Fire is one of the most frightening things for a driver, so in-car extinguishers are standard, either 21/2 pounds or five pounds. But now there are questions being raised about the 1211 Halon aerosol being used in the NASCAR extinguishers. Halon has long been considered one of the safest chemicals for extinguishing fires. But the EPA has been trying to phase out Halon because of ozone issues, and new production isn’t allowed. And there is some question about the ability of a driver to breathe inside the car if the concentration of Halon is at too high a level. There is enough Halon in a 21/2-pound bottle to flood the interior of a race car with 50 percent concentration, which some in the Winston Cup garage worry might be high enough to suffocate a driver, particularly if he’s unable to crawl out of his car. Halon is usually required to be used only in unoccupied spaces, with warning alarms designed to give anyone in the area 30 seconds to get out before the Halon is released.( Winston Salem Journal )(2-23-2003)
