New Bruanfels, Texas, USA – Simpson Performance Products, Inc., the largest U.S. based manufacturer of Motorsport Safety Products, including helmets, racing coveralls, head & neck restraints, seatbelts and racing parachutes, responds to an increased demand in the European market for Simpson products by opening a European office.

Simpson has reached an agreement with Jan Phersson, well known Scandinavian racer and entrepreneur to represent the Simpson brand in the European Motorsport community.  Over the years, Simpson Sweden, lead by Phersson, has grown to become one of the largest distributors of Simpson products outside of the United States. Jan has an outstanding passion for motorsports safety, which mirrors the Simpson goal of making racers safer.

 “For me, it has always been important to be able to give 100% to whatever I do,” said Phersson. “Simpson’s deep commitment to racing safety is a good fit for me. I represent Simpson products, I race with Simpson products. I believe in the value of the Simpson brand, which has been keeping racers safe for over fifty years.”

Commenting on the partnership, Chuck Davies, CEO of Simpson said, “Our brand’s increasing popularity with European racers has prompted us to look at how we might better service our European dealer network. Working with Jan was a perfect solution.  As Manager of Simpson Europe, Jan’s leadership provides us with a strong base for future development of our product line in the European market. Additionally, his development of the Simpson Motorsports Academy, based in Scandinavia has been an important factor towards Simpson Sweden’s success.”

Simpson products are instantly recognizable and have a unique style preferred by many racing professionals. Our products are used in all types of racing, including SFI and FIA mandated sanctioning bodies. Simpson’s European expansion coincides with the recent release of our Hybrid series of FIA and SFI approved head & neck restraints as well as the X Bandit Pro FIA 8860 approved racing helmet. Simpson’s modern generation of head & neck restraints and the aggressive styling of the X Bandit Pro are drawing big attention from European racers.

The Simpson X Bandit Pro Has the Distinction of Being the First U.S. Manufactured
FIA 8860 Approved Helmet

Made entirely from ultra lightweight carbon fiber formed by auto clave technology, the X-Bandit Pro is fully compliant with the latest FIA 8860 standard.   This standard is a requirement for many international automobile racing series. The X-Bandit Pro is the first U.S. manufactured FIA 8860 approved helmet and is produced at the Simpson manufacturing facility.

This helmet features advanced protection in all key areas of helmet safety and is manufactured using technology first seen in Formula 1 racing. The X-Bandit Pro is designed for professional drag racers that routinely race at some of the most extreme speeds in racing and are keenly aware of the importance of a well-built helmet. 
The X Bandit Pro was designed to spread impact energy over a larger area to reduce injury.  The helmet also provides substantially greater protection from a crushability and penetration stand point.

Featuring levels of performance and protection previously unavailable at any price, the X-Bandit Pro is a value at $2999.95. The helmet will accommodate any approved head and neck restraint device. A custom helmet can be built and delivered by Simpson in 3 to 4 weeks whereas some helmet manufacturers can take twice that long.

Details

FIA 8860- Approved

Snell Certified

Made in the USA
Color: Clear coat carbon weave or choose from 11 custom colors at no additional charge

Head & Neck Restraint Compatible

Price: $2999.95

About Simpson
Since 1959, Simpson Performance Products has been the leading U.S. manufacturer of safety equipment for the Motorsports industry.  We believe in putting safety first and are dedicated to elevating the standards of racing safety through continuous development, refinement and testing.

Rule Book Reference
20-17.1 Helmets / Head and Neck Restraint Devices
Item B. (3)

Details and information about Simpson Performance Products are available at www.teamsimpson.com or by calling 1-800-654-7223. Since 1959, Simpson Performance Products has been the leading manufacturer of safety equipment for the Motorsports industry. Simpson believes in putting safety first. We are dedicated to elevating the standards of racing safety through continuous development, refinement and testing. The one thing that remains constant is Simpson’s commitment to racer safety.

http://simpsonraceproducts.com/products/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=591&products_id=10391&sort=

Contact: Debbie Bishop
Vice President of Marketing
(704) 662-3366
dbishop@teamsimpson.com

June 30, 2011, New Braunfels, Texas, USA – The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has approved the Simpson / Safety Solutions Hybrid Head Restraint and the Rally and Competitor Racing Gloves for use in FIA sanctioned competition, effective immediately.

Trevor Ashline, inventor of the Hybrid Head Restraint, had the following to say, “The FIA approval represents a real milestone for us. It speaks to our dedication to providing world class neck protection for racers. We are extremely proud of having organizations like the FIA add their stamp of approval to our design, as one of only two approved designs in the world. I have to thank everyone involved for their hard work and dedication to this project. It is important to note that we have the first FIA approved alternative to the HANS Device, giving racers more choices and benefits to consider. The Hybrid offers improved protection from multiple angles, a low profile for easy entry and exit from the race car and reduced body load, thus it is a comfortable device to wear.”

Chuck Davies, CEO for Simpson adds, “Simpson is committed to providing the highest level of safety to racers. Our acquisition of Safety Solutions in December of 2010 was an important piece of the puzzle for Simpson, in working toward our goal of a comprehensive and strong offering of racing safety products for a global sport. Trevor Ashline and the team from Safety Solutions are a valuable asset in our technology advances. The approval of the Head Restraints adds to our range of FIA approved racing products which includes suits, belts, gloves and undergarments.”

Occupant Safety Systems

Modern day racing safety is a science. Extremely intelligent people spend their entire lives studying even the smallest detail of the reaction of the human body exposed to extreme loads, fire and impacts at every level of racing. In this article, we address Occupant Safety Systems.

Drag racers are subjected to extreme dangers. As a result, they have become attuned to the importance of high quality safety equipment and working with manufacturers they can trust. Unfortunately, the details of the systems that are designed and perfected by the top echelon of the safety industry are slow to make their way through the ranks to the weekend racer with responsibilities outside of racing.

The most important concept to remember is that your racecar safety and safety equipment must control your body motion in a crash and then protect it from fire situations. Just like a chain, your safety equipment is only as strong as its weakest link

It has been my experience that drag racers become numb to the speeds they run at. NHRA Pro Stocks run over 200 mph. NASCAR Cup cars only run at 180-190 mph. The Indy 500 pole speed this year was just over 220 mph. No where near the 330 mph of a Fuel Funny car or Top Fuel Dragster.

So what is the occupant system? It is everything that surrounds and protects the driver. It begins with a strong set of 7 point polyester seat belts and a strong, tight fitting seat with shoulder support and a full head surrounds. The head and neck restraint finishes the system by controlling the amount of load that the neck is exposed to during an impact. Polyester webbing material has less elongation with normally higher strength than nylon. Simply put, you will move less because the material stretches less. You must follow proper mounting instructions for the belts to work correctly. Both Simpson and Safety Solutions belts are made from only polyester webbing and we offer diagrams to make seat belt installation easier, as well as trackside and telephone support.

The seat system used should wrap around the driver as snug as possible. A foam insert is a great idea for getting your driver as tight as possible in the race car. The foam is also used in energy absorption during the crash. What the driver will notice in the first run is how little they move around as they move down the track and how much more consistent they are in the seat. This consistency also pays off in better reaction times on the tree.

The seat system should also include strong shoulders and a well made headrest and roll bar padding on every bar not padded by the headrest. The head is the most vital part of your body and it should be protected as such. For door style cars, we make custom Driver Head Nets. When attached to the end of the head cage, the nets contain the driver and help to feed them back into the seat system during an impact. Our Kevlar nets are fire resistant and easy to drop out of the way for a quick exit or when servicing the race car.

Personal Safety Gear

NHRA has mandated the use of an SFI 38.1 certified Head Restraint for the 2012 season in classes that run over 175mph. With an SFI 38.1 head and neck restraint like the Safety Solutions Hybrid that John Force uses or the R3 used by many Pro Stock & Pro Mod racers, head motion is controlled by the restraint. Current Safety Solutions head and neck restraints can reduce Neck Tension forces to near 0 pounds of force in a 70 G, 30 degree frontal impact. This is absolutely incredible realizing that Dale Earnhardt died in a crash that measured only 42 G’s. Some racers use a yoke style device but we find that ease of use when entering and exiting the car, the reduced load on the body and the impressive results of the Hybrid device make it the preferred SFI 38.1 certified head restraint in drag racing.

The benefits of the head and neck restraint can also be seen in every pass in a drag car when the parachutes are pulled or under hard breaking, the restraint keeps the occupant’s head up. Funny Car drivers report “clearer vision” when using the Hybrid restraint, even through tire shake.

The Safety Solutions R3 and Hybrid series of restraints range from $595 for the Rage series to $995 and $1095 for the carbon fiber models. With the ultimate head and neck restraint, the Hybrid X, is offered at $1195. All models are offered with quick releases standard and optional sliding tether systems to allow more side to side movement. Sportsman drivers and bracket racers can see more from side to side with our latest EZ Slide tether systems.

In October 2010, Simpson began selling Snell 2010 certified helmets but the certification process began long before October. The entire Simpson helmet line has been redesigned with the new standards, increased comfort, better aerodynamics and fit in mind. Most Simpson helmets are manufactured in the USA at our Texas headquarters. Snell 2010 certification required the use of graduated head form drop masses. This means the drop masses in the impact testing are dependent on head form circumference and provide more “real world” data in measuring what kind of impact a particular head size would be likely to encounter on impact. As stated earlier in this article, your head and neck are the most delicate area of your body. Protect them with a good Snell 2010 certified helmet and an SFI 38.1 Head Restraint system.

Simpson manufactures firesuits for many of the world’s top racing professionals and sportsman racers. Driver suits are available in SFI ratings from SFI.1 up to
SFI. 15 and 20, as required in professional drag racing. We recommend firesuits with an
SFI 3.2A/5 rating for ALL crew members. Simpson manufactures both one and two piece crew suits. Our suits comply with all SFI standards and are manufactured using genuine DuPont™ Nomex® at our suit factory in Harbor City, CA. We always recommend fire retardant undergarments to ensure maximum protection. Both Nomex® and CarbonX® are excellent performing fabrics for your undergarments.

Good safety equipment is never something you want to skimp on. Make it a priority. Since 1959, Simpson Performance Products has been the leading manufacturer of safety equipment for the motorsports industry. The Simpson safety umbrella is extensive and includes helmets, firesuits, restraint systems, parachutes, shoes and gloves for the racing industry. We believe in putting safety first and are dedicated to elevating the standards of racing safety through continuous development, refinement and testing. The one thing that remains constant is Simpson’s commitment to racer safety.

Contributor:
Trevor Ashline: Simpson Performance Products, Inc.
www.teamsimpson.com & www.safetysolutionsracing.com

After receiving his mechanical engineering degree from Rochester Institute of Technology, Trevor Ashline began his career in the automotive industry in Detroit where he worked for 9 yrs. as a Restraint Engineer/Program Manager for restraint companies, such as Takata, Allied Signal and Autoliv. Ashline headed up Autoliv’s Racing Safety Program from 2000 – 2001 which was instrumental in the investigation following the accident that killed NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt. After relocating to the Carolinas in 2002, Ashline started Safety Solutions and developed the first of many head restraints and other components for racing safety systems. Ashline is a sought after industry expert and has written numerous industry papers including SAE Paper 2008-01-2969: Occupant Compartment Updates for Side to Side Vibration in a Fuel Funny Car. In 2010, Safety Solutions was acquired by Simpson Performance Products and Trevor Ashline joined Simpson, a leading U.S. brand in racing safety since 1959.

Derek Thorn's Firey Vegas Crash

Thorn Ignites In Vegas; Oil fire mars top run at the bullring

Photo Courtesy of RPMTVHD.COM
By Bill Sullivan, SP Racing Communications

LAS VEGAS, NV (5-14-11) – Lakeport’s Derek Thorn was on his way to a potential second season victory Saturday during the third round of the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series at the Bullring in Las Vegas. After taking the lead again early and leading 64 laps of the Stream Pay Per View TV – Blackjack 121, disaster struck aboard the Superior Crankshaft/JRI Shocks Toyota when an oil line ruptured that resulted in a major fire late in the race. Thorn was able to walk away from the blaze with out injury; however the fire caused significant damage to the #26 Camry and a disappointing 19th place finish.

“The fire was intense, the flames got big in a hurry. The oil line must of been leaking for awhile, when it finally erupted it seemed like fire was everywhere instantly,” said Thorn. “I have never been on fire before and being as tall as I am, I feel real lucky everything went as smooth as it did getting out of the car. I have to thank Simpson and Ringers gloves for making such great safety equipment, I was able to walk away unscathed and for that I can’t thank them enough for keeping me safe.”

Entering Saturday’s event, Thorn carried a great deal of momentum into the .0375 bullring which is one of the most popular stops on the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour. After scoring a third place finish in the series opener at Vegas back in March, Thorn garnered his first victory of the season at All American Speedway in Roseville last month. The win awarded him the series point lead as he returned to Vegas for the third segment of the 10-race campaign.

From the moment he entered the track in Vegas, Thorn and his Junior Joiner led crew were ready for action. In the first practice of the day they were the fastest car in competition with a top lap of 14:871 which registered at 90.781 miles per hour. In the second practice of the day they turned the eighth quickest lap in the field with a 14:905 lap at 90.574 miles per hour and were feeling confident with the overall balance of the car.
“The car was awesome to start off the race, this car we have been running has been great and it was proving the same again,” added Thorn. “We had the lead and the car started to free up a lot, I’m going to say it had a lot to do with the oil leak. I held off the 16 for as long as I could, but once he got by I was just trying to hang on to salvage a good point’s night. The last thing I expected was the car to erupt in fire like that.”

In qualifying, Thorn drove to a top speed of 92:025 miles per hour to post a 14:670 second lap. The effort was strong enough for fifth place overall, giving him a fourth place starting position after the invert for the Stream Pay Per View TV – Blackjack 121.

At the drop of the green flag, Thorn wasted no time whatsoever in powering his way to the front of the field showing his talent by using the high outside groove. With just three laps down he overtook Jacob Gomes for the third position and one lap later moved into the bridesmaid position after overtaking Bear Rzesnowiecky and set his sites on the lead that was held in the early laps by Jeff Oleen.

After taking the lead from Oleen on the 16th lap, Thorn began to dominate the event out in front until the 80th lap when he fell back several positions in a heated battle for the lead. It wasn’t until lap 103 that the oil line ruptured and the #26 Camry became engulfed in flames. Thorn was somehow able to get his car stopped on the apron of the front stretch and climbed quickly from his badly burned machine without injury.

“To see that much fire in the cockpit area and our driver still inside was difficult to watch said Marty Melo SP Marketing Director. “Derek did a great job activating the fire suppression system and getting out of the vehicle. I want take this opportunity to thank Sheri Luft of Simpson that helped design Derek’s race suit and everyone at Simpson for providing such top quality suits.”

Following Saturday’s damaging accident, crew chief Junior Joiner and the Superior Crankshaft Team will be hard at work to rebound in the series point standings. The next SPEARS SRL event will take place on June 4 at Stockton 99 Speedway. Thorn currently sits 5th in the series point standings entering round four of the series.

Derek Thorn is proud to carry the sponsorship of Superior Crankshaft and a number of marketing partners in the 2011 SRL Spears Southwest Tour. Among the many contributors are Joiner Race Car Chassis, PepperJack Kennels, Sigma Engineering, JRI Shocks, Joe Gibbs Driven, Eibach Springs, Joe’s Racing Products, ARP Bodies, Finishline Signs, Fastenal, and Encore Metals.
“I can’t thank Superior Crankshaft and Cheryl Archer enough for providing me such a great Simpson Suit and such great support this season,” added Thorn. “I was really hoping to get my second win of the season in the books; we will show up to Stockton on a mission. Special thanks to Joiner Motorsports, JRC, JRI, Joe Farre at Sigma Engineering, Misty Melo of PepperJack Kennels and Eibach Springs for their continued support”
In addition to sponsoring Derek Thorn, Superior Crankshaft is proud to be the official Crankshaft of the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series and the sponsor of the Winner’s Bonus program for each event. To learn more about Superior Crankshaft Racing and primary driver Derek Thorn, visit them online at www.superiorcrankshaftracing.com. Derek Thorn’s personal website can be found at www.derekthorn.com. Further information on Superior Crankshaft and the series can be found at www.superiorcrankshaft.com and www.srlsouthwesttour.com

Trevor Ashline, President of Safety Solutions commented, “I am excited about the growth and opportunities that are ahead. I look forward to working with the Simpson team, pooling our resources and experience to continue bringing innovative safety technology and product choice to the sport of racing. Safety Solutions’ customers will continue to be able to get the same great product technology they are accustomed to, and more.”

“Simpson has worked closely with Trevor Ashline and the team at Safety Solutions
since 2001. We are confident the product line fits well with our overall safety mission and extends our presence in the Motorsports industry as a one-stop partner for racing safety products. Safety Solutions’ patents for head restraint devices have given the industry safety innovations that have proven to make racers safer. Additionally, Ashline’s dedication to extensive dynamic sled testing for head restraints has been exemplary.” states Chuck Davies, CEO of Simpson.

About Safety Solutions, Inc.

After receiving his engineering degree from Rochester Institute of Technology, Trevor Ashline began his career in the automotive industry in Detroit where he worked for 9 yrs. as a Restraint Engineer/Program Manager for restraint companies, such as Takata, Allied Signal and Autoliv. In 2001, after relocating to the Carolinas, Ashline started Safety Solutions and developed the first of many head restraints and other components for racing safety systems. Ashline is a sought after industry expert and has written numerous industry papers including SAE Paper 2008-01-2969: Occupant Compartment Updates for Side to Side Vibration in a Fuel Funny Car. In 2008, Safety Solutions won the NCMA Safety Innovation Award.

About Simpson Performance Products, Inc.

Since 1959, Simpson Race Products has been manufacturing products for racing safety, including drag parachutes, the flagship Simpson product. That is over 50 years as one of the most recognized brands in racing safety, protecting the driver and crew from head to toe with helmets, fire retardant racing suits, restraints, shoes and gloves. Simpson racing suits, team apparel and sublimated shirts are created at its 53,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Harbor City, CA. Helmets, restraints and parachutes are manufactured at its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in New Braunfels, TX. Simpson is the preferred safety gear of championship race teams such as John Force Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing,
JR Motorsports and Robby Gordon Motorsports. Simpson gives back to the racers through contingency sponsorships and trackside support in numerous sanctioning bodies, including NASCAR and NHRA. More information about Simpson Performance Products is available at www.teamsimpson.com.

Since 1959, Simpson Performance Products (www.teamsimpson.com) has been manufacturing a complete line of products for racing safety. That is over 50 years of being the dominant brand in racing safety, protecting the driver and crew from head to toe with helmets, Nomex® firesuits, restraints, shoes and gloves. Simpson firesuits, team apparel and sublimated shirts are created at our 53,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Harbor City, CA. Helmets, restraints and parachutes are manufactured at our 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in New Braunfels, Texas.

About the ADRL

Based in O’Fallon, Missouri, the American Drag Racing League is the nation’s premier sanctioning body for the sport of eighth-mile drag racing. The professional categories featured in the ADRL are Pro Extreme Motorcycle, Extreme Pro Stock, Extreme 10.5, Pro Nitrous and Pro Extreme, the quickest door slammer class in all of drag racing. The 2011 ADRL tour consists of 10 national events run throughout the United States. For additional information about the ADRL, visit www.adrl.us