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Five features that allowed McDowell to walk away
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- Dale Jr. would consider racing Indy 500
- Eury Jr.: Split with Junior was needed
- Mayfield won't race at Chicagoland
Analysis:
Here are the top five reasons McDowell was able to miraculously walk away:
1. SAFER barriers
Following the death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001, the effort to expedite the construction of the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barriers sped up. The wall's design displaces the energy from the car into the wall absorbing as much as half of the impact.
The Car of Tomorrow
The COT is considerably larger than the old car, a feature that is appreciated by taller drivers like McDowell, who is 6-foot-2. By increasing the size of the cockpit and moving the driver's seat toward the center of the car, the driver is further protected by side impact. Stronger tubing and double frame rails with energy absorbing foam also reinforces the cockpit's integrity.
3. HANS device
The Head and Neck Safety device, created by Dr. Bob Hubbard 20 years ago, tethers the driver's helmet to restrain the forward motion on impact.
4. Seat & safety belts
McDowell runs two different seats — Joie of Seating and composite seats. The LaJoie seat, that McDowell was in on Friday, is constructed of steel and aluminum which gives. The composite seat is more like a capsule. McDowell uses a six-point harness system from Schroth belts of Germany.
5. The No. 00 Race Team
The crew that builds the car is the last line of defense between the driver, the racetrack and the competition.
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