Safety guru Bill Simpson fighting back

  Bill Simpson, racing safety innovator (Photo: Impact!)
  

   By Mike Mulhern
   mikemulhern.net

   MARTINSVILLE, Va.
   Bill Simpson's reputation as safety innovator in racing is legendary, from drag racing parachutes, to driving suits, gloves, safety restraint systems and racing shoes.
   So when the latest issue over some of his products, marketed under the Impact! label, erupted a few days ago, Simpson has been quick to respond. 
   A company that certifies the worthiness of racing equipment, The SFI Foundation (SFI), is questioning the labeling of some of Bill Simpson's racing products, which are widely used in NASCAR. Without SFI certification products could apparently not be used in NASCAR events.
   "SFI has posted on the internet an announcement that effective April 27th our products will be decertified," Simpson said in a posting on his own website. "Impact is legally challenging this proposed action by SFI.
   "Impact strongly disagrees with the statements on SFI's website.
    "This is a dispute over SFI tags. Our products are certified. They are safe, and we stand behind them."
   Simpson, who lost rights to his own Simpson Racing Products company in disputes following Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001, formed the rival safety company Impact!, with offices in Indiana and Charlotte.
   SFI, on its website, issued notice of 'decertification,' including termination of all contracts with Impact!
   SFI said "Evidence obtained by SFI shows that over a period of years Impact Racing has engaged in the production and use of counterfeit SFI conformance labels and patches, and affixed them to Impact products for use in motorsports.
   "Under the Contracts of Participation between SFI and Impact, SFI conformance labels and patches may only be obtained from SFI and no other source.
    "Evidence shows that Impact had counterfeit SFI labels and patches made in Asia and then affixed them to Impact products it distributed to members of the racing community.
    "To SFI’s knowledge, Impact never advised its customers that its products contained phony SFI labels and patches.
    "Impact never advised SFI of its systematic and longstanding practice of counterfeiting and distributing SFI patches and labeling.
    "Impact has been directed to cease and desist from this practice. SFI has directed Impact to immediately notify all affected customers to remove the counterfeit labeling and to offer the affected customers a full refund of the purchase price.
    "SFI is requesting that all counterfeit conformance labels removed from Impact products be sent to SFI."
    SFI said it is taking this action "in the best interests of the safety and integrity of the racing community."

      
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