SFI Decertification of Impact Racing Products
03-27-2010, 03:06 PM
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SFI Decertification of Impact Racing Products
Just got this in my e-mail from SafeRacer
"FI Notice to Decertify Impact Racing Products
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."
"FI Notice to Decertify Impact Racing Products
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."
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03-27-2010, 05:06 PM
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But I will be looking up ebay in the next month for cheap harnesses for local track days.
G-ForcePro 5PT Camlock Harness-SafeRacer
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03-27-2010, 05:46 PM
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FWIW cam locks are sweet; they are definitely worth spending a little extra on 
I had never heard of Impact Racing until I saw this e-mail. I am coming from the motorcycle racing world however.
I had never heard of Impact Racing until I saw this e-mail. I am coming from the motorcycle racing world however.
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03-27-2010, 06:11 PM
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I personally hate G-Force belts including pro. Just personal preference I guess. Safecraft is where its at.
From what I understand, Bill Simpson sold Simpson after the Earnhardt death, and started Impact. Thats what I've been told anyways, I have no clue how much truth is in that.
From what I understand, Bill Simpson sold Simpson after the Earnhardt death, and started Impact. Thats what I've been told anyways, I have no clue how much truth is in that.
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03-27-2010, 07:36 PM
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Another vote for G-force. I felt bad when I bought them because for whatever reason I had it in my head that they were a bit of a cheap ricer brand. But it's held up for years (infact I think my certification just expired or is about to). I also have Willans pads on my G-force harness, so that helps me feel fancy 
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03-28-2010, 12:28 AM
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SFI could have a legitimate concern that counterfeit labels would be used on non-tested or non-certified products. But the alleged contract violation isn't that Impact never certified their products, just that they counterfeited the tags. So my impression is that it's more about money than driver safety in this case. If Impact did counterfeit the labels, then they were using SFI's logo to sell their products while depriving SFI of revenue that SFI needs to operate to test products.
If Colgate stopped "donating to" the American Dental Association but continued to use their logo on their toothpaste boxes, you'd see a similar dispute. It would be wrong for them to use the logo without compensation, but that wouldn't mean that Colgate won't get your teeth clean.
I don't own any Impact products so the outcome won't impact (LOL) me one way or the other. If I owned one of their helmets, for example, and I had to go buy a new one in order to pass tech, I'd be ******* pissed.
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03-28-2010, 03:16 PM
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I agree with the fact that it most likely had to do with saving money, but Impacts products were selectively decertified TWICE last year for not meeting SFI requirements - I don't think it had anything to do with fake labels at that point.
Theres something wrong within that company..
July, 2009
July 19, 2009 - NOTICE OF TEMPORARY PRODUCT DECERTIFICATION. Effective July 9, 2009: Pursuant to SFI Test Laboratory reports, SFI Foundation, Inc. has reason to believe that certain Impact Racing products manufactured in the year 2007 do not fully comply with the minimum standards set forth in the SFI Specification 3.2A Program. Therefore, pursuant to Section 12.0 of the program, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, and UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, any and all driver suits, pants, and jackets manufactured by Impact Racing pursuant to SFI Spec 3.2A/15 and 3.2A/20 at any time during the year 2007 are hereby TEMPORARILY DECERTIFIED by SFI Foundation, Inc. This temporary decertification applies to all such products whether or not they have been updated, upgraded, rebadged, or recertified by Impact Racing. This temporary decertification applies even if the product now has a 2009 SFI label affixed to the product. The date of manufacture of the product is determinative.
This decertification is temporary and will remain in effect until further notice from SFI. The manufacturer has challenged SFI’s findings in this matter and is conducting its own review of the findings and the full compliance of the products in question. SFI’s investigation continues. This decertification may be modified, withdrawn, or made permanent.
July 19, 2009 - NOTICE OF TEMPORARY PRODUCT DECERTIFICATION. Effective July 9, 2009: Pursuant to SFI Test Laboratory reports, SFI Foundation, Inc. has reason to believe that certain Impact Racing products manufactured in the year 2007 do not fully comply with the minimum standards set forth in the SFI Specification 3.2A Program. Therefore, pursuant to Section 12.0 of the program, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, and UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, any and all driver suits, pants, and jackets manufactured by Impact Racing pursuant to SFI Spec 3.2A/15 and 3.2A/20 at any time during the year 2007 are hereby TEMPORARILY DECERTIFIED by SFI Foundation, Inc. This temporary decertification applies to all such products whether or not they have been updated, upgraded, rebadged, or recertified by Impact Racing. This temporary decertification applies even if the product now has a 2009 SFI label affixed to the product. The date of manufacture of the product is determinative.
This decertification is temporary and will remain in effect until further notice from SFI. The manufacturer has challenged SFI’s findings in this matter and is conducting its own review of the findings and the full compliance of the products in question. SFI’s investigation continues. This decertification may be modified, withdrawn, or made permanent.
March, 2009
March 20, 2009 - IMPACT RACING PRODUCT RECALL. Any and all driver suits, pants, jackets, shoes and boots manufactured by Impact Racing pursuant to SFI Specifications 3.2A/15, 3.2A/20, 3.3/15 and 3.3/20 at any time during the year 2008 have been decertified by SFI Foundation, Inc. and must be immediately returned to Impact Racing offices or an Impact representative. Impact Racing has reason to believe that these products do not fully comply with the stated SFI Specifications and therefore do not meet SFI manufacturer certification requirements. This recall applies to all such products whether or not they have been updated, rebadged, or recertified by Impact Racing. This recall applies even if the product now has a 2009 SFI patch or label affixed to the product. All applicable sanctioning bodies have been notified by Impact of this noncompliance. Please contact Impact! Racing Products for information or contact Impact Racing directly.
March 20, 2009 - IMPACT RACING PRODUCT RECALL. Any and all driver suits, pants, jackets, shoes and boots manufactured by Impact Racing pursuant to SFI Specifications 3.2A/15, 3.2A/20, 3.3/15 and 3.3/20 at any time during the year 2008 have been decertified by SFI Foundation, Inc. and must be immediately returned to Impact Racing offices or an Impact representative. Impact Racing has reason to believe that these products do not fully comply with the stated SFI Specifications and therefore do not meet SFI manufacturer certification requirements. This recall applies to all such products whether or not they have been updated, rebadged, or recertified by Impact Racing. This recall applies even if the product now has a 2009 SFI patch or label affixed to the product. All applicable sanctioning bodies have been notified by Impact of this noncompliance. Please contact Impact! Racing Products for information or contact Impact Racing directly.
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03-28-2010, 09:13 PM
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Watching closely.
I can see both sides, but frankly a company willing to make fake labels is probably willing to skimp on other things. In my experience (which is admittedly damned limited next to many others on here) when you have a peron or group willing to do one sketchy thing they will do something else. The ability to rationalize rarely hinges on right and wrong basically.
If they were making cheap crap and claiming SFI or something, then the sooner they are out of business the better. But if this is some political snit with SFI then thats just dissappointing big time.
I can see both sides, but frankly a company willing to make fake labels is probably willing to skimp on other things. In my experience (which is admittedly damned limited next to many others on here) when you have a peron or group willing to do one sketchy thing they will do something else. The ability to rationalize rarely hinges on right and wrong basically.
If they were making cheap crap and claiming SFI or something, then the sooner they are out of business the better. But if this is some political snit with SFI then thats just dissappointing big time.
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03-29-2010, 12:54 AM
#17
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It's complicated.
Bill Simpson started Simpson Performance Products, and ran it for many years. After Earnhardt's death, there was some unpleasantness which ultimately led to Bill's resignation. He then started Impact!, which is a separate company.
I don't see anywhere that SFI is claiming that the Impact products weren't actually certified, or failed to meet functional standards, just that they were cheaping out on the labels.
Bill Simpson started Simpson Performance Products, and ran it for many years. After Earnhardt's death, there was some unpleasantness which ultimately led to Bill's resignation. He then started Impact!, which is a separate company.
I don't see anywhere that SFI is claiming that the Impact products weren't actually certified, or failed to meet functional standards, just that they were cheaping out on the labels.
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03-30-2010, 12:54 AM
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Joe read the quotes in post 15^, twice last year they stated that they didn't fully meet standards. Unless if you were referring to this latest announcement, which doesn't actually say anything about not passing standards.
IHRA banned their stuff now too apparently.
IHRA banned their stuff now too apparently.
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04-20-2010, 02:24 AM
#20
Press release: http://www.impactraceproducts.com/pd...e_04012010.pdf
After watching a **** ton of racing this weekend I noticed a lot of Impact Racing gear. I got curious...
Looks like anything before 2009 and 2010 is decertified. Still in business though. Play nice!
After watching a **** ton of racing this weekend I noticed a lot of Impact Racing gear. I got curious...
Looks like anything before 2009 and 2010 is decertified. Still in business though. Play nice!
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