[DeTomaso] RACE SAFETY - Leatt Brace - Better alternative to Hans Devise

[Mad Dog Antenucci]

For Pantera Racers - 
   
  At all most $900 bucks I've had a tough time justifying the investment in the ""Hans Device. And for those who aren't familiar with what the hell it is, I'll share some information I found in latest issue of Circle Track magazine. 
   
  Like the Hans device its a head and neck brace system that connects to your helmet. More specifically it helps dissibate crash forces on your spine in a collision...In other words as Doc Engles would say, it reduces compression of the spinal column  due to the effect of force on the helmet. ;-]>  The energy  is transferred to the muscles that run on either side of your spine and NOT down your vertebrae.  And you guys just thought I was a pretty face!
   
  I've been at ORR and track events the last year or so where other drivers were wearing the Hans devices.... but they looked cumbersome, offered no side to side movement  and they  use helmet tethers or straps that have to be screwed into your helmet which is bad enough.....since every Pantera racer knows what joy it is to put on a helmet in a Pantera cockpit.... Every guy you do see with one on before a race has to turn his entire body to look left or right. Think of Frankenstein with a stick up his ass and you'll get a visual. They look gay but okay I know they do work. One of my mean little sick jokes on race day is to call out the drivers name while he has a Hans device on just before he gets into his car just to watch him have to turn his entire body around to see who called his name.
   
  Thanks the Pantera Gods along comes Dr. Chris Leatt who invents a better idea in the Leatt Brace www.-bracee.com
   
  Its a nylon reinforced carbon fibre and kevlar system so its also good at stopping projecticles like 762 AK rounds. Okay seriously, the first thing you notice is the Leatt-Brace (tm)  goes completly around your neck and according to Rob Fisher of Circle Track it is comfortable and allows you the freedome to move your head in ALL directions...it also does NOT use helmet straps which makes putting it on and taking it off 100% easier. Also according to Rob Fisher the new designed brace achieves 360 degrees of protection allowing the wearer to totally rotate his head  over his left or right shoulders which you can't do with the Hans Devise. Seat harness belts also fit over the wingson the front and rear of the Leatt-Brace and its meets SFI 38.1 rating more importantly for you fellow race rich but cash poor slackers its cost is a published $595 bucks so you can spend the money you save on more important things like "we-kill-for-peace" decals and cockpit skulls and shrunken
 heads to freak out the competition.  
   
  Not ready to give it a mad dawg seal of approval yet but I like what I see...check it out on the web site.


Mad Dawg Antenucci 
Team Pantera Racing 
  The 1st & still the only vintage race team in open road racing 
www.teampanteraracing.com