IMPACT Safety Equipment "De-Certified"!!!!

[DBK927]

Found this little tid bit on SPEED about Simpson safety equipment founder Bill Simpson, and his new company, IMPACT Safety products.

Just what "Impact" from this is yet to be seen since his parent company was trashed during the investigation into Dale Earnhart Sr. death.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/industry-sfi-decertifies-imact-racing-products/

[cartcanuck]

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.


This doesn't sound good.

[Hayden Fan]

And you go to a paddock anywhere in the country and a good portion of the drivers and crews are using these products. Someone will end up in jail for this, if it is found that anyone was injured wearing an Impact uniform.

[last2brake]

I can't really tell what is going on. All I see is a link. Thanks to cartcanuck for the partial quote.

But when I heard about this, my initial impression was that funny things happen when you get on nascar's bad side, but I don't know what SFI is. Is it a safety thing or an environmental thing.

[Hayden Fan]

I can't really tell what is going on. All I see is a link. Thanks to cartcanuck for the partial quote.

But when I heard about this, my initial impression was that funny things happen when you get on nascar's bad side, but I don't know what SFI is. Is it a safety thing or an environmental thing.

SFI is the organization that certifies all racing uniforms for fire proofing abilities.

It is all about safety.

http://www.sfifoundation.com/

Simpson racing equipment (the original company of Impact founder Bill Simpson) was questioned into the safety of their helmets after the relatively minor Earnhardt crash they ended with his death.

[last2brake]

SFI is the organization that certifies all racing uniforms for fire proofing abilities.

It is all about safety.

http://www.sfifoundation.com/

Simpson racing equipment (the original company of Impact founder Bill Simpson) was questioned into the safety of their helmets after the relatively minor Earnhardt crash they ended with his death.
Yeah, I kinda was trying to be sarcastic, because there's also an SFI that has something to do with certifying wood from forestry.

If I remember right ( and I might not ), nascar had to do something when Earnhardt was killed ( even though they ignored a couple of deaths before him, including Adam Petty and JD McDuffie ), so they went after Simpson. Apparently, Dale liked to sit low in the car. His seatbelts had some damage ( nascar said they were torn, but rescue personnel said they were intact ) that some theorized may have been caused if they rubbed on the edge of the seat because of Dale's preferred seating position. If I remember right, Dale wouldn't wear a full-face helmet or a HANS device, and died of a basilar skull fracture ( Greg Moore, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Petty, and McDuffie did also, I think ) because the head and skull aren't restrained, while the torso is, so the head tries to separate from the body. I don't think the seatbelt had much to do with that, but nascar needed someone to throw under the bus and Bill Simpson was convenient. When he fought back, he became a target for nascar.

I believe that nascar would build a bus to throw him under if nobody else had a bus handy. And it wouldn't surprize me if nascar had put counterfeit labels on the stuff that Bill Simpson sells themselves. I just don't have a very high opinion of nascar's ethics.

It's hard for me to consider an almost head-on crash at close to 200mph a relatively minor crash. I'm guessing that Gonzalo was going about half as fast when he was killed.

[TRPG]

Especially when you consider that Dale Sr. had a reputation of untightening his belts under yellows. But how dare should anyone say he forgot to tighten them back again when they went green again. better blame the belts themselves.

[ccwsflagger]

It is a very odd situation. A lot of drivers/pit reporters that I know use Impact suits, and this just doesn't look too good. I'm going to reserve judgement until all the facts are out, because there are two sides to every story. As far as we know, a competitor could've sent the company who makes the firesuits the counterfeit patches. Or who's to say that more than one firesuit manufacturer makes their suits there? If this is the case, I think it's just a fact of SFI or someone having a vendetta against Bill Simpson & Impact. Again, all speculation & i'm still reserving judgement until all the facts or details are out.

[Hayden Fan]

It's hard for me to consider an almost head-on crash at close to 200mph a relatively minor crash. I'm guessing that Gonzalo was going about half as fast when he was killed.

Well considering how even that race, cars went end over end, and NASCAR's penchant for very hard hits, it was not a hard hit compared to what other drivers have gone through.

[Ronbo]

Well considering how even that race, cars went end over end, and NASCAR's penchant for very hard hits, it was not a hard hit compared to what other drivers have gone through.

That's not entirely right Hayden. When a car goes "end over end" it is scrubbing off speed and inertia, and a car that comes to a sudden stop does not. Add to that the stiffness of the frame of those cars, that sudden stop is deadly. Although the end over end crash is more dramatic, that head on into the wall is 100 times more serious and dangerous. You also said that Simpson was being investigated over the helmet, but he was blamed for bad seat belts instead. But if Simpson is guilty of sewing on phony certification patches, he is done. He will need to cash out and move to Brazil. That is if there is any cash left, after the courts are done with him...

[DBK927]

L2B: Here's the entire article. I apologize if the link didn't work.
Also, it talks about IRL drivers who wear the product in question as well.

INDUSTRY: SFI Decertifies Impact Racing Products
Impact Racing, makers of safety products such as firesuits that have become highly popular in NASCAR and IndyCar, has had its products decertified by the SFI Foundation.
SPEED Staff | Posted March 28, 2010 RELATED

In a move with wide ranging implications, Impact Racing, manufacturers of safety products such as firesuits that have become highly popular in series such as NASCAR and IndyCar, has had its products decertified by the SFI Foundation.

The SFI Foundation, and independent testing organization whose procedures are used almost universally to measure and certify the standards for specialty/performance automotive and racing equipment, posted the following notice on their website:

SFI Foundation, Inc., has issued a Notice of Decertification; Notice of Cease and Desist, and a notice terminating all Contracts of Participation to Impact Racing. Effective April 27, 2010, all products manufactured and/or distributed by Impact Racing pursuant to SFI Specification Programs 3.2A, 3.3, 16.1, and 16.5 are decertified. 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 has elected not to decertify these products immediately in order to minimize the potential hardships to members of the racing community that have been brought about by Impact’s counterfeiting activities.

SFI has also elected to terminate all Contracts of Participation with Impact Racing effective 90 days from March 24, 2010. Under the terms of the Contracts, either party may terminate the agreements without penalty upon 90 days notice. This means that Impact will no longer be able to participate in any SFI programs after this 90 day period. SFI has taken these actions in the best interests of the safety and integrity of the racing community. This is in keeping with SFI’s mission and purpose.

How the news will affect drivers and teams using Impact's products this weekend remains unclear.

[SpeedwayCJ]

Boy, this is gonna screw over a bunch of the folks racing with our vintage club. I see Impact items everywhere. Thankfully, Dad hasn't bought any that I know of, but I think at least one of our friends has a helmet from Impact. This is gonna have some serious repurcussions when it hits everyone from NASCAR/FIRL down to local clubs like ours. Good luck getting those refunds...

[Steve99]

SFI has elected not to decertify these products immediately in order to minimize the potential hardships to members of the racing community that have been brought about by Impact’s counterfeiting activities.
If I understand this correctly, SFI isn't saying that the products are not certified, it's just that the labels weren't purchased from SFI. SFI is upset they didn't get their cut of the money.

From the link earlier in the thread:
How is the SFI Standards Program Funded?

Participating manufacturers pay for development and administration of these programs through licensing fees and/or unit charges. Also, interested associations have provided grants and donations.

[CHAMPCAR1]

I haven't kept up with the SFI situation, but NA$CAR really did a number of Bill Simpson's old company and tried to blame him for Dale Earnhardt's death. I believe there was a settlement years later, but they never publicly apologized for dragging his company and name thru the mud. I believe a couple of those redneck fans even made death threats to him and his company. Of course NA$CAR later stated that the COT was a lot safer than the old car, all while ignoring that their lax safety procedures might have ultimately cost all those stock car drivers lives until Dale was killed before they did anything.

[mountainstar]

Belts or no belts, helmet or no helmet, IRC wouldn't have mattered in the Earnhardt death as his chin hit the steering wheel and transmitted a lethal shock that shattered his skull.

So no I don't find Simpson anyway responsible and shame on Nascar for what they did.

However this deal with the labels is a concern.

[last2brake]

Belts or no belts, helmet or no helmet, IRC wouldn't have mattered in the Earnhardt death as his chin hit the steering wheel and transmitted a lethal shock that shattered his skull.

So no I don't find Simpson anyway responsible and shame on Nascar for what they did.

However this deal with the labels is a concern.
I remember one of the theories ( which I seem to remember was nascar's theory, but I'm not sure- only cynical ) was Earnhardt's chin hitting the steering wheel. Which wouldn't have happened with belts or helmets, if it was indeed the case.

And if all the suits were made the same way, but had different labels, all the suits should work the same. So the issue becomes credibility, and Simpson has more than nascar.

Part of the confusion surrounding Earnhardt's accident is all the different theories, and nascar has a lot of tools in the media. One of the first things I said after it was confirmed that Dale had died was that it was going to be a mess, and I was thinking about nascar when I said it. They are good at muddying the waters so that people can't see the bodies at the bottom of the slough, and there are people who would drink nascar's water sight unseen.

I think Dale died because his head kept going when his car suddenly stopped, causing the basilar skull fracture. But it also could have been as you described it.

[elmersboy]

SFI is upset they didn't get their cut of the money.

SFI is effectively a trade association that tests its members' products. If Impact isn't paying its end, the other manufacturers are paying the costs for their own products, plus a share of the cost for Impact. Yeah, OMP, Simpson Performance Products, etc, would be upset about that.

[Loadmaster]

Lot of ways this can go. I am interested to see where the fake labels came from and who knew what when. Sounds like it is a money for labels issue, and they are not questioning the quality or performance of the safety products, which the SFI presumably tested at some point prior to approving them and allowing IMPACT to pay to buy the certified labels.

If there were a substandard product being made after the original certification, I would expect SFI to make a different statement and call for an immediate alert/recall on the products themselves.

This appears to be a money issue. Will be interesting to see if Simpson is trying to save a few bucks on labels , or perhaps someone is trying to make it look that way.

[Hayden Fan]

Lot of ways this can go. I am interested to see where the fake labels came from and who knew what when. Sounds like it is a money for labels issue, and they are not questioning the quality or performance of the safety products, which the SFI presumably tested at some point prior to approving them and allowing IMPACT to pay to buy the certified labels.

If there were a substandard product being made after the original certification, I would expect SFI to make a different statement and call for an immediate alert/recall on the products themselves.

This appears to be a money issue. Will be interesting to see if Simpson is trying to save a few bucks on labels , or perhaps someone is trying to make it look that way.

They might have passed early on, but this could be a situation where they cut back the quality after deciding to switch SFI patch providers.

[Steve99]

It sounds like this was settled last Thursday.
But, following Thursday’s hearing in Indianapolis and testimony from Simpson, SFI agreed that no counterfeit SFI conformance labels were used on IMPACT gear made in 2009 and 2010.

So the decertification was lifted for these two years but still in affect for years 2005-2008.

Attorney James H. Voyles was pleased with the outcome. “We settled it, at least initially, and we’re going to work with SFI on those other years in question.”

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/industry-bill-simpson-sfi-come-to-terms/

It also sounds like a former manager at IMPACT was the whistle-blower.

[elmersboy]

No settlement. SFI set Impact up the bomb.

http://www.sfifoundation.com/PressRelease04-22-10.pdf

[last2brake]

Yesterday, dispain on wintunnnel said SFI said something about Impact using flammable thread in its suits, and Impact said SFI doesn't understand how the suits work.

[Steve99]

No settlement. SFI set Impact up the bomb.

http://www.sfifoundation.com/PressRelease04-22-10.pdf

Finally, some details. Doesn't sound too good for Impact. Sounds like they tried to apply the WalMart philosophy to their safety products.

[mountainstar]

I think IMPACT is probably toast. If true I don't know how anyone could trust their gear again.

This isn't the first time recently dodgy gear has been discovered. A big drama happened in V8 Supercars in Australia lately with 50 suits turning up to be counterfeit.

[PlanB]

At least my helmet is OK. The whole story is sorta fishy, however.

I always thought it was humorous that so many Nascar drivers began wearing Impact suits when they were available, like a small act of defiance over how Nascar treated Bill Simpson.

Every racer owes Simpson a debt of gratitude for his contributions to improved driver safety over the years.

[FlaggerJohn]

Scary thing, I noticed that shortly after this announcement was made, someone is selling Impact Suits on EBay.