Off-road Hall of Famer Robbie Pierce has passed away today. Let’s learn more about his passing and Robbie Pierce cause of death in detail.
What happened to Robbie Pierce?
According to Jimco Racing Inc official reports, it was confirmed that Pierce passed away in a Scuba Diving Accident, the statement reads,
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our great leader, racer, builder, entrepreneur, and Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee, Robbie Pierce.
Robbie died in an accident while scuba diving, his second biggest passion in life. His dedication to the safety and advancement of off-road racing and motorsports will continue to save lives, and thrill racers and fans alike for years to come. What you do in life echoes in eternity. Drive fast, and take chances. Race in Peace.
Robbie Pierce cause of death
A tragedy while scuba diving claimed the life of Robbie Pierce, an Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee in 2018. On Tuesday, the news was released by his Jimco Racing organization.
Safety pioneer Robbie Pierce lost his life in an accident while scuba diving. Born in 1959, Pierce began his career in the aerospace sector and shortly joined Mastercraft to produce tubular seat frames. Pierce ultimately decided to buy the business and grow it.
His departure comes just one day after fellow Baja 1000 alum Ken Block, added to the community’s heartbreaking string of tragedies.
Rob MacCachren, the winner of the 2022 Baja 1000 and a longtime friend and teammate of Robbie Pierce, remarked that Pierce “had one of the biggest hearts in off-road.” “He seized every chance to assist someone.
When we jump in the seat as racers, we depend on a variety of racing products that he was passionate about raising the bar for. even if our team members are working in the pits. I, my family, my crew, and the entire racing industry will deeply miss his kindness, passion, and friendship. Good luck, my friend.
Who was Robbie Pierce?
The founder of Jimco Racing, MasterCraft Safety, and Impact Products, as well as an off-road racer from the United States, was Robert Pierce.
In addition to competing in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, Pierce also competed with the SCORE International desert racing series in a Pro2 Unlimited truck (LOORRS).
Pierce was born and reared in the Southern California mountains east of San Diego, where he began playing hockey at the age of 5.
He was scouted by a pro hockey team while still in high school, but finally gave up hockey and settled in Glenns Ferry, Idaho. As he worked on large farming and agricultural gear, Pierce’s interest in metal fabrication and machinery grew during this time. Pierce eventually returned to Southern California due to family ties and the pleasant climate.
Profession
Pierce used the welding talents he had learned in Idaho to work at his small firm. His work was primarily for the demanding aerospace industry, but beginning in 1985, MasterCraft was also one of his clients.
Pierce’s welding skills
MasterCraft’s Jack Miller sought out Pierce’s welding skills to produce the company’s tubular seat frames. Peri Miller, Jack Miller’s daughter, sold Pierce MasterCraft in 1999, and Pierce focused solely on growing MasterCraft into a top-tier safety business by introducing racing seat harnesses, window safety nets, tool bags, and a variety of seat mounts for production vehicles.
Since 2004, Pierce, a passionate patriot, has provided American-made suspension seats and restraints for MRAP and LSAC combat vehicles used by the US military.
In addition to rigorous field testing, independent research by reputable laboratories confirmed that MasterCraft Safety’s seats reduced energy from a 50 “G” load live fire blast event by 84%; this is the same kind of impact that IEDs do on coalition vehicles.
When MasterCraft Safety acquired Ryan Safety in 2008, it added race suits to its lineup of suspension seats, restraints, limit straps, and window nets.
Business Growth
The business continued to grow in 2010 when Bill Simpson sold Impact Products to the business. With the addition of Impact, MasterCraft Safety is now able to provide a full line of safety items, such as helmets, gloves, and race shoes. This action hastened Pierce’s goal of providing a comprehensive line of safety items from one source, head to toe.
Pierce’s business savvy enabled all of the companies that fall under the Impact Racing corporate umbrella to take full advantage of ongoing product development, improved technology, and immersive marketing to record-breaking sales and industry influence. In June 2017, Pierce sold Impact and MasterCraft to Italian safety juggernaut Sparco.
In 2018, Pierce bought California’s Santee-based Jimco Racing. A true success story of the United States, Jimco was founded on enthusiasm and devotion. Over time, its skilled artisans built and developed more than 500 race cars, trucks, and UTVs, and they won countless triumphs and championships all over the world.
The acquisition follows a long-standing business partnership between Pierce and Jimco, and the property is just a short distance from the old offices of MasterCraft.
In addition to providing Jimco with MasterCraft equipment for their vehicles, Pierce frequently drove with previous Jimco executives Mike Julson and Matt Loiodice.
Pierce also bought the first luxury prerunner made by Jimco, J1, the first Jimco Trophy Truck, J2 (which Rob MacCachren had pushed for), and the second Jimco Trophy Truck.
Pierce’s Racing Career
Pierce did not begin desert racing until 2004, devoting all of his attention to his expanding company. He got hooked after co-driving Tom Ridings’ Class 10 car in the 2004 Tecate SCORE Baja 500. He bought a ProTruck in 2005, and the 2005 Best In The Desert TSCO Vegas to Reno race marked his debut as a driver-of-record.
Pierce finished 11th overall and fifth in his class, demonstrating his aptitude for learning quickly. He placed second in his class in the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 in 2006. Pierce advanced to the Trophy Truck class, which is entirely unrestricted and is regarded as the pinnacle of off-road racing, after just three ProTruck races.
He competed in two races with a modified ProTruck known as the “Prophy” Truck, and despite having a vastly inferior horsepower advantage, he did quite well. In 2008’s SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, where he placed fifth overall, he competed in his debut race in the No. 30 Jimco Trophy Truck.
At the Terrible’s SCORE Primm 300 in 2010, his second-place performance was his best to date. He placed sixth in the SCORE Trophy Truck season points in 2009 and fourth in 2010, the year he has also voted SCORE Person of the Year.
Halfway through the 2009 season, Pierce started competing in short course events in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS), in addition to desert racing.
In a Johnny Kaiser-built Alpha truck that had previously been raced by Jerry Whelchel for Chet Huffman Motorsports, he entered the competitive Pro2 Unlimited class right away.
Pierce didn’t compete for the entire season and suffered two fractured collarbones and a few broken ribs in a terrible collision at Glen Helen in 2010, yet he still managed to place 15th overall.
As a driver, Pierce participated in short-course racing series like TORC, Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, and Stadium Super Trucks as well as long-distance desert competitions like SCORE and Best In The Desert. He continued to compete in racing well into his sixties, most recently competing in the November Trophy Truck Legends class at the Baja 1000.
As Bobby Patton’s navigator in a Toyota Hilux provided by Overdrive Racing in 2020, Pierce took on the Dakar Rally, joining Nasser Al-Attiyah, who is now a four-time Dakar champion, on the team.
Tributes to Robbie Pierce
People’s Condolences and tributes began to flow into social media as soon as word of Robbie Pierce’s passing circulated. Some of them are displayed below:
Robbie Pierce, a 2018 inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, died in a scuba diving accident. On Tuesday, his Jimco Racing organisation made the announcement. His age was given as 63.
Robbie Pierce was a "great leader," "racer,"https://t.co/eqzLtaDXMk pic.twitter.com/iec6y7dmJn— Leedailycom (@leedailycom) January 4, 2023
Lamentamos informar que falleció Robbie Pierce, piloto estadounidense y jefe del equipo Jimco Racing, a los 63 años a causa de un accidente mientras buceaba.
Enviamos condolencias a toda la comunidad offroad por otra pérdida irremplazable. pic.twitter.com/KXAnPNPt2r
— Somos Dakar (@SomosDakar) January 3, 2023
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Lavanya (Senior Editor) is a full-time content writer with almost 5 years of experience and a part-time teacher. She joined Medico Topics on the Breaking News trainee scheme in 2022 and now works on MedicoTopics.com. As a lifelong learner, She is constantly curious about learning new things and passionate about sharing knowledge with people through her writing and teaching.