Indy Racing League Director of Engineering Jeff Horton won the 43rd annual BorgWarner Louis Schwitzer Award for the development of the Head and Neck
Restraint Extension, a safety add-on to the existing HANS Device used by all drivers in IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights events. Horton received a $10,000 award May 15 from BorgWarner, presented by the Indiana Section of the Society of Automotive Engineers. Horton is donating the prize on behalf of the IRL to the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a charity founded by the late Paul Newman. “It’s kind of unbelievable,” Horton said of receiving the award. “I never thought my name would be on that list.” The Head and Neck Restraint Extension helps prevent injury to drivers by enabling the head, neck and shoulders to slide unobstructed against the headrest during a rear-end collision. The device fastens to the top portion of the HANS Device. “The head, neck and body should move as a complete system,” Horton said. “Life is pretty good when that happens. When one of those pieces stops, that’s when injuries occur.” The device was developed over a two-year period and refined through 16 test runs on the IRL’s THOR crash simulation dummy, Horton said.
Page returns to IMS Radio Network broadcast: Former IMS Radio Network anchor and ABC Indianapolis 500 anchor Paul Page will offer commentary during the IMS Radio Network broadcast of the 2009 Indianapolis 500.