Justin Ashley believes in the GuardLab ARC-PRO mouth guard so much he refuses to make a pass without it. The two-time NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster winner was a satisfied customer long before he became a spokesperson for what he believes is a crucial element towards driver well-being.
Ashley has the best in safety equipment but he sees having one of the GuardLabs custom-fitted mouthguards means going the extra mile.
“Personally, it’s helped me with performance, relaxation, and concentration,” Ashley explained. “As it pertains to NHRA, it can help other drivers do the same. There’s something to be said about having a nice, comforting, safe mouthguard backed by the necessary sciences to prove it.”
All it took was bouts with severe tire shake, one before getting the ARC-PRO, and one after for him to see the value.
“I’ve experienced tire shake quite a bit, both with and without the mouthguard,” Ashley said. “I’ve noticed I feel a lot better following the shake when I’m using the guard as opposed to the alternative. It’s super lightweight, super comfortable, and effective.”
Florence Kirley, VP of Dental Group for GuardLab, wants more drag racers to experience the product the same way Ashley has.
“There’s neuromuscular science built into the mouthguard,” said Florence Kirley, VP of Dental Group for GuardLab. “From the performance side, it’s designed to open up the airways, create stability in the jaw, head, and the neck, so it helps to align the body, so you have greater balance and stability. It also can reduce some Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ) stress that someone can have if they tend to clench their teeth together, especially if they’re nervous, exerting force, or trying to concentrate.”
Kirley said she’s excited about the interest being excited in mouthguards beyond the traditional stick and ball sports. The second-generation Ashley provides the best example for the product.
“Justin himself is just a fantastic ambassador. We are excited to have more people test it, and hearing his testimonial is amazing because it’s working, and that’s really what we want to hear.”
It’s the ability to custom fit a mouthguard that makes the GuardLab product line one to have.
“Specifically to the guard that Justin is wearing, specialize in making a custom fit product,” Kirley said. “So we’re using a 3D scanner. It’s the most accurate digital impression that you can have of a person’s mouth. Using 3D scanning which means we have an exact replica of the teeth. The guard is completely custom fit, and Justin can attest to this. You literally can peel it off your teeth; it just fits perfectly. Accuracy and comfort means everything to us.”
GuardLabs will have representatives at this weekend’s zMax Dragway event providing scanning. They will have their 3D scanner onsite for measurements inside of Ashley’s Top Alcohol Dragster pits.
‘I’m excited about this opportunity,” Ashley said. “New technology in safety equipment is always important to protect the drivers and their well-being.”
This story was originally published on October 12, 2018. 
