Impact SFI-15 and SFI-20 Firesuit Fail SFI Testing

Sounds like a class action lawsuit in the works to me

 

You SHOULD get what you pay for!!

This is a quick and shameless plug for Taylor Motorsports, I just received my new firesuit from these guys, and it was a very good experiance for me. It was priced right, didnt take to long before it was at my door. And it looks outstanding.

BTW, ask Dennis about his "new" Retro line of old school silver fire boots.
They are bitchen..coming to a track near you.

Thanks DT

 

Thanks for the kind words Don.

Please remember that we don't manufacture the suits, we are a dealer for Phoenix Custom Apparel. Phoenix makes the best quality suits that are reasonably priced, with all the latest fabrics, colors and designs.

Please try to understand there is no such thing as a "Lightweight" SFI 20 or 15 suit. A 15 is thicker and heavier than a 5, and a 20 is thicker than a 15. There are no "magic" fabrics, no proprietary fabrics, no matter what "spin" is put on it.

The reason we handel Phoenix Custon Apparel is the quality of the finnished product, the fit and function, and the customer service. I also wear the suits in my Alcohol Funny Car, and the Nitro Nostalgia Funny Car that I drive. I trust my life with these products!

Please call me if I can answer any questions you might have. If Im on the road I will call you back.

Dennis Taylor

 

Dennis... We need details~!

EDB

 

All I can say is one or two more years worth of decerts and it puts the suits made all the way back to the great grand opening out of the game.

I understand someone tried to have the company make good on a 2007 decertified SFI 20 suit and was told he would get a "discount" on a new one, but they had no intention of making it right.

Get it "right" the first time...Call DT.

RG

 

The season is winding down and I imagine there are a few drivers getting ready to order new equipment for next year. I would just like to know that they saw this thread to remember what has happened before ordering a new product.

 

And the Hits Just keep on coming!!!!

I have it from a very solid source that Impact Race Products has been put on notification from NASCAR, to "cleanup their act" and have a recompliance of their products if they want to further their participation in NASCAR. I understand that this includes ALL products including Helmets, belts, suits.

With the firesuit and boot issues, and the HANS teather situation. This will be very interesting for this industry.

Caveat emptor.

 

Hans Tether situation? Should that be a new thread? If you are refering to the helmet butons I think that was form the supplier so it affected everyone. I took my helmet back to Impact at Vegas and they sent me down to Simpson. They replaced them no problem, no charge.

 

FEDowner,
The HANS Post issue is widely known. Post assemblys on Impact helmets were found to be bogus knock offs from China. The great people at Hans Performance are replacing the counterfit post assemblys at no cost to customers. Those of us that are Hans Dealers will be replacing counterfit parts untill the problem is fixed. Counterfit posts have only been found on Impact helmets.

DT

 

Boots

Dt any info on your silver retro -20 funny car boots?

Gaz
uk

 

they are "sick", these are soo cool that even the circle track and boat racers will be wanting them

 

Picts?

EDB

 

I got the fake posts from Impact for my HANS, i sent them to HANS and they were replaced free of charge. I can speak from past experiences, Dennis Taylor and the folks at HANS provide great products AND great service!!!!

Tim Steed

 

Time for some of you to wake up?

For many years, you have trusted a person with doubtful character, one who has built a reputation boosted by propaganda and intimidation of his own employees, the media and other entities.
Once dismissed from his former company after the Earnhardt fiasco, he has gone doing the same thievery for his new company. And now has been caught, not once, but multiple times, cheating the safety institutions and especially YOU, the product final user.
How can you trust a person who is making his profit by cheating you?

There are honest companies out there, making honest product of which technical characteristics and wearing comfort are vastly superior to that of what has been offered to you by the narrow field of companies you have been dealing with for many years.


T54

 

Richard,

Thank you for your time this evening, for explaining further your experience throughout this ordeal, your use of the products in question, your dealings with the people(s) involved; without a doubt, the concern you showed for your fellow racers to step out of your comfort zone and tell your story here in this forum is admirable. I'm sure it was not always easy, but you presented your position soundly and I believe that with the recent posturing by SFI, your contention has been more than justified.

We will likely never understand what drove a man who started out decades ago so focused on the safety of racers to play Russian roulette with their very lives, it is of little consequence at this juncture. What matters now is moving forward in safe racing. Putting this behind us and getting back to the business of speed! I look forward to catching your races someday, being able to furnish you with our specialty fittings, or get you outfitted with a great new firesuit from Hinchman Indy! Hey, I'm a promoter, remember? ;o)

Have a great 2010 season, Richard!

Vicki James
Breakthrough Racing

 

Vicki, It was nice to meet you, and thanks for responding to this post you found on google. It was fun to read back through all the post and see who will have to eat CROW for dinner ( HA HA ). OH what memories! Good luck with your business,and hope to meet you at the track sometime. Richard Putz

 

The danger is still here.

This week, two more drivers were killed after their car went in flames after crashes:

CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE

Each weekend, several racing car drivers die in often complete anonymity in many minor racing disciplines, all over the world. While many such accidents would cause injuries or death regardless of how much passive safety had been afforded to the drivers, many die or are severely injured because they cut corners on their personal protection.

Remember that you can have and use the best equipment money can buy, and trust the best suppliers with the most advanced technology, but it always comes to the following: what you are doing is dangerous, and many accidents will show the limitations of personal safety equipment. The best of equipment will only give you a BETTER chance of survival, while lesser equipment will simply shorten that chance.
Before you spend your money on personal protection, look around, search not for what you THINK is best, but on the level of technology of the products and actual testing of it. The recommendations of medical experts such as Dr. Steven Olvey, engineer experts such as John Melvin are the best advice you can get.
It is far more important to be knowledgeable about your own risks and act on it than selecting the best components for your cars.
My 40-year experience in this field is that most racers are very knowledgeable as far as the technology involved in their rolling equipment and very ignorant as far as the technology involved in their personal equipment, many more interested in a "deal" or trust in a reputable marketer than learning the actual technology of fire and crash protection.
The whole idea of the bogus carrot of "retail price" VS "Racers net" has long been a bad joke perpetrated over the racing community by several manufacturers. Don't fall for it.
What is important is your safety and the knowledge of what is actually involved, not any "deal" that you can negotiate with a supplier. The Impact/Bill Simpson example of a misplaced trust for many years should be a heck of wake-up call.
Regards,

Philippe de Lespinay

 

Much Mahalos!!

Thanks to all of you for all this valuable info. Me and my family greatly appreciate it. Definitely impact is out for me!
Alohas, Les

 

Wonder why nothing on NHRA's site
you would think since they have our safety at heart they would at least post something to the effect of what is going on

 

I don't believe that there is a need for the NHRA to do anything at this time, because things are less muddy than they were. For how long is in question.

The SFI latest press release describes the current situation quite clearly.
It was in response to the statement by Impact racing that you can read HERE.

At this time, the contract tying Impact racing to SFI has been rescinded, nullified, with a 90-day notice that expires June 22nd. In other words, SFI simply does not want anything to do with Impact Racing and Bill Simpson anymore, because Simpson clearly violated his contract, and apparently and allegedly not once but repetitively.

As far as what the situation is for the racers owning Impact Racing products, I believe it to be as follows:

1/ A judge has made a decision in a hearing, in which he has taken the word of Bill Simpson as of the construction and integrity of the 2009 and 2010 products sold by their company. So, the 2009 and 2010 products manufactured to this day and bearing genuine SFI-certification labels are should be allowed by most racing organization.
However, SFI having effectively pulled the carpet under Mr. Simpson's feet as of June 22nd, any product that you may purchase from Impact AFTER that date should in principle be refused by all racing organizations as a matter of fact. Impact Racing may continue the production of garments but without SFI certification, I do not see too many organizations that will accept them at tech time.

2/ The same judge, presented with evidence of label forgery and other evidence of fraud such as clearly posted on the SFI website, has agreed with SFI that any and all PRE-2009 garments and products that were SFI certified are now de-certified.

So what it means for most racers is that they are either sitting on a pile of expensive but useless garments, or they have relatively new stuff and can still use it, depending on the date on the labels. You might want to keep a copy of purchase receipts inside your trailer...

However, I think that once the insurance companies covering the various racing organizations will have had wind of this mess, they may not want to take any chances and simply tell their clients that no Impact Racing products are to be accepted at time of tech inspection, they may not care of which is what and when it was made.

I do not know what will happen, but I would be hunting for replacement equipment before too long, and some of you will have to write off recently acquired expensive stuff as it is unlikely that you will be able to get your money back.

And in doubt, call the NHRA over the telephone, and ask what their position is in this matter. Maybe that will push them in issuing a statement.
Regards,

Philippe de Lespinay