[In the wake of the death of racing legend Dale Earnhardt, Sr. at the Daytona...

[In the wake of the death of racing legend Dale Earnhardt, Sr. at the Daytona 500 February 18, 2001, professional drivers are taking a closer look at a head-restraint system designed to prevent the type of head injury that killed the legendary driver in Nascar's premier race.] The patented head and neck support, or hans, helmet, is fitted with a collar and yoke worn on the shoulder and attached to a frame in the car's roll cage. In a collision, the helmet reduces the violent movement of a driver's head. [Professional driver Jim Downing], co-founder of Atlanta-based Hubbard/Downing Inc., which began selling the helmet in 1991, said only six drivers in the 43-car field wore the device during the Daytona 500, although half the teams had one available for their drivers.