- Category:
- Richest Athletes › Race Car Drivers
- Net Worth:
- $50 Million
- Birthdate:
- Mar 14, 1940 - Dec 16, 2019 (79 years old)
- Birthplace:
- United States of America
- Gender:
- Male
- Profession:
- Race car driver
- Nationality:
- United States of America
What is Bill Simpson's Net Worth?
Bill Simpson was an American retired race car driver who had a net worth of $50 million. Bill Simpson was born in Hermosa Beach, California in March 1940. He died on December 16, 2019. He was best known for being a pioneer in the racing safety business with his company Simpson Performance Products. Simpson got started in SCCA Formula racing and drag racing and then in the USAC Championship Car series. Simpson finished 13th in the Indianapolis 500 in 1974. He broke both of his arms in a drag racing crash at 18 years old and then started to think about driver safety. He created a prototype for a cross-form parachute to slow down a drag car and founded Simpson Drag Chutes.
He used DuPont product Nomex to create the first fire suit used in auto racing. Simpson Performance Products was part of a controversy in 2001 after the death of Dale Earnhardt about whether the seat belt malfunctioned. Simpson sued NASCAR for defamation of character to the tune of $8.5 million but later withdrew the suit. He started Impact! Racing in 2002 and sold it in 2010. Simpson authored the books Racing Safely, Living Dangerously and Through the Fire. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003.
