New Belts for Labonte UPDATEs: #18-Bobby Labonte will use a different seat belt system in todays Food City 500. Labonte will use a system designed and manufactured by the European company Willans(www.racecar.co.uk/willans) making him the first driver in recent memory to use a restraint device not manufactured by Bill Simpson and Simpson Racing(Kingsport Times News)(3-25-2001) UPDATE: also been told that Terry Labonte, Michael Waltrip and Steve Park also use Willans belts, not Simpson AND Bobby Labonte used belts from a different manufacturer Sunday. Labonte, who had been using Simpson products, had belts from Willans in his car. The company is in England and provides seat belts for some Formula One teams. Crew chief Jimmy Makar said that Terry Labonte has been using the belts for about two years and the team began to look into those belts. Makar says that teammate Tony Stewart used seat belts from that manufacturer when Stewart drove in the Indy Racing League. Makar said Stewart’s car would be outfitted with those belts soon(Roanoke Times)(3-26-2001)
