September 11th is now known as Patriot Day in America. So, it was only fitting that RaceQuip unveiled its new Patriot(tm) series of "Made in the USA" driver's suits on September 11th, 2007. Circle Track was given an exclusive first look at what's sure to be a hot commodity among racers next year.
The Patriot(tm) is a two-layer Nomex(r) shell racing suit built by American craftsmen in RaceQuip's Irmo, SC, production facility. The Irmo plant has been the site of SafeQuip racing suit production for the last 21 years, and is the current home of RaceQuip's suit manufacturing. Over 85 percent of the current staff has worked in the plant for over 10 years, and more than half have been on board since the plant opened. All that experience building racing suits produces some of the highest quality suits in the world.
The new Patriot(tm) suit features some uniquely American styling cues: Straight epaulets, boot cuffs (right), a classic belt with Velcro(r) closure, contrast piping, internal bag pockets, and vertical quilting to name a few. Quality is built into each Patriot(tm) by using only heavy-duty Nomex(r) thread as well as two-way Nomex-backed Brass YKK zippers to ensure long life. All RaceQuip suits are made in the USA and assembled with heavy-duty, multi-needle, over-lock safety stitch machines to provide exceptional seam strength. The arms and legs are finished with knit Nomex(r) ankle and wrist cuffs in black, so they won't show dirt, unlike light colored cuffs.
The suit is constructed using an outer layer of durable Nomex(r) IIIA mated to RaceQuip's proprietary lightweight Therm-X(tm) liner. This combination offers tremendous comfort for the wearer, plus extended longevity. The Patriot(tm) exceeds SFI 3.2A/5 standards with a Thermal Protection Performance (TPP) rating of 26. All suits are built with black arms and legs with a choice of a red or blue torso. The best part of the Patriot(tm) is the price; it's available for under $400. That's right, a lightweight Nomex(r) SFI-5 suit, made in the USA, for less than $400-now that's worth saluting.