Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: De Ferran backer of HANS device

Wednesday, April 2, 2003 | 9:46 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

When Gil de Ferran first tried on the HANS (head and neck support) device, he said he thought it was the worst innovation he ever had come across because of its bulky and uncomfortable nature.

Now that he has walked away from two nasty wrecks with relatively minor injuries while wearing the device, de Ferran is sold on its effectiveness.

De Ferran suffered a minor fracture in his neck and lower back and a concussion after spinning and backing his car into the wall during an Indy Racing League race at Phoenix International Raceway on March 23. Although he will sit out the April 13 race in Motegi, Japan, de Ferran said he expected to be ready to race at Indianapolis in May.

It was the second violent crash and second concussion for de Ferran in three races. He also blacked out after crashing in a race at Chicagoland Speedway last September and had to sit out the season finale at Texas Motor Speedway. In both incidents, de Ferran said, the HANS device prevented more serious injuries.

"The conclusion that the experts came to is that it did reduce some of the forces that my head was subjected to and perhaps reduced the extent of my injuries on my back -- and on my brains," he said. "It had a dampening effect on the violence of the accident and, certainly, the one in Chicago, where it was a forward impact, it probably had an even bigger effect."

While individual teams and sanctioning bodies have taken the lead in driver safety by developing and mandating head and neck support systems, de Ferran said he thinks tracks should take a more proactive approach in the area of safety by developing and installing "soft walls" such as those in place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"I think, historically speaking, one criticism I would make is that in comparison to the accelerated pace of safety improvements in racing cars and in driver safety gear over the years, tracks have made relatively little progress," he said. "The team owners and the people that are responsible for the technical rules of racing cars have been very, very responsive to technological improvements.

"Having said that, when Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced their study in the soft walls and the actual implementation ... of those walls, in my mind that was a major step forward and has showed the leadership on what could be done to improve oval safety. It remains to be seen if more track owners will follow the example and the lead of Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- and I wish they do."

"Longer than I let on," Vasser said when asked how long it took him to recover from the accident. "My ribs were really hurting for about three weeks. I was in pretty good pain at St. Pete but you don't want to talk about that kind of stuff at the time."

Vasser still managed to qualify eighth and finish sixth in the street race.

NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals schedule

THURSDAY

7 a.m.: Pit and spectator gates open

8 a.m.: Sportsman qualifying

7 p.m.: Comp Eliminator qualifying

7-8 p.m.: NHRA driver autograph session (ESPN Zone) FRIDAY

7 a.m.: Pit and spectator gates open

7:30 a.m.: Sportsman qualifying and eliminations

10 a.m.: Comp Eliminator qualifying

1:30 p.m: Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualifying

3 p.m.: Pro Stock qualifying