineer for Simpson Racing and former owner of Safety Solutions. Ashline stated, "The NASCAR approval of the Hybrid Pro marks an important milestone for head restraint technology because it is the first time that a "multi-tether" device has been approved for use in NASCAR's Touring series. Our patent pending technology allows for a small device which is better suited for the tight cockpits of today's race cars."(Simpson PR)(10-16-2011)

New HANS device approved: NASCAR officials have approved the Sport II HANS device for competition in all NASCAR series. The new device features a lower rounded collar and is lighter, making for an easier fit for drivers. "No matter what type of car, what kind of track, drag strip or off-road event, a head and neck restraint should be included in any driver's safety equipment," said Gary Milgrom, vice president of HANS Performance Products.(Charlotte Observer)(8-13-2011)

Safety Solutions joins Simpson Performance Products: Simpson Performance Products and Safety Solutions, Inc. have joined forces. United by the common mission of making the sport of racing safer, the acquisition of Safety Solutions gives Simpson Performance Products a broader racing safety portfolio and enhances opportunities for future growth and development within the industry.
Trevor Ashline, President of Safety Solutions commented, “I am excited about the growth and opportunities that are ahead. I look forward to working with the Simpson team, pooling our resources and experience to continue bringing innovative safety technology and product choice to the sport of racing. Safety Solutions’ customers will continue to be able to get the same great product technology they are accustomed to, and more. “Simpson has worked closely with Trevor Ashline and the team at Safety Solutions since 2001. We are confident the product line fits well with our overall safety mission and extends our presence in the Motorsports industry as a one-stop partner for racing safety products. Safety Solution’s patents for head restraint devices have given the industry safety innovations that have proven to make racers safer. Additionally, Ashline’s dedication to extensive dynamic sled testing for head restraints has been exemplary.” states Chuck Davies, CEO of Simpson.(Simpsons Race Products)(12-9-2010)

MasterCraft Safety acquires Impact! Racing: It was announced at the International Motorsports Industry Show in Indianapolis that MasterCraft Safety has acquired Impact! Racing from Bill Simpson, a pioneer and ambassador in motorsports and safety solutions. The brand will be known as Impact! Racing by MasterCraft Safety and will be managed by MasterCraft Safety. Sales, operations and manufacturing will continue to be headquartered at the existing Impact! Racing facilities in Brownsburg, Ind. “I have loved every moment with this company,” said an emotional Bill Simpson, founder of Impact! Racing. “It’s no secret that I’m getting older. It’s time for me to pass the torch to someone that I know, trust and respect. I knew in my heart that I wanted someone who was as passionate and involved in racing and safety as I have been throughout my career. I can think of no one better than Robbie [MasterCraft Safety CEO, Robbie Pierce].”(Impact Racing)(12-3-2010)

SFI Foundation and Impact Racing settle lawsuit: SFI Foundation and Impact Racing are pleased to announce they have resolved their differences. Impact will remain a participant in the SFI programs in exchange for certain consideration and under revised contracts. The parties look forward to a constructive working relationship to benefit the racing industry and to promote the safety of its participants. Impact agrees and accepts that the SFI specifications are state of the art and promote a high level of safety and performance in the auto racing industry. Impact acknowledges that in prior years it did not fully comply with SFI's specifications, however these problems have been resolved. The terms of the agreement between the parties are confidential.(Bill Simpson's Impact Racing)(9-3-2010)

A Message from Bill Simpson: "I have read the recent press release released by SFI Foundation (June 21, 2010) and found it full of legal jargon and missing a few major points I’d like the racing community to know. In siding with Impact in our prelimary injunction against SFI’s intended cancelling of our contract with them last week, the court considered many facts that haven’t been officially released at this point. SFI continues to reference incidents that occured in the years of 2007 and 2008. This is a period when I was personally not involved with day-to-day operations of the company and had left many matters to my management team at the time. Upon the recent issues we’ve had with SFI over the past year and my returning to the business full-time again because of such, we’ve investigated these issues and found that there were significant problems caused by that management team (which has since been fired) that have obviously jeopardized Impact greatly and caused confusion and headaches for all of our valued customers and the motorsports world. We’ve presented evidence of this to the court in this latest hearing and are conducting even further investigation into the matter and will hopefully someday be able to let the motorsports community know the entire story behind this mess. Since I have been back and am involved 100% with the company again (since January of 2009) I can attest we are making the highest-quality safety equipment and that we are following all certification standards by all of the certifying bodies we work with. I am actively involved with my new management team here at both our headquarters and our production facility and can confidently say that what we are producing exceeds most standards. The judge in our recent case in the United States District Court, Southern District of Indiana, concurred with Impact that SFI could not cancel our contract at this time pending SFI providing Impact with a fair hearing."(Impact Racing PR)(6-29-2010)

Impact Racing allowed to sell to NASCAR teams: Impact Racing, the Indianapolis racing safety product company owned by motorsports safety pioneer Bill Simpson, has obtained a court injunction to keep its certification from the SFI Foundation to sell race gear for the time being. U.S. District Court Judge Larry McKinney in Indianapolis issued the injunction Monday. The injunction prohibits the SFI Foundation – a group of which NASCAR is a member and which sets standards for the safety of uniforms, head-and-neck restraints, seat belts and other products – from terminating its contract with Impact to certify Impact products. If the contracts had been terminated, NASCAR teams would no longer have been able to buy several Impact products because NASCAR requires many safety products to meet certain SFI standards.(SceneDaily)(6-22-2010)

SFI and Impact Racing settle case: from a joint SFI Foundation and Impact Racing press release on April 1, 2010:
April 1, 2010 - Impact Racing, LLC and SFI Foundation, Inc., in the litigation pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, have agreed that:
1. Impact Racing, LLC has provided sworn testimony that, upon review and investigation, no counterfeit SFI Conformance Labels have been used on Impact Racing products during the production years of 2009 and 2010.
2. Impact Racing, LLC has provided sworn testimony that, upon review and investigation, all Impact Racing products manufactured and sold during the production years 2009 and 2010 meet SFI specifications.
3. Based upon this sworn testimony, the decertification against Impact Racing products for the production years 2009 and 2010 is lifted. The decertification of the production years prior to 2009 and 2010 remains in effect. The parties will continue to work cooperatively in an effort to resolve the issues relating to decertification in these years.
4. Impact Racing stands behind the safety of all products it has manufactured and to which SFI Conformance Labels have been affixed. SFI will continue to monitor compliance with product specifications.
5. Impact Racing, LLC and SFI Foundation, Inc. will cooperate in determining whether any Impact Racing product bears a counterfeit SFI Conformance Label and if any safety issue exists in regard to products manufactured prior to 2009 and 2010.
6. If any Impact Racing product does not bear the date of manufacture the purchaser or user is instructed to immediately contact Impact Racing who will provide verification of the date of manufacture. Impact Racing, LLC will immediately notify SFI Foundation, Inc. of this occurrence. Impact Racing, LLC and SFI Foundation, Inc. will work with the sanctioning bodies to determine the best method for product users to present verification of the date of manufacture.
For a downloadable .pdf of this press release, please click on the following link: Joint Press Release 04-01-10. More info at the SFI Foundation and Impact Racing websites.(4-14-2010)

SFI files lawsuit against Impact Racing: SFI Foundation Inc. has filed a lawsuit and sought a restraining order against Bill Simpson's Impact Racing LLC to ban the sale of fire suits, seat belts and other uncertified Impact gear it says bear counterfeit SFI labels or patches. A federal judge in Indianapolis on Thursday issued an order granting much of what SFI wanted, said Peter Yarbrough, an attorney for the not-for-profit. Yarbrough did not immediately have details of the order available and it did not appear in the court's online docket Thursday. California-based SFI sets standards for several racing organizations, including NASCAR, the National Hot Rod Association and the Indy Racing League. The lawsuit alleges that between November 2005 and August 2008, Simpson instructed an Impact employee to have an Asian vendor produce counterfeit SFI labels that were affixed to various products, including seat belts, arm restraints, fire suits, head socks, gloves and boots. SFI plans to decertify those Impact products made during that time, Yarbrough said. The sale of conformance labels to manufacturers is SFI's main source of income and its loss would cause a "severe financial hardship," SFI said in its lawsuit. SFI and Impact issued a joint statement Thursday night saying Impact had provided sworn testimony that no counterfeit SFI labels have been used on company products made in 2009 and 2010. SFI said it will not decertify Impact products made in those years. The complaint accuses Impact of counterfeiting, fraud and misrepresentation, unfair competition, unfair and deceptive trade practices and breach of contract and seeks unspecified damages. An Impact Racing employee who answered the phone Thursday said Simpson was not available for comment. A phone message also was left at the office of Impact Racing's Indianapolis attorney, Edward Harris III.(Associated Press)(4-2-2010)

Impact Racing products to be decertified by the SFI; Impact responds: SFI Foundation, Inc., has issued a Notice of Decertification; Notice of Cease and Desist, and a notice terminating all Contracts of Participation to Impact Racing [owned by safety pioneer Bill Simpson]. Effective April 27, 2010, all products manufactured and/or distributed by Impact Racing pursuant to SFI Specification Programs 3.2A, 3.3, 16.1, and 16.5 are decertified. Evidence obtained by SFI shows that over a period of years Impact Racing has engaged in the production and use of counterfeit SFI conformance labels and patches, and affixed them to Impact products for use in motorsports. Under the Contracts of Participation between SFI and Impact, SFI conformance labels and patches may only be obtained from SFI and no other source. Evidence shows that Impact had counterfeit SFI labels and patches made in Asia and then affixed them to Impact products it distributed to members of the racing community. To SFI’s knowledge, Impact never advised its customers that its products contained phony SFI labels and patches. Impact never advised SFI of its systematic and longstanding practice of counterfeiting and distributing SFI patches and labeling.
Impact has been directed to cease and desist from this practice. SFI has directed Impact to immediately notify all affected customers to remove the counterfeit labeling and to offer the affected customers a full refund of the purchase price. SFI is requesting that all counterfeit conformance labels removed from Impact products be sent to SFI.
SFI has elected not to decertify these products immediately in order to minimize the potential hardships to members of the racing community that have been brought about by Impact’s counterfeiting activities and also elected to terminate all Contracts of Participation with Impact Racing effective 90 days from March 24, 2010. Under the terms of the Contracts, either party may terminate the agreements without penalty upon 90 days notice. This means that Impact will no longer be able to participate in any SFI programs after this 90 day period. SFI has taken these actions in the best interests of the safety and integrity of the racing community. This is in keeping with SFI’s mission and purpose.(SFI Foundation site)
Impact responds Impact Racing posted a statement on their website: "Impact strongly disagrees with the statements on SFI's website. This is a dispute over SFI tags. Our products are certified. They are safe, and we stand behind them."(3-27-2010)

HANS Secures Court Order Against Impact: HANS Performance Products has been granted a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction and expedited discovery in a suit against Impact Racing Products. The SFI Foundation's motion to become a party in HANS' action against Impact has also been granted. The orders relate to counterfeit HANS Post Anchors that have been discovered at the track in recent weeks. The Federal Court orders require Impact to advise its customers that Post Anchors they have received from them may be counterfeit. Impact is also required to preserve all related products and business records to help identify the source of the counterfeit parts. Post Anchors are a vital part of a racer's head and neck restraint safety system. Genuine HANS Post Anchors provide a robust and reliable latching method to connect racers' HANS Devices to their helmets.(HANS PR/Reuters)(9-8-2009)

HANS Finds Counterfit parts - offers free replacements: UPDATE: HANS Performance Products has found counterfeit Post Anchor parts on a helmet purchased from Impact Racing Products. Preliminary investigations suggest that counterfeit parts may have been supplied with other helmets provided by Impact. "We are seeking the source of the counterfeit anchors and to establish how widely they may have been distributed," said HANS CEO Mark Stiles. He continued, "It is extremely possible that counterfeits may have been installed on other helmets, either factory-fitted by a helmet manufacturer or by racers installing replacement parts during equipment changes." For more info see hansdevice.com.(8-25-2009)
UPDATE: HANS Performance Products has been trackside the past few days investigating the counterfeit HANS Post Anchor problem reported earlier. COO Gary Milgrom has been focused on circle track racing. “I must have seen about 150 helmets and exchanged over 50 sets of counterfeit anchors,” said Milgrom. He continued, “On the whole, I’ve not had to touch any Simpson, Bell, Arai or Stand21 helmets – they’ve already been fitted with genuine HANS Post Anchors.” Simpson, Bell, Arai and Stand21 have had substantial long-standing relationships with HANS Performance Products. They are among the 200 authorized dealers throughout North America that receive direct factory support.(HANS)(8-26-2009)

Consortium Forming to address Tire Safety, Wear and Energy Efficiency Issues: UPDATE On Thursday, August 27th, a press conference is scheduled at the NASCAR Plaza Lobby in Charlotte, NC announcing the formation of a private consortium of automotive and motorsports companies to address tire safety, wear and energy efficiency issues. The consortium plans to build a world class tire testing facility in the Charlotte region. Humpy Wheeler will start off the press conference and introduce Jim Cuttino, Ph.D., a veteran automotive and motorsports engineer and director of the North Carolina Motorsports and Automotive Research Center at UNC Charlotte, followed by Ronnie Bryant, president of Charlotte Regional Partnership.(Branstorm PR)(8-27-2009)
UPDATE: Camber Ridge, LLC announced that it is forming a consortium of automotive and motorsports companies to create a first-of-its-kind tire testing facility in the Charlotte Region. Veteran automotive and motorsports engineer, James Cuttino, Ph.D., director of the North Carolina Motorsports and Automotive Research Center at UNC Charlotte and president of Camber Ridge, is taking a leave of absence from the University to lead the corporately-funded effort. Camber Ridge has invited representatives from all the major auto and tire manufacturing companies to participate in this groundbreaking initiative. The effort was created in response to a federal mandate that says all cars produced beginning in 2011 must have Electronic Stability Control (ESC) devices, which automatically apply brakes to one side of the car to prevent loss of control or rollover. The exact location of the facility, which will also conduct research in collaboration with local universities, has yet to be decided as the Consortium continues talks with area economic developers. However, the timeline calls for it to be up and running by early 2012.(Branstorm PR)(8-27-2009)

HANS Finds Counterfit parts - offers free replacements: UPDATE: HANS Performance Products has found counterfeit Post Anchor parts on a helmet purchased from Impact Racing Products. Preliminary investigations suggest that counterfeit parts may have been supplied with other helmets provided by Impact. "We are seeking the source of the counterfeit anchors and to establish how widely they may have been distributed," said HANS CEO Mark Stiles. He continued, "It is extremely possible that counterfeits may have been installed on other helmets, either factory-fitted by a helmet manufacturer or by racers installing replacement parts during equipment changes." For more info see hansdevice.com.(8-25-2009)
UPDATE: HANS Performance Products has been trackside the past few days investigating the counterfeit HANS Post Anchor problem reported earlier. COO Gary Milgrom has been focused on circle track racing. “I must have seen about 150 helmets and exchanged over 50 sets of counterfeit anchors,” said Milgrom. He continued, “On the whole, I’ve not had to touch any Simpson, Bell, Arai or Stand21 helmets – they’ve already been fitted with genuine HANS Post Anchors.” Simpson, Bell, Arai and Stand21 have had substantial long-standing relationships with HANS Performance Products. They are among the 200 authorized dealers throughout North America that receive direct factory support.(HANS)(8-26-2009)

Cautions on par with the 2008 season: This season, ServiceMaster Clean became the first-ever official sponsor of caution periods at the 19 International Speedway Corporation (SC) and Speedway Motorsports Incorporated (SMI) tracks as well as Dover International Speedway. When there was a problem on the track, the ServiceMaster Clean yellow flag was displayed and the company’s familiar yellow vehicles were dispatched to clean the track.
The July 4th race at Daytona International Speedway marked the halfway point of the 36-race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. At 17 (Pocono is not a part of the program) of the 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, there was little change in the number of cautions compared to the previous year. There were only three more cautions, 157-154, in those 17 events compared to 2008. For all 18 events, there have been 162 cautions in 2009 compared to 164 in 2008.
In 17 races this year, 760 laps have been run under caution (780 in the 18 events). Last year, there were 666 caution laps in the 17 events (705 in 18). In 2009, three races (Atlanta, Bristol and Infineon) have been extended beyond the scheduled distance for a green-white-checkered finish and three (Daytona, Lowe’s and New Hampshire) have been stopped short of the scheduled distance due to inclement weather.
ServiceMaster ‘By The Numbers’
(*Pocono is not a participant in the ServiceMaster program)
Topic, 2008 stats, 2009 stats
Cautions (18 races), 164, 162
Cautions (17 races*), 154, 157
Caution Laps (18 races), 705, 780
Cautions Laps (17 races*), 666, 760
Laps Run (18 races), 5425, 5194
Miles Run (18 races), 7397.452, 7015.405
Most Caution (18 races), 18 (Martinsville), 17 (Darlington)
Fewest Cautions (18 races), 5 (Dover), 3 (Michigan)
Most Miles Under Caution (18 races), 97.5 (Pocono), 99.72 (Darlington)
Race Length Extended Due to Caution, 6, 3
Race Length Shortened Due to Weather, 1, 3
In 2008, only New Hampshire was shortened due to inclement weather while late-race cautions extended the scheduled distance for a green-white-checkered finish at six tracks (Bristol, Texas, Richmond, Michigan, Infineon and Daytona).
In racing, a yellow flag means it’s time to clean up the track. Debris removal and track drying must be done quickly and professionally in order to get back to racing. In homes and businesses across North America, a yellow ServiceMaster Clean van means cleaning and restoration is being done quickly and professionally by America’s number one cleaning team.(ServiceMaster)(7-21-2009)