Drivers have had a choice of restraint systems since 2001, when NASCAR began requiring all competitors to use such devices at all times.
But NASCAR spokesman Mike Zizzo said Monday that the Hutchens failed to meet minimum standards from testing by SFI Foundation Inc. The HANS device was approved by SFI, a California-based nonprofit organization that sets standards for specialty/performance automotive and racing equipment.
The HANS (Head and Neck Support) resembles a collar and slides on like a football players' shoulder pads, then hooks onto the helmet. The Hutchens device is a series of straps that connect across the chest and at the waist.
Most drivers preferred the HANS, but Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart have been known to race with the Hutchens.
NASCAR mandated use of a restraint system in October 2001, following an investigation of Dale Earnhardt's death the previous February. Earnhardt died of a skull fracture, the same thing that killed NASCAR drivers Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin and Blaise Alexander in a one-year span.
Many experts believed the fractures could have been prevented with use of a restraint system. But with drivers reluctant to use restraint systems and lingering questions about their effectiveness, NASCAR did not require their use until Earnhardt's death made the issue a top priority.
After numerous studies, the sanctioning body required the use of a restraint and allowed drivers to choose.
Last season, NASCAR evaluated several different systems, hoping to approve new ones before the 2005 season.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2005/1/144197