SAE John Melvin Motorsport Safety Award

Established in 2016, this award honors individuals, organizations or teams (both SAE members and nonmembers) whose research and/or practical application represents unique, original concepts that, when applied to motorsports, cause significant positive change and elevate safety to new levels of innovation, in the memory of Dr. John Melvin. Dr. Melvin was a pioneer in the field of driver safety, particularly in the area of driver restraint systems. He persuaded drivers to adopt the HANS (head and neck restraint) device, and was a key developer of "black box" data recording for racecars that helped sanctioning bodies learn from accidents. His contributions as a safety consultant to NASCAR for more than 13 years will leave a lasting mark on the sport. Nominees should be those persons who have demonstrated a commitment to reducing the injuries in auto racing incidents. This award is funded by the generous support of NASCAR and will consist of a wall plaque and a $1000 Honorarium.