Simpson Quits Job Over Feud With NASCAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. —  Bill Simpson, the center of controversy after Dale Earnhardt’s death, has resigned as head of the company that manufactured Earnhardt’s safety belts.

Simpson said the stress of the controversy “got to be too much.” He has maintained for months that NASCAR made him a scapegoat in Earnhardt’s death.

“It’s just been one thing after another,” Simpson said. “Like I come with new [safety equipment, such as a head-restraint device] and NASCAR takes it away, and they don’t give it back. I deserve more respect than that.”

Simpson learned last week that his resignation had been accepted by Charlotte, N.C.-based Carousel Capital, majority owner of Simpson Performance Products.

Nelson Schwab, head of Carousel Capital, was not available for comment.

Simpson received death threats and his employees were harassed after NASCAR announced on Feb. 23 that it had found a broken Simpson lap belt in Earnhardt’s Chevrolet. Earnhardt crashed on the final lap of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18.

NASCAR’s report on the crash is due in August.