Drivers in the PROCAR Champ Series will be encouraged to use the renowned HANS (Head and Neck Restraint System) safety device through a special financial rebate on offer at round five at Eastern Creek, near Sydney, next weekend.

Series organiser Peter Boylan has promised a $400 rebate on every $2200 Schroth HANS device supplied at the track by Motorsport Innovations, the Australian distributor.

The Schroth HANS is a proven life-saver.

The carbonfibre “collar” is worn over the driver’s shoulders and secured by the safety harness. Tethers from the collar to the driver’s helmet prevent extreme forward head movement in a crash.

Mr Boylan said that although the HANS device could not be made compulsory, he was keen to see it used by every PROCAR Champ Series driver.

“The HANS has been adopted in Formula 1 and a number of other international series and it is vital for our drivers’ safety that we do everything possible to ensure its use here also,” said Mr Boylan, who uses one of the devices when racing his BMW M3 in the Australian GT Performance Championship.

“We’re fortunate that the principal of Motorsport Innovations Rod Wilson is a PROCAR Champ Series competitor as well as a factory-trained fitter of the Schroth HANS device.

“Rod will be on hand at Eastern Creek with Schroth HANS kits for closed cars and open-wheelers, plus a range of suitable helmets.

“I hope this one-off offer of a substantial rebate organised by the PROCAR Champ Series is taken up by as many of our drivers as possible.”

The HANS is used already by a number of PROCAR drivers, including GT Performance series lead Justin Hemmes, who credited it with saving him from serious injury during a high-speed multiple rollover at Oran Park earlier this year.