Nice reply from a 7 post genius.

I was looking for a clarification from somebody with USAC, on what appears to be a new rule (since the original post from USAC says, "Date Effective: May 19, 2016") that basically seems to outlaw HALO bars. Below, is why I ask for clarification.

And since we are coming up on the Josh Burton Memorial this Friday at Bloomington Speedway, it's probably a good time to repost this too.

Here is an article I wrote at the request of Darlene Burton, Josh Burton's mother. It was published in Flat Out magazine’s 2015 February issue.

It is a plea for HALO bars, from a mother.
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Those of us that have lost loved ones inevitably ask ourselves the same question, “could I have done anything to prevent it”.

The answer to that question is a resounding and emphatic, NO, at least 99.999% of the time!

Sadly, in our sport that seems to be how we learn the short comings of our designs, and also, how to improve them.
It is the same at every level in racing including Indy, NASCAR, World of Outlaw’s, USAC and every in racing sanction of every type.

I will not try and cite every example where safety improvements were made following a fatal accident.
However, the most of the widely known examples that instantly come to mind are probably, Dale Earnhardt Sr and Dan Wheldon.Seemingly and sadly, it takes a tragic loss in far too many cases to show us how and where we can improve on safety.

Which brings me to a recent phone call I received from Darlene Burton.Darlene is a dear friend, and the proud mother of Josh Burton.

Josh was lost in what can only be described as a tragic freak accident in May of 2013 at Bloomington Speedway.Since Josh’s death, Darlene has taken it upon herself, to attempt to try and help prevent another mother from having to go through the same heartbreaking loss of a child that she has endured for the past year and a half, and will endure forever.
Something that only those that have suffered this type of loss, can even begin to understand.

Josh’s accident in all honesty, just did not look to be any worse than your average sprint car flip. But the chain of events of his accident would prove to be fatal for Josh.
All because, as Josh’s car flipped, it rolled over on it’s side, exposing the top of his roll cage to oncoming race traffic.
Through absolutely no fault of his own, another driver’s front end came in contact with the top of Josh’s roll cage, and at such an angle, that the left front torsion bar tube and torsion arm, made an intrusion into the cage, far enough to make contact with Josh’s helmet, resulting in a fatal brain injury.

At any point, in the entire chain of events of the accident, had the timing played out any differently, even for just a split second, the outcome would likely have been no more than a damaged race car, and a driver walking unhappily back to the pit area to rebuild and race once again.

However, as is in most cases, we have no control of the timing in the chain of events of any accident. But there is one other thing that “might” have saved Josh Burton’s life that night.

Since the accident, Darlene has been on a one mother crusade, to convince drivers to install “HALO” bars in the tops of their roll cages.

A “HALO” bar simply fills in the wide open area directly above the drivers head, while still allowing plenty of room for entry, or a rapid escape if a need be. Most Chassis builders offer a “HALO" bar kit that you can install yourself, or you can have them welded in place by your chassis builder.Different chassis company’s have differing designs as far as height and length of the bars themselves.

Can anyone say with 100% certainty a “HALO” bar would have saved Josh Burton’s life, truthfully, no.But we can say if Josh had a “HALO” bar, his chances would have been far greater of climbing out of relatively otherwise intact sprint car, to repair it and race again.

Darlene herself, has offered to pay for the installation of “HALO” bars in some of her son’s friends and fellow racers sprint cars, with proceeds out of the The Josh Burton Memorial Fund. However, while some drivers did install the “HALO” bars, not one of them took her up on her offer to pay for them.

She has also tried to convince others to install a “HALO” bars, and honestly, she has meet with stiff resistance from some drivers, even though they fully understand her reasoning behind her heartfelt request.

She has also contacted USAC to speak directly to them about the pro’s and con’s of “HALO” bars, especially since USAC is strictly a non wing sanction.That meeting, has yet to take place at the time of this writing.

Darlene fully understands that not everyone is in agreement, that the “HALO” bars are for everyone. However, all that she is asking, is that you take a long hard look at what is at stake, and then make an educated decision for yourself.

There is a mighty big opening in the roll cages on some of today's sprint car frames. What are the chances that you could one day find yourself with the top of your roll cage exposed, facing oncoming race traffic, a fence post, or any other object, that might in a freak accident, find it’s way into your cockpit through that big opening above your head?

Who knows? But is it a chance you are willing to take?

Darlene Burton is simply asking you to consider the installation of a “HALO” bar, and at the small cost of $150.00-$250.00 is it really worth it to take that chance?

One thing I do know for a fact, there is no price on God’s green earth, that Darlene would not have gladly payed in hindsight, had anyone known before hand, what a 'HALO” bar might have been able to prevent.


Chris Judah