NASCAR announced tweaks to the concussion protocol that goes into effect starting this weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
The biggest change is in regard to drivers that are required to visit the infield care center. If a driver who sustained damage to the car from an accident or contact goes to the garage, and thus retire from the race, he/she must proceed to the care center for evaluation. This previously was only mandatory for drivers who couldn’t drive their cars back.
Two other additions made were to diagnostics testing for concussions and on-site neurologists.
Care center’s will now use the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT-3) diagnostics test to do clinical assessments for concussions.
American Medical Response (AMR) will have a neurologist on-sit at select NASCAR events during this season to continue development of the concussion protocol.
Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations, said the sanctioning body is working “closely with the industry to ensure our concussion protocol reflects emerging best practices in this rapidly developing area of sports medicine. We will continue to utilize relationships we’ve had for years with leaders in the neurological research field who helped to shape these updates.”
