No To The Humpy Bumper? UPDATE 4 More Testing in Detroit: NASCAR officials are saying “no way” to Humpy Wheeler’s crushable “Humpy Bumper,” a $6,000 piece of composite materials designed to bolt into the nose of a Winston Cup car and provide more cushion in a crash(Winston Salem Journal), see full past news on this on my Safety/News/HANS page(5-28-2001) UPDATE: Contrary to a report in the Winston-Salem Journal, H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, president and general manager, said NASCAR officials were very receptive to the new frontal impact safety device, nicknamed the Humpy Bumper, developed by Lew Composites and are anxiously waiting to review the data from sled crash tests that will be performed by General Motors. Also, Mr. Wheeler participated in the Speedway Motorsports sanction meetings with NASCAR officials and said NASCAR never suggested that one of the Atlanta Winston Cup dates be moved to Texas as was reported by the Winston-Salem Journal(LMS PR) UPDATE 2: Following extensive discussions with NASCAR officials during The Winston and Coca-Cola 600 weekends at Lowes Motor Speedway, H.A. Humpy Wheeler said today testing is continuing on the frontal impact absorption system, nicknamed the Humpy Bumper, that was developed by Paul Lew of Lew Composites. They are at the University of Dayton this week doing computer simulation testing, Wheeler noted. Then, next week they are scheduled to sled test it at General Motors facility. From there they will go to the Lockheed wind tunnel to examine its aerodynamic effect on the car. After all that testing is complete, they plan to do two remote crash tests of Winston Cup cars fitted with the bumper at as-yet-undetermined speedways, Wheeler continued. Wheeler emphasized NASCAR officials met with him and Lew, head of Las Vegas-based Lew Composites, and are completely aware of the testing that is taking place. NASCAR officials have been very cooperative, Wheeler continued. In fact, there is some specific testing data they want to see and we are complying with their request. Wheeler said once the testing is complete and the impact absorption system is approved for competition, Lew Composites can build 45 units in 30 days. The units super high-tech production process, known as 3D/DL (three-dimensional/directional laminate), produces a structure that weighs only 16 pounds, will cost less than $6,000 per unit to manufacture and can be made to sacrifice itself when acted on by a pre-determined amount of force.(LMS PR)(5-30-2001) UPDATE 3: the Winston Salem Journal reports – NASCAR executives are privately writing off Humpy Wheeler’s latest safety innovation, the ‘Humpy Bumper,’ a specially designed 16-pound composite bumper that bolts on to a Winston Cup or Busch car. Wheeler, however, is going ahead with more testing. The bumper, designed by Paul Lew, is undergoing computer simulations at the University of Dayton this week, and next week it’s headed for sled testing at GM, and then to Lockheed for wind tunnel studies. Following all that Wheeler says the bumper will be crash-tested. The $6,000 bumper, Lew says, is a directional laminate, meaning the force of the impact is absorbed through the structure in a predetermined road map(Winston Salem Journal), of note, during an RPM 2Night (ESPN2) show this week, Lew was quoted as saying the bumper would cost less then the $6,000 originally mentioned(6-2-2001) UPDATE 4: it was reported on Fox’s pre-race show, that the ‘Humpy Bumper’ would undergo more testing this week in Detroit, MI and that NASCAR has been invited and that representatives plans to attend the test(6-3-2001)
