E.J. "Bill" Simpson made safety part of the racing vernacular, and lived his life on the edge. Born near the beaches of California, he started in drag racing and spread his knowledge to IndyCar, NASCAR and Formula 1. He angered people hourly, yet shared a drink with them before the sun went down.

​He set himself on fire to prove a point, and saved countless lives with his innovations. He took a sucker punch from NASCAR, and retaliated with a haymaker in court. He drove in the Indianapolis 500, yet was much more successful out of the car. E.J. “Bill” Simpson was a pioneer in motorsports safety, a self-made millionaire and a stubborn character who answered to no one.

​Simpson did a little bit of everything during his 79 years. He flew airplanes, drove dragsters and Indy cars, started a safety business in his garage that grew into an empire and helped reduce the death rate in all forms of racing.

​Today, he continues his legacy through his countless, everlasting contributions to motorsports safety, and through his non-profit organization, The Bill Simpson Foundation.