Michael McDowell's vicious wreck last Friday during qualifying for the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway apparently reached the limit of what the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) Barrier.The information, via the Charlotte Observer, comes from Dr. Dean Sicking, the man behind the creation of the SAFER barrier.
Dr. Dean Sicking, whose team at the University of Nebraska developed the steel and foam energy reducing barrier, said on Sirius NASCAR Radio that data shared with him by NASCAR showed a 70 mph change of velocity at the moment of impact.So imagine this: you're driving down the local interstate at about 70mph and then much less than a second later, you have come to a complete stop.
hat change of velocity number is important in studying high-impact crashes. If measures the difference between the speed a car is traveling the moment -- in milliseconds -- immediately before and the moment immediately after an impact.
In McDowell's case, that means his car lost 70 mph in the instant that it hit the wall.
Think that would be a little painful on the body? I'd imagine so. Somehow, though, with the innovations in race car safety with the SAFER, the HANS device, and the plethora of other safety components, McDowell walked away from his impact with little more than soreness.
The article goes on to state that Sicking has determined that the stopping impact that killed Dale Earnhardt in 2001 was around 42-44mph.
In any case, the new car in the Sprint Cup Series has passed its safety test with more than flying colors.
If you can get a hold of a TV with SPEED Channel right now, turn it on.
