INDIANAPOLIS -- Safer, softer walls designed to cushion the blow of a crashing car have already made a positive impact at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Three cars have crashed into the walls during practice for the Indianapolis 500, and track officials believe the padding allowed the drivers to escape without major injuries.

Accordingly, University of Nebraska engineers, who developed the "soft" walls, won the Louis Schwitzer Award for innovation Friday. The award honors individuals who have developed new concepts in racing technology.

Dean Sicking, Ronald Faller, John Rohde and John Reid were honored for creating the SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) Barrier.

The IRL and NASCAR have spent four years working with the Nebraska researchers to create a wall that helps reduce the impact of a crash.

The devices have been installed on the outside walls of all four turns on this 2½-mile oval.

The wall is composed of four steel tubes welded in 20-foot sections. Bolts in the concrete wall and on the back of the device hold the wall in place.

Between the concrete and steel are 16 inches of hard, pink foam, spaced 10 feet apart. The foam acts as a shock absorber, allowing the wall to bend, thereby reducing the force. The soft walls extend 20½ inches from the concrete walls, but are out of the racing line.

Rohde also credited Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Tony George for initiating the program.

Robby McGehee was the first driver to give the technology a test, crashing May 5. He climbed out of the car and limped away with small breaks in his upper spine and lower left leg, but is back driving.

"We've been extremely pleased with the way the barriers have been performing," Rohde said. "The results have been very encouraging."

Installation of the walls at other race tracks could be on the horizon, but they're not yet ready to distribute the soft walls to every kind of racetrack, Rohde said.

"The wall is optimized now for the IRL car," he said. "To optimize this for NASCAR, we have to add more foam. The face will stay the same, but we'll add more energy-absorbing material."

Kite's ride
Jimmy Kite, a three-time Indianapolis 500 starter, has found a ride with Sam Schmidt Motorsports/PDM Racing.

Kite replaced rookie Anthony Lazzaro, who failed to qualify last weekend. He will drive the No. 99 Chevrolet-powered Dallara.

Kite failed to make the field on the final day of qualifying last year.

"I left with a pretty sour taste in my mouth," he said.

In 1998, Kite crashed three times in practice before qualifying and finished 11th. In 1999, he dropped out with engine problems after 111 laps. Two years ago, he finished 30th.

PDM owner Paul Diatlovich, who made an agreement with Schmidt to share technology and information, said it was difficult to replace Lazzaro.

"The decision doesn't accurately reflect Anthony's skill," Diatlovich said. "Unfortunately, the month has not gone as planned."

Kite reached 225.193 mph., the fifth-fastest time among non-qualifiers.

Guthrie Anniversary
Janet Guthrie visited the speedway to celebrate the 25th anniversary of breaking Indy's gender barrier. Guthrie had the fastest time on opening day in 1977 at 185.607, but completed only 27 laps on race day before retiring with a hole near the stem of an intake valve.

Guthrie never finished better than ninth from 1977-79.

"What stands out most was setting that fastest time on opening day," she said. "That's what was really important for me."

She was here promoting her autobiography.

Pit stops