Head and Neck Restraint

[chuck baader]

The new rules for the BMWCCA racing season, 2006, will mandate a SFI head and neck restraint beginning April 1, 2006. The approved devices are as follows:

HANS - (888) 426-7999 - www.hansdevice.com

R3 Device - (800) 731-4404 - www.lfttech.com

Hutchens II - (800) 731-4404 - www.hutchensdevice.com

For those of us that race both organizations, plan early....Chuck

[lateapex911]

I'll repeat what i said in the BMW section....

that ...SUCKSs....

a sad mile marker in our world.

I hope SCC doesn't blow it too..............

[Greg Amy]

Chuck, would you know how to get other devices approved by BMWCCA? I use theWright Device, and it's SCCA Pro and NASA approved...even better, it's significantly less expensive than the others.

It's in limbo right now, given Jay Wright's death earlier this year, but there are folks working in the background to make sure that his efforts aren't wasted.

http://www.over40racing.com

[chuck baader]

Greg, they specifically referenced SFI 38.1. If I understand you correctly, the Wright device has not been tested? CB

[Greg Amy]

Originally posted by chuck baader@Dec 17 2005, 11:56 AM
Greg, they specifically referenced SFI 38.1. If I understand you correctly, the Wright device has not been tested? CB
68594

The Wright Device went through fairly extensive sled testing at Wayne State University and passed (http://www.over40racing.com/testdata/index.htm).

The SFI, however, has different testing requirements. I'll let Jay give you his perspective (from http://www.scca.org/garage/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1587):

I offer a low cost device that has been tested and SCCA Pro approved. (The Wright Device) Now that SFI has a testing procedureonly the HANS has been tested (restrictions in procedure). My device will pass but I don't have the money for the testing ($7500) and am looking for a sponsor so it can be tested. I feel a low cost ($150) alternative is in the best interest of motorsports. Any help finding a funding source would be appreciated.

The way the spec is written only Delphi can do the testing. My early testing was done at Wayne State Bioengineering Center. Sled speed 35 mph. SFI sled speed requirement is 43.5 mph with Delphi named specifically to do the test. Dr. Hubbard helped write the spec and he did a good job excluding most all other devices on the market. Mine meets the requirements but the cost of testing is three times my total sales last year not including manufacturing costs of the device. I am not concerned with NASCAR or F1, they can afford HANS. But next year NASA will require a device that is SFI certified. These are low bucks racers and I think they should have a low cost alternative instead of giving HANS a monopoly in the motorsports world.

There was a raffle on this board earlier this year to fund the testing for the Wright Device:

http://itforum.improvedtouring.com/forums/...?showtopic=2381 (http://itforum.improvedtouring.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2381)

Unfortunately, not enough money was collected to fund all three requrietd tests; to make matter worse the technicians improperly hooked up the unit during the first test and it failed. Re-testing was scheduled for July 5th; Jay passed away July 10th and I did not hear if testing was completed.

There are folks working in the background to make sure Jay's efforts do not go in vain. For now I'll continue using mine with pride, and hopefully this wil get worked out. - GA

[charrbq]

Jay's efforts at preventing head and neck injuries were, unfortunately, brought on by a crash with resulting neck injury that paralyzed him. He knew what better protection meant by first hand experience. Until his accident, we blindly took safety for granted. A fire suit, helmet, roll cage, and good seat belts were plenty. When his showroom stock Mazda flipped at the Runoffs, all those things worked, but his seat broke free. The resulting injury to his neck paralyzed his body and almost took his life. Sadly, hind sight and his example made for some fairly sweeping rules in race car safety. I say "sadly", because it took an accident such as his to bring our attention to safety to the forefront.
He new what it meant to suffer from ignorance, and he didn't want it to happen to any other racer. When the Hans device came out, and Dale Earnhart died, the buzz at the race track was about what to do, how to do it, and how it could be afforded. That was the inspiration he needed to go ahead with his research. Unfortunately, when everything comes out of your hip pocket instead of a grant or corporate effort, things get tough. Hopefully, his efforts will be continued and a reasonable, safe, and affordable device will go into production.

By the way, I gripe like everyone else when I have to buy or build new safety equipment for my racing effort. But when I think about how Jay was injured when he thought he was safe, and the pain and effort it put him and his wife through, and how those injuries eventually led to his premature death...I shut up and right the check.

[anrkii]

not to sidetrack your topic, but do you think that these type of restraints are going to be manditory for IT class any time soon?