Ford Blue Box On All 2008 NHRA Nitro Cars

In addition to initial testing on the Force Mustangs, the Blue Boxes were tested for the final two races of the 2007 season on the Top Fuel dragster of Larry Dixon, to start a prove-out process on that class of vehicle.

This marks the second time in recent years Ford Racing has stepped to the forefront in safety development in racing. From 1996-2006, Ford Blue Boxes were mandatory on all cars in the Champ Car World Series.

In the Champ Car program, Ford’s Safety Research & Development group analyzed the raw crash data, along with the supporting medical reports, photographs, and video.

Ford then developed a CAE model of the driver inside a racecar cockpit to recreate the accident through computer simulation. The purpose of the research was to predict responses and injury potentials to the drivers in high “g-force” impacts.

The results were then compared with the actual response and physical condition of the driver from the medical reports. Based upon the research, Ford evaluated the effectiveness of contemporary safety devices used in the cars, and communicated the research with Champ Car and its chassis suppliers.

“This work has great potential because it provides information we simply can’t get anywhere else,” said Davis. “That’s why we’re so committed to doing the same type of program for NHRA. The experience we gained in Champ Car gave us an excellent baseline to work from. It helped us correlate the crash models our engineers and safety experts had been working with.”

During the first seven months of the latest initiative, Ford’s safety effort has focused in on four main areas:

- Data collection through the Ford Blue Boxes and accelerometers in the drivers’ ears
- Helmet and driver restraint testing
- Computer modeling of the current chassis, as well as seven-post shaker testing
- Occupant modeling of the driver cockpit area

Initial changes already made by Ford Racing, based on the data collected, have included the addition of extra head padding in the driver’s cockpit, and several changes to the chassis that helped strengthen it during the 300 mph runs.

Those changes have been tested several times during on-track incidents this season, including a crash in Dallas by John Force that left him with serious injuries on his extremities, but no head or internal injuries.

“It’s important to note that these are just first steps in what we hope will be a long-term effort toward making drag racing an even safer sport,” said Davis. “Having the Blue Boxes on all cars in Top Fuel and Funny Car will allow us to gather more data in a shorter period of time, so that everyone in the sport can use it to benefit all of the competitors.”

Date : 12 Dec 2007 09:48:45 Source: Ford

Date : 12 Dec 2007 09:48:45
Source: Ford