Well, since NASCAR has already stolen SAFER barriers and HANS devices from IndyCar, here’s another “innovation” for them to adopt and claim as their own...
For this season, IndyCar came up with a new aero package for their race at Texas Motor Speedway. The new package reduced downforce sufficiently that drivers actually had to lift for the turns and broke up the pack racing that resulted in the massive wrecks of the IRL era (and the crash at Las Vegas last year that killed Dan Wheldon). This year’s race at Texas was regarded as one of the best that IndyCar has ever run there. The same aero package was also used at Fontana for their season finale.
Maybe NASCAR could reduce the downforce enough that the drivers have to actually DRIVE, as opposed to stand on the throttle and pray the car ahead doesn’t get loose?
And as a side note, regarding HANS devices: I’ve learned from a friend of mine that while it does prevent basilar skull fractures and neck injuries, it puts a driver at a greater risk of closed-head injury.
My thought was not to change the aero package but to force the track owners to knock down the banking, particularly at Daytona and Talladega. Make the drivers lift and make them actually RACE again, not get in a line and all run the same speed bunched up together.
While the safety improvements incorporated into the COTS chassis makes them more crash-survivable, they are nearly impossible to egress quickly in an emergency. Nothing will change though until one of the superstars burns up trying to get out after one of these melee's...
HANS was developed by racer Jim Downing and Dr. Bob Hubbard from Mich State. It was first used in sports car racing.
SAFER was developed by the Univ of Nebraska with funding from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IMS has both Indycar and Nascar races.