Motorsports Column for September 3

I'm delighted to see that at least some people in racing are beginning to look seriously at improving safety. Lowe's Motor Speedway, always in the forefront of hype and entertainment, is taking a leadership position in safety, running tests of energy-absorbing barrier materials last week.

Lowe's president Humpy Wheeler staged a demonstration of a plastic-encased foam cushion material currently used as flotation for boat docks. The material consists of expanded styrene foam similar to that used in coolers and drink cups, and is encased in a heavy layer of polyethylene plastic. The material is then bolted together to create any size and shape needed. The barriers are scheduled to be used at the Oct. 8 Winston Cup race.

According to Wheeler, engineering studies have shown the average strike speed of cars hitting the outside wall in the turns worked out to 112 mph. He also noted that historically, the inside wall at Lowe's has been hit harder than

the outside wall. Being the showman he is, Wheeler arranged for a spectacular demonstration, dropping a large Cadillac sedan nose-first from a height of 97.5 feet onto a cushion of the plastic-encased foam. The car sustained severe hood and front-end damage, but the passenger compartment was relatively unscathed. As for the barrier material, the plastic casing for the cushion split at the point of impact, but very little, if any, of the enclosed foam escaped.

Samples of several other barrier materials were on display, including one coated with a layer of gel. The manufacturer of this material made claims that it can slow and redirect an out of control race car without rebounding the car into the path of oncoming traffic. The gel barrier material is non-flammable in addition to its energy dissipating properties. The same gel can also be used as padding in racing seats, and protects the driver by dissipating crash energy transmitted to the seat.

The shame is that this level of safety technology has been available for a while, but it took the deaths of Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin to get track owners and NASCAR officials to consider using it.

As if racing didn't already have enough egos in it, now George Steinbrenner has entered the sport with sponsorship for Darrell Gwynns Top Fuel drag racer. The car, with driver Mike Dunn aboard, will be known as the "Yankee Top Fuel Dragste," and will be done up in Yankee pinstripes. Steinbrenner's son, Hank, a big drag racing enthusiast, got dad involved.

But do I hear any bets on who will milk the most publicity out of the deal? It isn't Big George's first foray into motorsports, by the way - he was a minority partner in Pat Patricks Champ Car team back in the 70s a fact which he now exaggerates to imply that he was on equal footing with Patrick in the operation.

One of the variables of the 2001 CART Champ Car season has been removed, as both Paul Tracy and Dario Franchitti have extended their contracts with Team KOOL Green. Now all Barry Green has to do is keep them from running into each other on the race track.

The announcement, made last Wednesday, furthernarrows down Michael Andretti's options for next season. The most probably scenario has Michael signing on with the Target/Ganassi team for several reasons: 1.) They can afford his $10 million salary, 2.) it will get him back into the Indy 500, 3.) he has raced for Ganassi before, and they get along well.

The question remains as to who will team with Andretti, as Jimmy Vasser is gone and Juan Montoya is a near certainty to move to the Williams Formula 1 team for 2001. If Ganassi follows his normal form, he will find some young lion who will amaze everyone and win races right out of the box.

In other CART news, Alex Barron is back in the series, adding another American to the ranks. Barron will drive for Dale Coyne racing for the remainder of the season and, hopefully, in 2001 as well.