Hundreds of press releases are written by teams each week in an effort to keep fans and sponsors informed about the team. Most of these press releases are centered around the teams performance during the week. Team members, fans, owners, and sponsors gather crucial information about the industry though which they are involved. Here are some press releases which will help you develop better reading skills while learning more about the sport of racing. All press releases are reprinted with permissions from their author.

Shane Hall Straps Into 6-Point Restraint Harness

By Bryan McSwain
#63 Hensley Racing
February 23, 2001

Safety has always been a main concern for NASCAR as well as by drivers and teams. As everyone strives to make racing as safe as possible, many drivers are looking at new equipment to provide better safety than ever. Lance Racing, along with Shane Hall and Hensley Racing is no exception.

“Ford brought it up to me before I even knew it existed,” said Hall of the new 6-point harness restraint system. The restraint, which consists of two lap belts, two shoulder harnesses, and two leg straps (one more than the 5-point harness), is made to hold the driver in the seat better. If the driver is held in the seat tighter, there is much less forward movement in the event of a crash. Because of the added support from under the body frame, the driver does not tend to “submarine” or sink down in the seat in the event of a rapid deceleration. “In crashes it will hold you to the seat much better,” continued Hall, “it’s really a great thing.”

Hall found the new safety harness to have another advantage; it was more comfortable. “I used it for the first time in Daytona and I was really pleased with how it felt,” said Hall. Drivers continually tighten the seat belts throughout a race. Hall noticed that the new restraint system did not need to be tightened as much as other systems. “With the 6-point harness I had much less slack and felt more stable. We are now in the process of putting it in all of our cars at Henslely Racing,” continued Hall. Shane Hall is pleased enough with the 6-point restraint system that the #63 Lance Snacks team plans to run it for the remainder of the season and beyond.

There are other possibilities that Lance Racing and Shane Hall are looking at in the name of safety as well. Hall has ordered and plans to test the HANS device. Additionally, before the start of the season the SEARS device was a consideration. Acting in much the same way as the HANS device, the SEARS device restricts the forward movement of the head by attaching the helmet to straps sewn into the back of the driving suit.

While no method is perfect, everyone at Lance Racing knows that it is important to look at all efforts towards increasing safety. As technology advances and new products are developed, safety will continue to evolve in motorsports.

Reprinted with permission from Bryan McSwain
#63 Hensley Racing, for educational use only. 2002

 

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