Schwitzer Award candidates announced.

The Indiana Section of the Society of Automotive Engineers [SAE] have announced five candidates for this year's Louis Schwitzer Award, which will be presented 17 May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Now in its 36th year, the prestigious award honours early racing pioneer Louis Schwitzer, and recognises individuals with the courage and conviction to explore and develop new concepts in racing technology.

The 2002 candidates include engineers who are responsible for the following technologies:

* Chevy Indy V8 engine;* Dallara 2002 chassis update kit;* Delphi accelerometers to test the motion of a driver's head during impact;* Infiniti Indy 35A/E engine;* SAFER barriers developed by the University of Nebraska.

Last year's recipients were Dr Robert Hubbard and James Downing, inventors of the HANS [Head And Neck Support] Device, which is designed to reduce the occurrence of basilar skull fracture experienced by drivers during high-speed crashes. Past winners of the Louis Schwitzer Award, which is presented from engineers to engineers, have included Bruce McLaren, Smokey Yunick, AJ Foyt, Parnelli Jones and Gian Paolo Dallara.

Each May, SAE members interview candidates and select the winner, who receives a $5,000 check from BorgWarner, as well as a plaque and garage sign. All winners' names are listed on the Louis Schwitzer Award pedestal in the Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.