"March, 2010

March 26, 2010 - NOTICE OF DECERTIFICATION; NOTICE TO CEASE AND DESIST AND TERMINATION OF ALL CONTRACTS OF PARTICIPATION ISSUED TO IMPACT RACING

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."

 

I never expected that from Bill Simpson. All of my stuff is Simpson Race Products, but dad has an Impact helmet. Makes me wonder about that.

 

What a surprise. What a shame.

 

Damm........that's mostly high end stuff too. I feel bad for the people with a bunch of $ tied up in Impact equipment. Go Stroud

 

Wow.. but the question is; is the product not SFI approved, meaning not meeting standards, or is the SFI guys pissed because they didn't get their cut on a stupid sticker. Not saying it's right either way, but it's less malicious if the product is still a safe product.

 

You may be correct, Doug...one of the stories going around is that Impact had the certs but began buying the stickers from an offshore company...SFI did not like this and issued this bulletin...

The truth will come out at some point...I just hope all the Impact users don't get stiffed...

 

Looks like Impact is off the hook.

(pisses me off thou, I went out and replaced my Impact helmet already)

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/drag-r...l#post13123263

 

Ban lifted for 2009 and 2010. I wouldn't put blame on Impact.

http://www.competitionplus.com/index...oint-statement

 

OK...they went to court...everything prior to 2009 is decertified due to phony SFI stickers...it turns out Bill Simpson is nothing but a garden variety crook after all...as if this was bad enough look what he offers those who bought his now decertified stuff:

"IMPACT PRESS RELEASE - APRIL 20st 2010



Be advised that SFI has made the decision that as of April 27th, 2010 our products manufactured in 2008 and previous years are decertified. Impact strongly disagrees with this decision. SFI's decision does not apply to products purchased in 2009, 2010 and forward.

In light of the decertification, if any of our customers have to replace their products we can offer firesuits at a discounted price based on date of purchase, restraint systems at the trade-in price and free shipping."

I wouldn't give this thief the sweat off my nuts if he was dying of thirst...think of what he cost the racers for the sake of a few extra bucks...a lot of these guys are out over two grand and he has the gall to ask for more money to right his wrong...pure azzhole...

 

All helmets are Snell certified, not SFI certified so there is no need to replace them at least until they find out he phonied up those stickers as well...

 

[QUOTE=Fuzzy Dice;1573827622]
Be advised that SFI has made the decision that as of April 27th, 2010 our products manufactured in 2008 and previous years are decertified. [QUOTE]

How would a track tech know the year you bought your jacket, pants, etc.
The year isn't printed on that stuff, is it?

 

Apparently the year was put on in 2009 and 2010...

 

[QUOTE=4DRUSH;1573829318][QUOTE=Fuzzy Dice;1573827622]
Be advised that SFI has made the decision that as of April 27th, 2010 our products manufactured in 2008 and previous years are decertified. Contact Impact and they'll issue you a date. See below.

April, 2010

SFI PRESS RELEASE

April 21, 2010 - SFI issues the following press release. Please review this carefully:

1. Impact Racing has withdrawn its appeal of the decertifications of its products bearing SFI 3.2A, 3.3, 16.1, and 16.5 specifications manufactured in the years 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. The decertifications of these products are now permanent.

2. The decertifications are based upon a number of the affected products being non-compliant with SFI specifications concerning labeling and construction. In addition to the presence of non-compliant SFI tags and the absence of DOMs on products, 3.2A/5 suits made prior to 2009 have been constructed with non-compliant materials that, in SFI’s judgment, pose a safety risk to users of these suits.

3. Impact Racing is permitted to maintain the certification for products bearing SFI 3.2A, 3.3, 16.1, and 16.5 specifications manufactured in 2009 and 2010. SFI’s investigation of the labeling and construction of these products is ongoing. Impact’s participation in the SFI specification programs ends June 22, 2010.

4. Any Impact product with SFI specifications 3.2A, 3.3, 16.1, and 16.5 without a date of manufacture (DOM) is deemed to be a decertified product unless the manufacturer has provided the product user with proof that it was manufactured in 2009 or 2010. This proof must be presented to track officials upon request. Impact believes that its products made in 2009 and 2010 have the DOMs affixed to products to the extent mandated by SFI specifications.

 

Lastly, for those who might think about buying from Bill Simpson (aka the crook) in the future....

"Response to the Impact Racing Press Release of April 22, 2010
April 22, 2010 - Yesterday, SFI advised the racing community that Impact suits bearing
3.2A/5 certifications “made prior to 2009 have been constructed with non-compliant materials
that, in SFI’s judgment, pose a safety risk to users of those suits.” Impact responded by attacking
SFI certification programs (although Impact and the other major equipment manufacturers have
agreed to and participated in the development of these well-established programs); by claiming it
could not get a fair hearing of the decertification appeal (although Impact asked for and received
an expedited appeal procedure); and by claiming that “SFI’s actions have caused racers
unnecessarily to question their safety.” It is this last point that requires a very specific response.
Scientific testing just conducted on 2008 Impact 3.2A/5 suits has determined that the
thread melts away in a fire. This causes the fabric to come apart since there is no longer thread
to hold the suit together. SFI believes this poses a significant safety risk to the racer involved in
a fire. Rather than being constructed with Nomex (heat resistant) thread, the suits were
constructed with some sort of unknown non-compliant thread that melts during heat testing.
This thread failure is contrary to the SFI specifications that Impact agreed to follow.
The reason that this failure was not discovered sooner is that Impact provided SFI
with Nomex thread samples in order to get their products tested and certified initially.
Manufacturers are only supposed to provide samples of the actual materials to be used in their
products. It appears that Impact failed to comply with this procedure regarding thread. Finally,
one suit tested failed to have the proper thermal protective properties in the material itself.
Again, such a failure poses a significant safety risk. This safety failure by Impact is consistent
with a pattern of non-compliance:
2
15708 Pomerado Road, Suite N208, Poway, CA 92064 • (858)451-8868 FAX# (858)451-9268
website: www.sfifoundation.com email: sfi@sfifoundation.com
1. Last year, SFI discovered that Impact SFI 3.2A/15 and SFI 3.2A/20
rated fire suits produced in 2007 and 2008 were also made with thread
that melted during testing. In addition, these suits were often poorly
constructed, without sufficient protective layers of Nomex material.
SFI ordered the immediate decertification and recall of these
potentially dangerous products.
2. Last year, SFI discovered that Impact SFI 3.3/15 and SFI 3.3/20 boots
produced in 2008 were defective. Their materials failed heat resistant
testing. SFI ordered the immediate decertification and recall of these
potentially dangerous products.
3. Hans Performance Products discovered last year that Impact
deliberately manufactured and sold counterfeit Hans helmet clips and
attached them into the helmets of unsuspecting customers. These
foreign made knock-offs were inscribed with the “SFI 38.1”
inscription. Impact has never participated in this program. These
counterfeiting activities were occurring at the same time that Impact
was manufacturing counterfeit SFI conformance labels and patches.
Hans filed suit against Impact in federal court last year in Atlanta. SFI
intervened and joined in the suit against Impact. That suit is pending.
4. In 2004, SFI discovered that Impact gloves bearing SFI 3.3/20
specifications were made of material that was too light and failed heat
resistance testing. SFI ordered their decertification and recall.
3
15708 Pomerado Road, Suite N208, Poway, CA 92064 • (858)451-8868 FAX# (858)451-9268
website: www.sfifoundation.com email: sfi@sfifoundation.com
Impact’s press release claims that there “have been no burns or other injuries
reported to Impact by any racer wearing Impact Race Products since its inception.” If
this is true, the avoidance of injuries is due in large part to the policing of Impact
products by SFI.
SFI was heartened when Impact finally admitted its own fault for previously
making non-compliant gloves, boots, suits and helmet clips and acted to address those
problems. SFI holds out the hope of a similar outcome regarding its pre-2009 3.2A, 3.3,
16.1 and 16.5 products, and that it will act in the best interests of the racing community
without further prodding by SFI. However, admission of their fault will not change the
fact that these products remain decertified and that Impact’s participation in all SFI
programs will end June 22, 2010. "

I really thought he might have gotten a raw deal from NASCAR in that fiasco but now his true colors are out...he is lower than snake chit in a wagon wheel rut...he knowingly put us at risk for the sake of a few bucks...

 

Considering he was the guy leading the safety charge for all of us, this is really very sad.

Has his quest for the almighty dollar, corrupted the one man credited with pioneering the early safety efforts for the racers?
Very sad that a man so well known, so well thought of, so depended on for keeping us safe, has turned a blind eye to what he stands (stood) for.

Hopefully nobody gets hurt while wearing his counterfeit gear.

 

I agree...I looked up to this man even after the Hans device debacle two years ago...very sad indeed...

 

Makes me wonder how far back this goes, including the whole belt "dumping" controversy associated with Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s fatal crash at Daytona. Not that it would have prevented the skull fracture induced by the lack of a HANS, but who knows. Very sad indeed.