RIP, Bill Simpson, Racing Safety Pioneer

[NC TRACKRAT]

https://racer.com/2019/12/16/racer-and-safety-pioneer-bill-simpson-dies-at-79/

[Bigfoot]

Great story. Didn't know any of those fine details.
I wear the gear......

Thnx for sharing
RIP

[FL SAAC]

R. I. P. Sir

[Side-Oilers]

Interesting article. Thanks for posting.

I met him a couple of times in the 1980s/90s while at his shop/store getting fitted for race suits and helmets.  He treated me ok, and had great products. 

[csxsfm]

I'll never forget my first encounter with Bill Simpson.  It was in the fall of 1967 and I was one of the students Bill was addressing at a SCCA drivers school ground session in San Francisco.  Bill was given a few minutes on the agenda to extol the virtues of his revolutionary new drivers suits when he suddenly set his arm on fire with flames shooting two feet high.  It was startling, seemed crazy, but was very impressive, especially when you consider the threat fire presented to race car drivers using only dipped cotton suits and before fuel cells.  Bill got our orders that night.

A few years later I was doing a research on successful entrepreneurs for a grad school research project and asked Bill for an interview.  He consented, was very gracious with his time, and clearly demonstrated the passion and exuberance that made him successful.

The guy was a "real piece of work," and importantly, he made a difference.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Bill kept his boat at the marina by the Portifino Inn. He was always there for the Cannonball after party.