NASCAR Driver Paulie Harraka Tests MC10 Next-Generation Athletic Performance Monitoring Devices

At the recent NASCAR Nationwide Series Great Clips 200 Race in Phoenix, up-and-coming driver Paulie Harraka, and sponsor MC10 tested a number of MC10’s sports products, including the sports impact indicator MC10 recently announced with Reebok and a Biostamp designed to monitor hydration levels, during a practice run at the Phoenix International Speedway.

Head impact injuries and dehydration are common challenges facing NASCAR drivers and most every other athletic endeavor across all sports, abilities and age ranges. Just last month, popular NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. was sidelined for two weeks to recover from a couple of concussions sustained during crashes on the track.

“The news about Jr. really drives home the need for protective sensing technology like MC10’s Sports Impact Indicator in NASCAR,” said Harraka. “Drivers get knocked around when they spin out or crash, so the ability to notify trainers or doctors if I’ve sustained a serious impact provides some peace of mind – it’s like having an extra, objective set of eyes. I got to test the Sports Impact Indicator during a practice run and it fit comfortably under my helmet, which is key – you have to minimize distractions to race effectively.”

MC10′s unique technology reshapes high-performance electronics into thin, conformal systems that enable biometric monitoring without distraction. This is the company’s second collaboration with Harraka, who drove the demanding 200-mile course for Go Green Racing, placing 21st in a field of more than 40 drivers.

“Paulie has a passion for integrating technology to help him perform better, making him an ideal partner for MC10,” said David Icke, CEO of MC10. “MC10′s sports systems give athletes the ‘seamless sensing’ needed to get quality insights in the background. With this kind of information, athletes can learn more from training and make better decisions during competition.”

MC10′s innovative, skin-mounted performance monitoring sensors open the door to a multitude of applications. Because the technology is so thin, it can comfortably conform to the body and be embedded into virtually any form to monitor a variety of physiological systems and functions – from the heart to the brain to body temperature to hydration levels. When a sensing technology conforms to the athlete and not the other way around, it can capture more insights for longer periods of time without discomfort or distraction.