Simpson Performance Products
Encyclopedia
Simpson Performance Products is an American motorsports parts supplier. It supplies gloves, helmets, restraints, driver's suites, HANS device
s, and shoes to racers at local tracks to international teams. It was started by Bill Simpson
as Simpson Drag Chutes.
Simpson's uncle owned a military surplus store, and suggested that he use a cross-form parachute to slow down the drag car. Simpson rented a sewing machine to create a prototype. Simpson got together with his friend dragster driver Mike Sorokin to test the prototype. They tested it by attaching it to a tow hitch, and dumping it from the back of the Chevy wagon while Sorokin drove down a street at 100 mph. The chute was too big for the car, and the car went airborne and crashed into a tree nursery. Both racers were jailed for the incident, but Simpson Drag Chutes was founded.
The first person to inquire about and use his parachute was "Big Daddy" Don Garlits
. He evolved his business into a number of other safety items, such as gloves, helmets, restraints and shoes. Simpson designed NASA
's first umbilical cords, where he met Pete Conrad
. Conrad introduced Simpson to DuPont
product Nomex
in 1967. Simpson used the product to create the first fire suit to be used in racing. He took the suit to the 1967 Indianapolis 500
where it was worn by 30 of 33 drivers. Simpson had developed over 200 racing safety products, including three generations of fire suits. Simpson demonstrated the suit's effectiveness in 1987, when he was set on fire while wearing a suit. To this day, drivers in the NHRA refer to their fire suits as the "Simpson Suit," primarily due to the fact that Simpson Performance Products is synonomus with the fire suit, and also, even to this day, the Simpson name still appears on several of the fire suits, including those worn by the NHRA's Safety Safari crews.
Simpson Performance Products have been used in many motorsport genres, including IndyCars
, NASCAR
, and National Hot Rod Association
. All International Race of Champions
(IROC) cars were fitted with Simpson belts and window nets until the sanctioning body closed. As of 2006, Simpson Performance Products was the only company to supply all of the safety items used in NASCAR racing. 850 NASCAR officials used Simpson products as of 2006.
A line of Simpson helmets nicknamed the "Star Wars
" helmet has been in production since 1979; The original model was named the RX-1 (RXM-1 for motorcycle use), then renamed the Model 30 shortly thereafter. The basic design was revised with fewer air slots and renamed the "Bandit." A number of different Bandit versions have followed. The similarly designed "Diamondback" is notably worn by The Stig
from the BBC TV Top Gear series.
. There was a great deal of controversy regarding whether or not a seat belt
manufactured by the company had malfunctioned. NASCAR
's investigation into the crash in part blamed seat belt failure. Simpson received death threats and bullets into his house, which led to his resignation in July 2001. Simpson sued NASCAR for $8.5 million defamation of character suit. Simpson withdrew his lawsuit with an undisclosed settlement.
Simpson Performance Products now uses polyester
fabric instead of nylon
. Bill Simpson does not own Simpson Performance Racing and he has founded a competitor. He had left Simpson Performance Products before Earnhardt's fatal crash.
HANS device
The HANS device is a safety item compulsory in many car racing sports...
s, and shoes to racers at local tracks to international teams. It was started by Bill Simpson
Bill Simpson
Bill Simpson , is a retired American racecar driver, but is best known as a pioneer in the racing safety business with his company Simpson Performance Products. He left Simpson Performance in a controversy surrounding Dale Earnhardt's death and started Impact! Racing...
as Simpson Drag Chutes.
History
In 1958, the 18 year old Simpson broke both arms in a drag racing crash. Simpson later said, "Until then, I was like most drivers. The only time I thought about safety was after I'd been hurt. This time, I was hurt bad enough to do a lot of thinking."Simpson's uncle owned a military surplus store, and suggested that he use a cross-form parachute to slow down the drag car. Simpson rented a sewing machine to create a prototype. Simpson got together with his friend dragster driver Mike Sorokin to test the prototype. They tested it by attaching it to a tow hitch, and dumping it from the back of the Chevy wagon while Sorokin drove down a street at 100 mph. The chute was too big for the car, and the car went airborne and crashed into a tree nursery. Both racers were jailed for the incident, but Simpson Drag Chutes was founded.
The first person to inquire about and use his parachute was "Big Daddy" Don Garlits
Don Garlits
Donald Glenn "Don" Garlits is considered the father of drag racing. He is known as "Big Daddy" to drag racing fans around the world. Always a pioneer in the field of drag-racing, he, with the help of T.C...
. He evolved his business into a number of other safety items, such as gloves, helmets, restraints and shoes. Simpson designed NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's first umbilical cords, where he met Pete Conrad
Pete Conrad
Charles "Pete" Conrad, Jr. was an American naval officer, astronaut and engineer, and the third person to walk on the Moon during the Apollo 12 mission. He set an eight-day space endurance record along with command pilot Gordon Cooper on the Gemini 5 mission, and commanded the Gemini 11 mission...
. Conrad introduced Simpson to DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
product Nomex
Nomex
Nomex is a registered trademark for flame resistant meta-aramid material developed in the early 1960s by DuPont and first marketed in 1967.- Properties:...
in 1967. Simpson used the product to create the first fire suit to be used in racing. He took the suit to the 1967 Indianapolis 500
1967 Indianapolis 500
-Race schedule:- Race Summary :This unexpected 2 day event began with gray skies but the race was underway as Parnelli Jones in the STP-Paxton Turbocar is in first place before half a lap, with Gurney second and A.J. Foyt in third. Parnelli leads all 18 laps before rain halts the race...
where it was worn by 30 of 33 drivers. Simpson had developed over 200 racing safety products, including three generations of fire suits. Simpson demonstrated the suit's effectiveness in 1987, when he was set on fire while wearing a suit. To this day, drivers in the NHRA refer to their fire suits as the "Simpson Suit," primarily due to the fact that Simpson Performance Products is synonomus with the fire suit, and also, even to this day, the Simpson name still appears on several of the fire suits, including those worn by the NHRA's Safety Safari crews.
Usage
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
, NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
, and National Hot Rod Association
National Hot Rod Association
The National Hot Rod Association is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and host events all over the United States and Canada...
. All International Race of Champions
International Race of Champions
International Race of Champions, better known as IROC, was a North American auto racing competition, promoted as an equivalent of an American All-Star Game or The Masters...
(IROC) cars were fitted with Simpson belts and window nets until the sanctioning body closed. As of 2006, Simpson Performance Products was the only company to supply all of the safety items used in NASCAR racing. 850 NASCAR officials used Simpson products as of 2006.
A line of Simpson helmets nicknamed the "Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
" helmet has been in production since 1979; The original model was named the RX-1 (RXM-1 for motorcycle use), then renamed the Model 30 shortly thereafter. The basic design was revised with fewer air slots and renamed the "Bandit." A number of different Bandit versions have followed. The similarly designed "Diamondback" is notably worn by The Stig
The Stig
The Stig is a character in the British motoring television show Top Gear. The character plays on the anonymity of racing drivers' full-face helmets, with the running joke that nobody knows who, or indeed what, is inside the character's racing suit. The character was the creation of presenter Jeremy...
from the BBC TV Top Gear series.
Earnhardt controversy
Simpson Performance Products was involved in a great deal of controversy in the February 2001 death of Dale EarnhardtDeath of Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt was an American race car driver who gained fame driving stock cars for NASCAR and winning seven championships. He was involved in a car accident during the last lap of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2001. He was taken to Halifax Medical Center,...
. There was a great deal of controversy regarding whether or not a seat belt
Seat belt
A seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
manufactured by the company had malfunctioned. NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's investigation into the crash in part blamed seat belt failure. Simpson received death threats and bullets into his house, which led to his resignation in July 2001. Simpson sued NASCAR for $8.5 million defamation of character suit. Simpson withdrew his lawsuit with an undisclosed settlement.
Simpson Performance Products now uses polyester
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
fabric instead of nylon
Nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station...
. Bill Simpson does not own Simpson Performance Racing and he has founded a competitor. He had left Simpson Performance Products before Earnhardt's fatal crash.