HANS pioneers honored: Jim Downing and his brother-in-law, Dr. Robert Hubbard, were given the Louis Schwitzer Award Friday by Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The two were recognized for the invention and continual development of the head and neck safety (HANS) device, designed to prevent the type of whiplash that caused the deaths of NASCAR drivers Kenny Irwin, Adam Petty and Dale Earnhardt. “I definitely think they should be commended,” Jeff Gordon said. “I’m wearing it, I’m proud of it. It took a while for me to get adjusted to it, but now I don’t want to go on the race track without wearing it.” About 600 drivers world-wide are using HANS. The company is approaching 1,000 orders for this year. “I can’t see any reason why every driver who races cars and boats with a shoulder harness shouldn’t be wearing one of these things,” Hubbard said. “I think that day will come some day.”(AJC)(5-19-2001)
