This is the Statt Mann, Baby. It’s time to Scatt a Little Bit…

Sunday morning on ESPN’s excellent Outside the Lines program there was a stat that said participation in little league football programs is down up to 30 percent in the last five years. It said mothers don’t like what they’re hearing about concussions and damage to Little Johnny’s health.

I believe the same things exist in motor racing but they aren’t getting the same research that’s given to football.

Saturday in Australia there was an accident in the Bathurst 12 hour race that saw one car collide with another and the first car’s rear suspension was dislodged from the chassis and just sat there on the track.

No one mentions the long term effects of brain concussions in racing. I’ve heard drivers say they had headaches after a weekend of racing and they just took some over-the-counter medication until the headaches went away.

Head and neck restraint systems have helped but a HANS device doesn’t stop the brain from rattling around inside a scull that’s restrained by a HANS device.

I don’t know what the answer is but I love racing and hope this isn’t being ignored because a driver won’t admit his head hurts and his vision is impaired because his brain has just been dribbled and dunked.

Peace.