Simpson was indeed the manufacturer of the belts in Sr's car. As a
Earnhart fan still in mourning, I read the reports released by Nascar and
the other authorities. The failure was due to a phenomenon called
"dumping". Nascar was specific in not blaming the belt, but blaming
improper installation as the cause. As I understand it, this has to do
with the angle of the belt and the location of the sew-on
patch. Apparently the sew on patch was in the adjustment mechanism, and
the belt was pulled at an angle to the adjustment mechanism causing it to
bunch up on one side. This can occur with any manufacturer of belts. It's
a very good idea to ensure that the belt pulls straight, and there are no
foreign objects or patches on the belt in the adjuster.
Bill Simpson is reputed to have talked to Earnhart Sr. about his improper
belt installation prior to the incident to no avail.
- Tony Drews
At 09:32 AM 4/1/2004, John.Desantis@inficon.com wrote:
>Was Simpson the manufacture or Earnhart Sr - whose belt failed?
|