SAFE MOVE FOR NASCAR.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Motor Sports

NASCAR announced Wednesday it will require drivers in its three top series, Winston Cup, Busch Grand National and Craftsman Truck, to use head-and-neck safety restraints effective immediately.

Well, it's about time.

Guess it took the death of another one of its rising stars, Blaise Alexander, for NASCAR finally to take some responsibility for the safety of its drivers.

Alexander died two weeks ago in a crash during an ARCA race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in North Carolina. That brought the total number of drivers killed in track crashes to five since Adam Petty, grandson of the legendary Richard Petty, died at New Hampshire in May 2000. Kenny Irwin, Tony Roper and seven-time Winston Cup champ Dale Earnhardt preceded Alexander, who also was competing on the Busch Series.

There will be those who argue NASCAR has done much to improve safety at tracks and in cars. The most evident example is the use of restrictor plates on engines to reduce speeds at Talladega Superspeedway, the site of this weekend's EA Sports 500, and Daytona International Raceway in Florida.

But other obvious measures, such as the use of head-and-neck restraints, should have been mandated earlier. Maybe it could have saved Alexander's life.

Maybe it could have saved Earnhardt's life.

Neither was wearing a head-and-neck restraint when they died.

But give NASCAR credit for taking the first step in what looks like a long journey into safety research and development.

NASCAR also will be studying seat belt and cockpit safety, adding data- recorder boxes in race cars, hiring a full-time medical liaison to be at race events and working with the Indy Racing League on the development of new barrier technology at race tracks.

All these measures are commendable. Only a handful of drivers on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series don't use some sort of head-and-neck safety device now. A few who do have said they are encouraged to see NASCAR will be mandating every driver use them.

``It's fine with me,'' said Mike Wallace, driver of the No. 12 Mobil 1 Ford. ``It's something that should have been done. If you're not smart enough to have gotten a head-and-neck system by now, then you've pretty much forced the sanctioning body into doing it for you.''

Wallace also recognizes the price the sport has been paying for not mandating such safety measures.

``We have too many drivers dying,'' Wallace said. ``We need to do something about it and by mandating these, NASCAR is trying to solve the problem.''

One NASCAR driver is taking the new safety measures one step further. Defending Busch Series champ Jeff Green, who also drives for Richard Childress Racing on the Winston Cup circuit, has offered to help pay for head-and-neck restraints for some of the NASCAR teams that can't afford them.

The HANS device can run between $1,500 and $1,800. It is the safety restraint used by Championship Auto Racing Teams and a popular choice among NASCAR drivers. The Hutchens Device, which Wallace uses, is considerably less expensive, about $300.

``When I found out Blaise Alexander Jr. was not wearing any type of head- and-neck safety device, I got really upset,'' said Green, who drives the No. 10 Nesquik Ford on the Busch Series. ``I'm not sure if cost was the factor, but I know I have the power to make sure it isn't an issue in the future.

``So I decided to take it upon myself to offer to pay for a system for any driver who does not have the means to do so for himself. I've been there. I've struggled trying to make it, so I know where they're coming from.''

Joe Nemechek, driver of the No. 33 Oakwood Homes Chevrolet, spent a good portion of this season recovering from injuries he suffered in June while testing at Dover Downs International Raceway. He wasn't wearing a head-and-neck restraint during the tests and now says he feels his recovery time would have been quicker if he had.

``I would have to say, yes, it's a good thing,'' Nemechek said. ``If everyone wears a head-neck restraint it is definitely going to cut down on injuries. Nobody knows if it would have helped Blaise in Charlotte, but for me, in my wreck, I know that if I had it on, it would have helped me.''

Apparently, the use of head-and-neck restraints only will be enforced during races and qualifying sessions. Green said he would encourage all drivers to use them whenever they are on a race track.

``I've learned that while many drivers have some sort of safety device, they weren't always using it full-time,'' Green said. ``Some were using it only at the big tracks and some only used it only during races. I want to stress to all drivers that an accident can happen anytime - during practice, qualifying or a race. It also doesn't matter whether you are on a superspeedway or short track, you still can hit the wall just as hard.''

The use of head-and-neck restraints is not going to cut down on the number of violent crashes in auto racing. The danger of high-speed collisions is part of the sport. Dying as a result of a high-speed crash shouldn't be.

THIS WEEKEND'S RACES

NASCAR

WINSTON UP

EA Sports 500

Site: Talladega, Ala.

Schedule: Today, qualifying (CNN/SI, 1 p.m.); Sunday, race (NBC, 10 a.m.)

Track: Talladega Superspeedway (tri-oval, 2.66 miles, 33 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 500.08 miles, 188 laps.

Last race: Ricky Craven held off Dale Jarrett in a final-lap duel and won the Old Dominion 500 in Martinsville, Va., his first victory in 174 starts in the Winston Cup series. Craven pulled away from Jarrett on a restart with 13 laps to go, opening a wide lead. Craven's Ford beat Jarrett's across the line by .141 seconds, giving owner Cal Wells his first victory in NASCAR's premier series.

Last year: The late Dale Earnhardt raced from 18th to first in four laps, then held off Kenny Wallace and Joe Nemechek for the last of his 76 career victories. Earnhardt beat Wallace by about two car-lengths, earning his record 10th Talladega victory.

Fast facts: Jeff Gordon added 97 points to his lead in Martinsville and is 334 ahead of Ricky Rudd with six races remaining. ... Craven was the 16th driver to win this year, a modern record. He also was the fourth first-time winner, joining Michael Waltrip, Elliott Sadler and Kevin Harvick. ... Two-time series champion Terry Labonte is the only driver competing in all 30 races who has yet to lead a lap this season. ... There were 75 lead changes during the 1984 race.

Next race: Phoenix 500, Oct. 28, Avondale, Ariz.

On the net: www.nascar.com

NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION 

O'Reilly Fall Nationals

Site: Ennis, Texas.

Schedule: Today, qualifying, 12:15 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 10 a.m. (ESPN2, Sunday, 9 a.m., tape); Sunday, eliminations, 8:30 a.m. (ESPN, 1 p.m.)

Track: Texas Motorplex.

Last event: John Force inched closer to his 100th career win by beating Whit Bazemore at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals for his 98th Funny Car victory. Gary Scelzi (Top Fuel), Troy Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Angelle Savoie (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won.

Next event: ACDelco Nationals, Oct. 28, Las Vegas.

On the net: www.nhra.com

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THIS WEEKEND'S RACES (see text)