ANNUAL CONGRESS
CONFERENCE
ICMS Annual Congress
The ICMS Annual Congress will be held Wednesday & Thursday December 8-10, 2021. The goal of the Annual Congress is to inform the international motorsport community, the different scientific and medical disciplines, sanctioning body personnel, automobile designers and constructors, race team managers and drivers, and industry corporations interested in improving safety and performance for the motorsport participant and the highway motorist.
The conference curriculum is delivered in educational modules including medicine and
physiology, applied science, logistics and administration, and motor sport safety and will be
presented by the most experienced and knowledgeable practitioners from around the globe.
ICMS members have been instrumental in the creation of many of the life saving procedures and products used today in all forms of motorsport worldwide. Whether you’re looking for the latest information in the field or exploring opportunities to learn from the experts, the curriculum of the ICMS Annual Congress offers continuing education opportunities that are unsurpassed in motor sport.
Click here to download additional information on the Conference.
Click here to register for the ICMS Annual Congress.


SEMINAR
Race Track Safety Program (RTSP)
The 2021 RACE TRACK SAFETY PROGRAM (RTSP) will be held Friday, December 10, marking the 6th annual event presented in conjunction with the Annual Congress of the International Council of Motorsport Sciences (ICMS). This event will also take place virtually like the Annual Congress.
The one-day seminar will present the latest medical and scientific information developed for practical applications throughout the race industry. The RTSP will feature experts in their fields delivering the latest in safety education to the personnel responsible for providing on-track safety initiatives.
The Race Track Safety Program includes conferences that will provide information on applications including driver extrication from multiple chassis, hydraulic cutting/moving, medic/driver interaction in the car, rollover controlled movement and live fire suppression techniques and applications. Race Track Safety Program applications involve multiple racing machines (sprint car, dragster, stock car, formula car, etc.) and station rotations.
Click here to download additional information on the Seminar.
Click here to register for the ICMS Race Track Safety Program (RTSP).

Benefits of Attending the Annual Congress

Scientific sessions lead to best practices
If you are interested in motor sport medicine, science, and education, the ICMS Annual Congress offers something for everyone. Join us to and you will discover firsthand how today’s research will improve tomorrow’s practice in motorsports.

Learn alongside the best in the field
Whether you’re looking for the latest information in the field or exploring opportunities to learn from the experts, the curriculum of the ICMS Annual Congress offers continuing education opportunities that are unsurpassed in motor sport.

Establish valuable networking connections
You can mingle with your motor sport colleagues, connect with the resources and tools that make a difference in professional development, and interact directly with the speakers in your area of expertise at the ICMS Annual Congress.

Get energized by the industry’s elite
Participating in the ICMS Annual Congress will expose you to different points of view and new ways of thinking. The Annual Congress, enhances the learning of new techniques and specific tips for applying them while strengthening your knowledge base of all motor sport sciences.

For general assistance or questions, please contact:
Tom Weisenbach, Executive Director at
tom@theicms.org

ICMS 2020 Annual Congress & RTSP On-Demand
ICMS Members who registered for the ICMS Annual Congress & RTSP can now view all the presentations on-demand for a limited time. If you missed a presentation or would like to view one again, your chance is now!
Click on the link below to login to the Members-Only section to view the recordings. You will be asked for the passcode you received by email; if you did not receive it, simply send and email to info@theicms.org to request it.
Register for Access to the 2020 On-Demand Material

Past Events
The following list outlines the location, year and the summation of each ICMS Annual General Meeting from the current year to our inception in 1988. Click each date to view a synopsis of the event.
The AC and RSTP took place on December 9-11 and turned out to be a great event! Many long time members said it was the best event the ICMS has ever hosted in it's 32 year history. Day 1 had 10 speakers/presenters, kicking the day off with Dr. Paul Trafford and Professor Gérard Saillant from the FIA. During lunch we had a visit and talk by Dr. Jamie Meyer, President of PRI.
Day 2 of the event included seven presentations and a panel discussion on Track Safety Liability. This day was highlighted with the Dan Q. Marisi Memorial Lecture by Michael Hutchison, PhD, MSc, BPHE.
Day 3 is normally our hands on training for the RTSP, but because of Covid we got creative with the virtual presentations and had eight dynamic presentations. The presenters did an incredible job of engaging our attendees that joined us online.
With attendees from over 10 countries and presenters from eight countries we were challenged to create a social networking opportunity. The ICMS staff created virtual Happy Hours for each day. The participants in the Happy Hours said it was great being able to "meet" new folks from the industry and say "hello" to those they had met at past ICMS events.
Thursday's program started with the very popular PRI Breakfast featuring the Don Schumacher racing team drivers in discussions with emcee Ralph Sheheen of SPEED SPORT. The opening lectures of the morning session were the annual updates from the FIA and Auto + Medical followed by the latest information from the FIA Medical Commission presented by two key members of the governing body of motor sport. The Dan Marisi Memorial Lecture featured former head of the FBI driving school in Quantico, Wesley Wong who discussed urban tactical driving techniques and human reactions in stressful situations. Scientific Session Four began with the validation of a race track circuit and then computer modeling of impact structures for single seater race cars. After the break, key track safety topics were discussed including respiratory protection for first responders and hemorrhage control utilized by Medevac teams in military medicine.
Friday morning, the RTSP opened an enthusiastic gathering in a unique location, the Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the NFL Indianapolis Colts) adjoining the Indiana Convention Center. The program consisted entirely of hands-on practical sessions designed especially for short tracks, road courses, drag strips and rally events emphasizing a team approach to track incidents. The RTSP offered two separate certified training tracks, SFI: Fire/Rescue and SFI: Medical with these certifications being an additional part of the regular Race Track Safety Program. The Lunch with Our Guest Speaker featured Indiana native and USAC Champion Dave Darland discussing safety procedures of importance to sprint car drivers. The Practical Training sessions offered in the parking lot just outside the ramp to the stadium floor included live fire suppression with obstructions, rollover-controlled movement and pathway to life fire suppression.
Thursday's program started with the very popular PRI Breakfast featuring motorsports legends Al Unser, Sr. and Al Unser, Jr. interviewed by MAVTV’s racing journalist Dave Despain. The opening lecture set the stage for the mornings theme of how to design a safer race track with considerations regarding barriers and debris fencing followed with the evolution of the SAFER Barrier which set the new standard for track barriers. After the break the discussion once again turned to barriers and the mechanical considerations for energy management that is required when selecting debris fencing for new race track installation. The Dan Marisi Memorial Lecture featured former driver David Green outlining the pathway from problems to solutions in NASCAR crashes followed by John Patalak’s presentation on driver position and seat design on thoracolumbar loading during frontal impacts. Scientific Session Four outlined potential injury with the use of a too stiff head rest in DTM and updates from the FIA Global Institute for Motor Sport Safety and Auto + Medical Journal magazine.
Friday morning, the RTSP embarked at the Dallara IndyCar Factory located a few blocks for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where the speakers delivered updates on best practices in C-spine management under simulation conditions and respiratory protection for motorsports safety personnel. Also covered in the morning didactic sessions were the advances in rescue tools/techniques and the implications for rescuers working with electric race vehicles. The Lunch with Our Guest Speaker featured the NHRA’s Matt Hagan discussing safety procedures for drag racing drivers. The Practical Training sessions in the afternoon included hands-on participation utilizing the most efficient equipment available today, medical center challenges, difficult extrication procedures, rollover-controlled movement and 'live' fire suppression in the outdoor portion of the program.
Thursday's program began with the very popular PRI Breakfast featuring superstar team owner Chip Ganassi interviewed by racing journalist Dave Despain. The opening lecture was the annual update from the FIA and AUTO+ Medical journal by Paul Trafford followed by FIA anti-doping case studies presented by Sandra Camargo the Head of Medical Affairs for the FIA. The Dan Marisi Memorial Lecture featuring IndyCar Safety Director Mike Yates reflecting on his distinguished career in motorsports safety and rescue. Scientific Session Four presented a panel discussion on oculomotor, vestibular, reaction time (OVRT) testing and David Ferguson and Julia Daly completed the afternoon program with lectures on the physical response to driving a race car and concussion considerations in returning to competitive driving, respectively.
Friday morning, the RTSP began with a motor coach ride to a motorsport and automotive equipment testing complex North of downtown Indianapolis where on arrival the speakers delivered updates on the transition from street medics to the track, new car technology on race tracks, hemorrhage control and airway management of an entrapped driver and the unique medical needs of stadium truck competitors. Lunch followed with our guest speaker featuring IndyCar's Charlie Kimball discussing his management of diabetes as a racecar driver. The Practical Training sessions in the afternoon included hands-on participation utilizing the most efficient equipment available today, rollover and extrication procedures and 'live' fire suppression practice with the latest materials and tools. Another highlight of the afternoon was the popular safety team demonstration delivered by the industry's best motorsports response team personnel.
Thursday's program began with the PRI Breakfast featuring Indy Car Legend Rick Mears and NASCAR superstar Jeff Gordon. Ethical considerations for motorsports physicians was the opening lecture followed by an overview of the James Hinchcliffe accident at the Speedway and the response of the Indianapolis safety and medical teams that handled the case. The Dan Marisi Memorial Lecture emphasized 'circadian shifting' used in motorsport during international travel and 24-hour events. Scientific Session Four presented a unique and cutting edge system outlining the benefits of digital fire simulation in motorsports followed by three separate discussions regarding the current status of motor sport medicine around the world.
On Friday, the extended RTSP began with the informative didactic series directed to first responders from racing facilities of all sizes throughout North America. Lunch with our guest speaker, Indy Car Driver James Hinchcliffe, was introduced as part of the expanded program and was extremely well received by the attendees. The Practical Training sessions in the afternoon included "hands-on" participation utilizing the latest tools available to the team members who respond to race track incidents. The finale was once again, the popular safety team demonstrations delivered by the industry's best motorsports response teams.
The first ICMS lecture on the following day was on preparations for a Formula One race delivered by F-1 Race Director, Charlie Whiting. Paul Trafford and David McManus, both MD's from the UK discussed their roles on the FIA and the FIM Medical Commissions. Presentations included pit crew injury stats and recovery programs, and motion sickness in rally co-drivers and navigators. Topics also included: the study of brain activity during driving with distractions, neck injury patterns in motocross, and research of the physiological analysis of specific aspects of motorsports. On Friday, the didactic portion of the new RTSP began with a description of the correct personal protection equipment, followed by an address on track safety and crew training programs. A presentation included the mechanics of safety response and an overview of track fire suppression. The hands-on practical training sessions covered helmet/head restraint removal techniques, spinal control during extrication and hydraulic cutting of roll cages. The Race Track Safety Team Demonstrations reviewed correct incident response to an open wheel race car by the Holmatro IndyCar Safety Team and to a stock car by the Canadian Motorsports Response Team.

Motor racing is a very physically and mentally demanding sport. I have been involved with a number of doctors and physio-therapist in my career and those who provided me the best information are involved with your organization (the International Council of Motorsport Sciences).