IMPACT Racing SFI Products Decertified

[Justin Banner]

Don't know how many drifters are using IMPACT stuff, but I just got this in my email from Safe Racer.

"SafeRacer has never sold any Impact Racing products, but we know a lot of our customers and friends have some items from Impact. This note is just to make you aware of Notices that SFI posted yesterday concerning items they certify from Impact Racing. Please review the note from SFI, notice the Effective Date and be prepared to act accordingly.

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."

[BigGameHit]

wow all of that sucks.

[Bebop]

wow....

someone correct me if I'm wrong

but I could have sworn Fors had a impact helmet.... I know there products are quality but why not pay the extra buck for real cert.

I got a alpine suit, shoes and a simpson helmet. Quality crap with real cert.

[Amanda]

Crazyness!

[DV19]

They also got caught last season "allegedly" having counterfeit Hans post made overseas and installing them on helmets. This made a huge problem for many of the top NASCAR teams...

[Justin Banner]

It's playing havoc on many NHRA Top Alcohol and Sportsman teams as well. IMPACT had a large variety of drag specific safety equipment.

[Slapshotnerd]

wow....

someone correct me if I'm wrong

but I could have sworn Fors had a impact helmet.... I know there products are quality but why not pay the extra buck for real cert.

I got a alpine suit, shoes and a simpson helmet. Quality crap with real cert.

Maybe you should look into who owns Impact racing....

[Justin Banner]

Well, Bill Simpson was a very respected individual, but when he writes back to Richard Putz and accuses him of threatening employees, not trying to send back his suit, etc., his full character comes through. See for yourself.

"Mr. Putz;
I am responding to your blog about me personally and Impact Racing.

You have made very serious accusations in your blog about S.F.I. 15 and 20 fire suits.

You say NHRA is covering something up, this is a false statement. You say S.F.I. is covering something up, this is a false statement. You say that I am covering something up this is positively false and libelous.

In November we recognized that a problem could exist with S.F.I. 15 and 20 suits. After some investigations we made the decisions to inform anyone that had purchased a S.F.I. 15 or 20 suit and have them return the suit as it could possibly be out of spec.

We spent about a week calling each and every customer including you Mr. Putz, asking them to please return their fire suit for inspection and recertification. We found no record of your suit being returned for inspection Mr. Putz. We did in fact receive about 70% of those contacted and upon inspection we found that a manufacturing error had been made to about 15% of those returned. We cut those suits open and added what was necessary to bring them into spec. They were then returned, postage paid and at no charge. I suggest you hire an attorney to verify the above statements.

We have made every possible effort to recover every single suit built from February 2008 through October of 2008.

As to my character, I have been around for 51 years and have been involved in homologating many, many safety rules. I have prided myself that under no circumstances would I allow anything to get in the way of what I consider the best.

Everyone has made mistakes and it appears in this instance that is what happened, and if it gives you any satisfaction four (4) people were terminated over this issue.

Also, for the record in 2008 there were nine (9) major fires with drivers utilizing Impact and no one was burned, except Tony Pedregon who was burnt on one hand and he was not wearing Impact gloves.

Finally, my Drag Race Representative was threatened at Gainesville by one of your thug friends. Get real; beat up a girl who is only doing her job? That speaks highly of you. This whole mess will go away very soon as we are responsible for what we do and certainly never would I permit anyone to cover anything up when it comes to any racers well being no matter what the cost.


Bill Simpson"

Putz's Response:

"Bill Simpson, you stating that I in any way, shape or form had anything to do with someone threatening a lady representative from your company is absolute slander. This is something I would never be a part of as I deal with my problems head on and face to face. You would know this if you would have answered any of my calls I tried to place to you in the last year, but you chose not to talk to me.

The lie you are trying to insinuate is actully reversed. I recieved a call from Kelly at Impact on Wednesday the 25th of [February] 2009. (To the best of my recollection this is what was discussed). Kelly told me she was advised to call me by Bill Simpson. It was suggested to me by Kelly that I may want to take my article off the internet. Kelly also implied to me that if I chose not to do so I may be included in a legal dispute being started against two other people. ( Lets Call A Spade A Spade ).

My take on the conversation we had is I am being threatened with a lawsuit to keep me quiet. I will not let you influence my right to freedom of speech, and if you believe it is proper to take a twenty some year customer of yours to court so be it. I have been nothing but lied to by everyone at Impact and I am fed up with it. ( I am prepared to back up everthing I have stated in my initial post if Impact proceeds with this matter any further. I stand by what I say.)

My opinion is Impact is putting more effort into keeping people quiet than they are to making sure all suit owners at issue are notified. All drivers have to subscribe to National Dragster so if you wanted to notify everyone that there was a possible problem you should have put a notice in National Dragster as I know for a fact that you have not yet contacted everyone with a 2008 suit. This tells me the manner you feel was sufficiant is not working.

It is also a lie that I was contacted on my suit and refused to send it in. My suit was never called on untill Feb. 25th - 2009 when Kelly called me with the threat, and I will tell you like I told her my suit was destroyed in testing. Kelly also told me at that time there were no suits turned in by anyone that were in question and I knew at that time that was a total lie as you Bill have verified this in you letter. Isn't it funny Bill you sell me a product that is in question and than have the odasity to threaten to sue me.

Also what was the lady in Gainsville who made the false accusations against me , was it Kelly ! Bill, you could have been professional about this and called me a long time ago but again you chose not to. So at this point in time do not bother as I do not wish to talk to you. I am not trying to do any harm to you or your company, just trying to notify anyone that may have a suit in question.

Richard Putz"

[Bebop]

Maybe you should look into who owns Impact racing....

What are you trying to say?

Impact is owned by Bill Simpson, if you pick up a issue of grassroots motorsports magazine their adds always say that they are in direct competion with Simpson Race Products. Bill sold the company years ago....

[Justin Banner]

What are you trying to say?

Impact is owned by Bill Simpson, if you pick up a issue of grassroots motorsports magazine their adds always say that they are in direct competion with Simpson Race Products. Bill sold the company years ago....

I think he's trying to say what that letter I posted points out. Bill Simpson is not the same Bill Simpson that owned Simpson before the Earnhardt crash, that cared about his products and the safety of the people who used them.

For some reason or another, that man went away and got replaced by a cut corners, cheap it out, do it for less/sell it for more, and shoot on people corporate jackass.