Simpson vs NASCAR: NASCAR claims in court documents filed this week that it did not defame seat-belt pioneer Bill Simpson because its officials told the truth without malice about the death of Dale Earnhardt and his torn seat belt. NASCAR also stated that it never said that Earnhardt was killed as a result of seat-belt failure. Simpson filed an $8.5 million defamation suit against NASCAR in February. In the suit, Simpson contends that he suffered financially after NASCAR said Earnhardt’s seat belt resulted in the death of the seven-time Winston Cup champion in the 2001 Daytona 500. Attorney Bob Johnstone, representing NASCAR, filed a response Monday to the suit in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis.(see full story at the Daytona Beach News Journal)(4-11-2002)
