A diverse group of safety advocates has united to form a cohesive, collective and “more impactful” voice for increased safety in the racing industry, with the goal to make serious racing injury and casualties rare, if not a thing of the past.

A working title, Racing Safety United (RSU) is an all-inclusive platform comprised of influencers from an array of motorsport segments spearheaded by driver RJ Valentine.

RSU’s mission is to make racing as safe as possible, protecting all lives and vehicles by reducing damage, injuries, concussions and casualties at all levels of racing, paving the way for the next generation of racers.

RSU initially plans to focus on track safety, particularly the need for improvements at race courses and speedways nationwide. The first order of business is to raise awareness about antiquated walls as the cause of many injuries or fatalities. As expenses can be a sticking point, RSU has already begun working on financial aid options for underfunded tracks in need of safety upgrades. Another immediate priority is to identify ways of minimizing racing-related Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs).

Additional RSU initiatives include research surveys, educational outreach, seminars, track safety analyses, creating guides and resources like comparisons or buffering strategies, consulting on safety product development, and other programs. RSU’s scope of services is expected to evolve as the group continues to expand. 

All motorsports safety advocates are welcome to join the RSU.

For more information, visit the RSU webpage here.

RSU, which is said to be growing by the day, is currently comprised of 27 members:

    •    Jerry Nadeau– Monster Energy Cup Series Winner, 5-Time Barber Dodge Pro Series Winner, $100,000 Big Scholarship Winner, Former Teammate to Jeff Gordon & Jimmie Johnson
    •    Don Schumacher– NHRA Team Owner, Former Champion Funny Car Driver, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee, Concussion Legacy Foundation Brain Research Donor
    •    John Mills– SCCA GT3 Pro Racer, Race Car Fabricator, TBI Advocate & Survivor, Public Speaker promoting Brain Injury Awareness, Motivation and Inspiration
    •    Larry Dixon - 3-Time NHRA Top Fuel World Champion,Team Owner, Spokesperson
    •    Randy Pobst– Motor Trend Track Test Driver, SCCA Columnist & Champion Pro Racer
    •    Ian James– Champion Pro Racer &Ambassador for The Heart of Racing
    •    Darren Law– Flying Lizard Motorsports Championship Sportscar Racing Team Owner & Former Pro Racer
    •    Randy Lajoie– Safer RacerFounder, Former NASCAR Champion Driver & The Joie of Seating President
    •    Andrew Pilgrim- Traffic Safety Advocate/Public Speaker (www.tsef.org), Pro Race Driver, Contributing Writer to Automobile Magazine
    •    Dr. Preston C. Calvert– Pirelli World Challenge Medical Advisor, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Assistant Professor, Neuro-ophthalmology Consultant, Champion Pro Racer, Published Author and former U.S. Army Medical Corps Major
    •    Chuck Lessick – IndyCar Ministry Chaplain, Former Belardi Auto Racing Team Manager & Indy Lights Crew Chief, Owner & Driver in USF2000 Series
    •    Kevin Butterfield, D.C.– BrainForest Center Founder/CEO, Wellness Racing Corporation Founder/CEO & Creator of AvOID System and ReTINA system, Cortical Impact Solutions Founder/CEO, Motorsports Safety Blogger
    •    Dr. Julia Daly, PT, DPT, ATC– Athletic Trainer, Physical Therapist, Motorsports Performance Specialty,Public Speaker & Creator of Return to Competitive Race Car Driving after Concussion
    •    Thomas Woods– Veteran, Warriors on Track Founder, The Brain Treatment Center Military Care Coordinator for MeRT (Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy) & Racer
    •    Mike Semel–U.S. Grand Prix Retired Fire Chief, Watkins Glen International Safety Director & CART IndyCar Safety Team Member
    •    James Penrose– Former FIA Driver Safety Environment Consultant, Initiated FIA 8860 Helmet & Hans introduction to F1 & FIA Series, Drivers/Teams Consultancy through Penrose Safety for Audi WEC, Level 5 & many others
    •    Charlie Frank– The Activation Group (TAG) Partner, Motorsports Event Marketing for BMW, NASCAR, Indy Car and Many Others, Former racecar driver
    •    John Gorsline– The Gorsline Company CEO, Driver Protection Insurance, Family Assistance, Scholarships & Logistics Support
    •    Bobby Seymour–Seymour Performance ProductsCEO, Former USAC Champion Driver & Racer’s Expo Co-Founder
    •    Kip Zeiter– International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) Outreach Coordinator
    •    Mike Brockman – Previous Motor Trend Road Test Editor for 13 Years, Former Pro Racer & GT Class Winner at 24 Hours of Daytona, & Connecticut’s Own Volvo Dealer Owner
    •    Tom Baker– Race Chaser Media Founder / CEO, Race Chaser Radio Host
    •    Joe Chisholm– Race Time RadioOwner/Host & Eastbound International Speedway Race Director
    •    Michael Cummings– Port Imperial Racing Associates CFO - Grand Prix of America Formula One Race Promoter, Motorsports Capital LLC Founder - Motorsports Financial Advisory & Capital Placement, SCCA National Competition License Holder
    •    Jay Heid – Summit Midwest Drag Founder & Promoter, ProQ Motorsports Management Software Founder for Events such as Sturgis Camaro Rally, etc., MotorsportsDirectory.com Founder (A Motorsports Safety Foundation Partner)
    •    Eric Bagdikian– Array Sports Motorsports Operations, Former CODE 3 Animal Disaster Response President, Retired Boulder County Sheriffs Reserve Lieutenant
    •    RJ Valentine– Champion Pro Racer, Race Track Owner & Founder of Impact Safety Systems