#00-Michael McDowell trained with law enforcement on a high-speed course and spoke about NASCAR safety at Metro Community College’s Blue River [Indepndence, MO] campus Thursday [July 24th]. McDowell drove a police car in a simulated high-speed chase behind another law enforcement official. He also drove the car on a skid course covered with water. “The pursuit was the highlight for me. It felt like I was in a race – maybe a little too much. They said I wasn’t allowed to beat and bang on them like I was,” McDowell said. “It’s just like a race in a sense. Your adrenaline gets going and you get kinda pumped so you’re in the zone, and the officers have to deal with that all the time” McDowell spoke about the safety innovations in NASCAR, including the new car and SAFER barrier at Kansas Speedway. He demonstrated the helmet and HANS device that drivers wear for head and neck support by placing them on a fan in the crowd. “Our sport is not only for entertainment, it’s to help manufacturers develop street cars and make them safer everyday. It’s fun to be a part of that development,” McDowell said. “Unfortunately, I was the crash test dummy at Texas this year – I pretty much put everything to the limit.”(Kansas Speedway PR)(7-25-2008)
