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Speeds and Safety Increase at Indianapolis
- Updated: May 29, 2022
![Colton Herta's crash during "Carb Day" reminds us how quickly things can go wrong at the Brickyard. Thankfully, Herta escaped injury. [Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway]](https://racingnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-Herta-Crash.jpg)
Colton Herta’s crash during “Carb Day” reminds us how quickly things can go wrong at the Brickyard. Thankfully, Herta escaped injury. [Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway]
by Steve Zautke
Growing up in a family involved in auto racing, my memories of races run deep. My first recollections of Indianapolis are bits and pieces, the beautiful Johnny Lightning Special, Gary Bettenhausen and Mark Donohue’s beautiful Penske deep blue McLarens and of course Bobby Unser’s refrigerator white Olsonsite Eagle with those huge wings. It was May of 1973 that still remains vivid. I remember coming home, my mom in tears, telling me that Art Pollard had just been killed. My parents knew Art socially through mutual friends at the Milwaukee Mile. Who can forget the rain delays and of course the Swede Savage crash which remains etched in my mind.
Getting more and more involved in auto racing and meeting more people I noticed an unusual amount of people who mention either the tragic 1964 or 1973 “500” race as either their first race in attendance or the one they first remember on television.
Although we are thankful that motorsports is so much safer, we can become quite immune to the dangers, especially to those new in the sport, so when it happens, it’s incredibly devastating.
![The SAFER Barrier along with quick action of the INDYCAR Safety crew saved James Hinchcliffe's life in 2015. [Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway]](https://racingnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2015Hinchcliffe-Crash-300x225.jpg)
The SAFER Barrier along with quick action of the INDYCAR Safety crew saved James Hinchcliffe’s life in 2015. [Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway]
![THe SAFER Barrier is one of the most significant advances in track safety ever. From IndyCar to NASCAR, countless drivers are able to walk away from crashes that twenty years may have given the driver, "some sheet time." [Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway]](https://racingnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/SAFER-Barrier-Photo-300x150.jpg)
THe SAFER Barrier is one of the most significant advances in track safety ever. From IndyCar to NASCAR, countless drivers are able to walk away from crashes that twenty years may have given the driver, “some sheet time.” [Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway]
The HANS device which in hindsight seems so simple now had some initial pushback. However with development and refinement, it became available to work in the tight confines of an open wheel car. “We are grateful to Jim Downing and Jonathan Ingram, author of the book Crash! How the HANS Helped Save Auto Racing (2019) “Few devices in the history of the sport have contributed as much to saving lives.”
One of the most vivid examples occured in 2015, when James Hinchcliffe slammed into a wall at more than 220 mph, he hit an energy-absorbing barrier that likely saved his life. One of auto racing’s most important safety developments, its origins began at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with then President Tony George.
George watched replays of Hinchcliffe’s accident and came to only one conclusion. Explaining to FOX News, “That would have been just like Gordon Smiley if he had not hit a SAFER barrier,” said George, referring to the fatal 1982 crash during Indianapolis 500 qualifying. Smiley was killed instantly when his car hit the Turn 3 wall and his body tumbled hundreds of feet across the track.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and INDYCAR have been leaders in safety, dating back to the creation of the traveling safety team in CART in the early 1980’s. With pioneering doctors such as Dr. Steven Olvey and Dr. Terry Trammel, they had pushed safety to the forefront and continues with their surrogates to this day.
On the eve of the 2022 Indianapolis 500, we had the fastest recorded Pole winning speed and the fastest front row in Indy 500 history. Let’s hope for a safe race, but know that the drivers behind the wheel understand they are provided with a safe car, backed up with the best safety team in motorsports at a legendary speedway that has been making safety improvements over the last 70-plus years.

Steve Zautke, a Milwaukee, WI native, was raised in the sport of auto racing. His father, Bill, was a movie photographer that shot racing footage at tracks such as the Milwaukee Mile and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 1960’s and 1970’s Steve’s first professional job in racing was as an Emergency Medical Technician at tracks such as Angell Park and Hales Corners Speedway (1988-1991). Steve has also worked for the Milwaukee Mile as videographer, in media relations and historian (1993-2011). Steve also has worked as a reporter for Racing Information Systems (RIS) and has written features for ‘Vintage Oval Racing’ and ‘Victory Lane’ magazines. Most recently, Steve has written a book on Road America for Arcadia Publishing. ( http://www.amazon.com/Road-America-Nascar-Library-Collection/dp/1467111457 ) Steve co-hosts “Sparky’s Final Inspection” a motorsports-based radio show with hosts, Steve “Sparky” Fifer and “NASCAR Girl” Summer Santana on Sports Radio 1250AM in Milwaukee and is also available on the internet at www.Sportradio1250.com. A member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Induction Committee, Steve follows all types of racing from the dirt tracks to Formula One.