Award
SAE International Award for Motorsport Safety Honoring John Melvin - Participate - SAE International
2020-06-12
Purpose: NASCAR funded this award to recognize individuals, organizations, or teams 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. Nominees should be those who have demonstrated a commitment to reducing the injuries in auto racing incidents. Dr. John 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, was a staunch supporter of “SAFER” (steel foam and energy reduction) barriers on the track and was a key developer of "black box" data recording for racecars that helped sanctioning bodies learn from accidents. His many contributions as a safety consultant to NASCAR for more than 13 years forever changed the sport.