PRODUCTS & PRESS SPARCO ACQUIRES IMPACT AND MASTERCRAFT SAFETY
Impact Racing , Inc . and its associated brands ( MasterCraft Safety and MasterCraft Defense ) have been wholly acquired by Sparco S . p . A . Daily operations and manufacturing , sales and customer service , as well as the management structure and staffing of Impact , will be consistent in all locations with former owner Robbie Pierce remaining in a consulting role .
Italian-based Sparco was founded in 1977 by two young drivers with a desire to improve racing safety . In 2009 , Mr . Aldino Bellazzini became the majority stakeholder and Chairman and immediately began implementing numerous technical advancements resulting in Sparco receiving ISO / TS16949:09 quality certification in 2010 . As the former CEO of Petronas Lubricants International , Mr . Bellazzini is no stranger to motorsports and welcomed the challenge to continuously evolve the Sparco product line-up and he is now eager to bring the same vision and insight to the Impact brand . “ I am excited for the future of Sparco and Impact ,” Bellazzini shared . “ There are many similarities between our companies and I am confident this will be beneficial to the customers , distributors , and employees of both organizations .”
Headquartered in Volpiano , Turin , Italy , Sparco ’ s line of exclusive safety products are distributed worldwide and can be found on top tier teams such as McLaren ’ s Formula 1 and Team Peugeot ’ s Dakar efforts as well as renowned drivers such as Fernando Alonso , Stephane Peterhansel , and this year ’ s Indianapolis 500 champion , Takumo Sato . Many of Sparco ’ s custom handcrafted carbon fiber components can be found on the world ’ s exotic supercars including the prestigious distinction as the OEM seat supplier for the Bugatti Chiron .
Prior to the acquisition of Impact , Sparco employed 800 team members in five facilities located on three continents . The addition of Impact to the Sparco family adds eighty U . S . based production specialists as well as strategically located customer sales and service representatives in California , Indiana , and North Carolina .
“ Our employees are our greatest asset , and Sparco recognizes that ”, former Impact owner , Robbie Pierce emphasized . “ Since I purchased Master-
Craft Safety in 1999 my goal has always been to build this company into an American equivalent of Sparco . To have that very company validate my efforts through their acquisition of both the Impact and MasterCraft brands and have the brands continue is a tremendous endorsement of our talented and hardworking employees . I am extremely proud of everything we have accomplished over the years .”
The addition of Impact Racing and its 45,000-square foot Indiana facility strengthens Sparco ’ s position in America ’ s heartland and adds Made in the USA capabilities to its portfolio . “ This acquisition is strategic in allowing us to provide quicker service to our teams and customers in the United States ,” Bellazzini further explained .
While the Impact and MasterCraft brands and their associated mainstay of products will continue under the respective brand names , the primary benefit is the influx of technology available through Sparco ’ s innovative research and development department , particularly with regards to carbon fiber safety products . Expect Impact ’ s product line to expand with new offerings coming online for the 2018 season .
GOODSON TOOLS & SUPPLIES FOR ENGINE BUILDERS LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
Goodson Tools & Supplies for Engine Builders recently launched a new website design .
“ The purpose of the new website design ,” according to Janet Tapp , Goodson Advertising Manager , “ is to improve the user experience . Our goal is to load pages faster and provide larger , more detailed product images than ever before .”
The new site is located at https :// goodson . com
MEZIERE INTRODUCES CHARGING LUGS
Meziere is proud to introduce new charging lugs for taper fit receptacles . They are made from brass and have a contour design which is easy to clamp to . For more info , visit meziere . com or call 800-208-1755 .
64 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 123