NASCAR ditches Hutchens

According to NASCAR's regulations drivers are obligated to wear head and neck protection, and the HANS device is now the only sanctioned safety system open to them.

NASCAR spokesman Mike Zizzo confirmed on Monday that the Hutchens system would not be sanctioned by the organisation after it failed to meet the minimum standards set out by the SFI Foundation - a non-profit organization that sets standards for racing equipment.

"We went through SFI," said Zizzo, "which is considered to be an expert in the field, and the HANS was the only device which met their standards."

Most drivers in the series already use the HANS device but two leading stars, Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman, are known to have preferred the Hutchens option.

NASCAR made a neck safety devices mandatory in October 2001, following an investigation into Dale Earnhardt's death. Earnhardt sustained a skull fracture, that was similar to those which occurred in the fatal accidents of Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin and Blaise Alexander.