NASCAR not planning additional SAFER barriers: NASCAR has
undergone significant format modifications this season in an attempt to
bolster its reach, but additional major changes are unlikely. "More
tweaks, if any at all are made, they'd be minor because we believe the
current format we have is built to stand a long time," NASCAR chairman
Brian France said Friday at a conference with sports editors.
France suggested that the changes to the championship structure has altered the way drivers race, forcing them to increase "taking risks" and being more aggressive in the pursuit of victories, as opposed to securing points. When weighing safety, however, France didn't indicate that more changes would be likely, despite several calls from drivers to install SAFER barriers that help absorb crash impacts to any parts of racetrack walls that have concrete. "We're going to put SAFER walls wherever it's necessary," France said. "There are parts of the track that we may determine aren't necessary for those walls. When and if we think they are, we'll obviously make sure that happens. We do add SAFER walls to the inside areas depending on if it's necessary. We'll do it wherever it's appropriate. Period. We already have. We've been clear about that. We don't think it's necessary, as an example, to do it on pit lane, because they're not running fast enough and it wouldn't make any sense to do that, so wherever it's appropriate, we'll do it."
Since each race track is different, there are challenges to installing SAFER walls in all places where cars are exposed to concrete. According to France, several factors determine whether or not the barriers are necessary.(USA Today)(4-26-2014)
France suggested that the changes to the championship structure has altered the way drivers race, forcing them to increase "taking risks" and being more aggressive in the pursuit of victories, as opposed to securing points. When weighing safety, however, France didn't indicate that more changes would be likely, despite several calls from drivers to install SAFER barriers that help absorb crash impacts to any parts of racetrack walls that have concrete. "We're going to put SAFER walls wherever it's necessary," France said. "There are parts of the track that we may determine aren't necessary for those walls. When and if we think they are, we'll obviously make sure that happens. We do add SAFER walls to the inside areas depending on if it's necessary. We'll do it wherever it's appropriate. Period. We already have. We've been clear about that. We don't think it's necessary, as an example, to do it on pit lane, because they're not running fast enough and it wouldn't make any sense to do that, so wherever it's appropriate, we'll do it."
Since each race track is different, there are challenges to installing SAFER walls in all places where cars are exposed to concrete. According to France, several factors determine whether or not the barriers are necessary.(USA Today)(4-26-2014)
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