Race Star Industries

What Race Star Industries does

Race Star Industries, Inc. is a privately held US manufacturer of high-performance, lightweight alloy wheels founded in May 2009 by L.B. Davis and headquartered in Kearney, Missouri. The company designs, produces, and distributes drag-racing and street-performance wheels under the Race Star Wheels brand, with a catalog of more than 1,000 SKUs across lines including the 92 Drag Star (the founding product), 93 Truck Star, 95 Recluse, 91 Drag Star Four Lug, 32 Mirage, 34 Rattler, 82 Pro-Lite, 88 Dart, and the premium Pro Forge series (63, 64, 65). Its technology differentiation rests on two proprietary innovations: Race Grip Technology, which retains tires without traditional bead locks and reduces rotational mass, and Friction Stir Fusion welding, used in the Pro Forge series for high-end NHRA Pro Stock and Pro Mod applications. Race Star also offers supporting accessories such as bead-loc rings, center caps, hub-centric rings, and spinners.

The business model is hardware sales across three primary streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via racestarindustries.com, a US authorized dealer network that includes national retailers Pep Boys, Summit Racing, and JEGS, and international distribution through dealers in 13+ countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico. Pricing is unit-based with wide variance across SKUs, supported by Affirm installment financing for orders over $35 and seasonal BOGO and Black Friday promotions. Customer segments are predominantly long-tail individual car enthusiasts and Sportsman racers, with professional NHRA and NMRA racers (including KB Racing drivers Greg Anderson, Jason Line, and Bo Butner) serving primarily as brand ambassadors and product validators through sponsorship relationships rather than as contracted enterprise customers.

The company operates without institutional capital, is founder-led, and maintains a lean 11–50 employee footprint. Its competitive positioning is built on racing-proven credibility ("The Fastest Wheel in Drag Racing"), specialty focus on drag-strip applications, and a multi-channel distribution model that reaches both enthusiast consumers and professional racing teams. The product roadmap has trended upward into premium forged offerings (Pro Forge) and adjacent verticals (trucks via 93 Truck Star, application-specific fitments for Ford Lightning, Dodge/Ram, and Cadillac CTS-V), with international channel expansion underway across the Middle East, Europe, and Oceania.

Name

Race Star Industries

Legal name

Race Star Industries, Inc.

Website

https://racestarindustries.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Race Star Industries is a US manufacturer of lightweight, high-performance alloy wheels for drag racing and street applications. Founded in 2009 and based in Kearney, Missouri, the company sells 1,000+ SKUs directly to consumers, through US dealers including Pep Boys and Summit Racing, and via international distributors in 13+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performance Automotive Wheels

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (3363)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)

akta.pro primary industry

Wheels, Tires, Brakes & Suspension Components Manufacturing (IMACAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Motorsports & Powersports Gear & Accessories Retail (CRAMABAN)

Keywords

• Drag racing wheels
• Performance alloy wheels
• Forged racing wheels
• Truck performance wheels
• Aftermarket automotive wheels

Headquarters

HQ city

Kearney

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wheel Sales: Direct sales of high-performance alloy wheels to consumers and through dealer network. Revenue generated from one-time product purchases with various wheel models and configurations.
2. Accessories and Components: Sales of wheel accessories including bead-loc rings, center caps, and replacement parts.
3. Dealer/Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale distribution through authorized dealer network across the US and internationally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Race Star Industries manufactures and sells high-performance, lightweight alloy wheels primarily for drag racing, with additional offerings for street performance and truck applications. The company produces over 1,000 SKUs across 13"-22" diameters, including forged, flow-formed, and specialty racing wheels, and operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform complemented by US and international dealer networks. Manufacturing is based in Kearney, Missouri, USA.

Product overview

Race Star Industries is a manufacturer of high-performance, lightweight alloy wheels for street and drag racing applications. The company was founded in May 2009 by L.B. Davis and is headquartered in Kearney, Missouri. Their product portfolio centers on the iconic 92 Drag Star (their founding product) and has expanded to include multiple wheel lines including the 93 Truck Star, 95 Recluse, Pro Forged series (63, 64, 65), 91 Drag Star Four Lug, 32 Mirage, 34 Rattler, 82 Pro-Lite, 88 Dart, and specialized applications like Top Fuel & Funny Car wheels and Jr Dragster wheels. The Pro Forge series represents their premium offering featuring Friction Stir Fusion welding technology for professional NHRA racing. Beyond complete wheels, they offer accessories including Bead-Loc Rings, Center Caps, and Hub Centric Rings. The company holds the reputation as The Fastest Wheel in Drag Racing, serving both Sportsman racers and professional competitors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 92 Drag Star: Iconic wheel line introduced at founding, designed for drag racing applications
• 93 Truck Star
• 95 Recluse
• Pro Forge Series
• Race Grip Technology

Products and services

• 92 Drag Star A flagship drag racing wheel designed for performance-oriented racers; available in multiple fitments and finishes for drag applications.
• 93 Truck Star A drag/street performance wheel engineered for truck applications, including lifted and lowered trucks.
• 95 Recluse A drag racing wheel offering with a distinctive spoke design for racers seeking style and performance.
• Pro Forge Series (63, 64, 65) Forged drag racing wheels available in 63, 64, and 65 configurations, marketed as Race Star's lightest and strongest drag wheels for serious racers.
• 91 Drag Star Four Lug A four-lug variant of the Drag Star line designed for vehicles with four-lug bolt patterns.
• 32 Mirage A street performance wheel offering a split-spoke design for sports cars and muscle cars.
• 34 Rattler A wheel design offered in drag and street configurations for muscle car and modern muscle applications.
• 82 Pro-Lite A lightweight wheel in the Pro-Lite family engineered to reduce unsprung weight for street and drag applications.
• 88 Dart A lightweight wheel within the Pro-Lite family, providing a stripped-down aesthetic for racers.
• 92 Cadillac CTS-V A vehicle-specific wheel fitment designed for the Cadillac CTS-V.
• RSF-1 A directional 3D-dimple Race Grip Technology wheel designed for track and competition use.
• Top Fuel & Funny Car Wheels Specialty lightweight wheels engineered for Top Fuel and Funny Car professional drag racing applications.
• 53 Jr Dragster A wheel designed specifically for Junior Dragsters, sized appropriately for youth racing classes.
• Wheel Accessories Supporting accessories including mounting hardware, center caps, and related wheel components.

Quantifiable outcome

• Racers achieve podium finishes and set records in various NHRA categories
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Greg Anderson (KB Racing)coreOthers · 21 October 2019Sponsored professional NHRA Pro Stock driver. Race Star wheels used by KB Racing team for competitive racing at the highest levels of drag racing.
• Clair Stewart IIminorOthers · 3 October 2019Sponsored driver who claimed NMRA Championship using Race Star wheels.
• Larry FirestoneminorOthers · 3 October 2019Sponsored driver who claimed NMRA Championship using Race Star wheels.
• Bo Butner (KB Racing)minorOthers · 4 September 2019NHRA Pro Stock driver who received the first Race Star Wheels Low E.T. Pro Stock Bonus award at U.S. Nationals.
• Jason Line (KB Racing)coreOthers · 19 August 2019Sponsored professional NHRA Pro Stock driver. Won at Maple Grove Raceway using Pro-Forged wheels. Multiple wins and podium finishes.
• Pep BoysmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational retail chain carrying Race Star wheels at multiple locations across the United States.
• Summit RacingmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor motorsports retailer with multiple locations offering Race Star products.
• JEGSmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor racing equipment retailer and dealer of Race Star wheels.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Holley (drag racing product portfolio): Holley is a large performance automotive aftermarket company owning multiple brands serving drag racers, including wheel-adjacent components and engine parts. Adjacent competitor and potential ecosystem partner for Race Star's customer base.
• Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels: Mickey Thompson is a broad incumbent performance brand offering drag racing tires and wheels under one roof. Competes with Race Star through its wheel lineup at drag strips and through major racing retailers.
• Vision Wheel: Vision Wheel is a broad aftermarket wheel manufacturer offering street, off-road, and performance wheels at volume. Overlaps with Race Star at the street-performance price point and shares similar dealer channels.
• American Racing (Wheels): American Racing is an iconic broad-market performance wheel brand with heritage in drag racing and muscle car culture. Sells through the same Pep Boys and Summit Racing channels that distribute Race Star.

Direct peers

• Weld Racing: Weld Racing is one of the most established drag racing wheel manufacturers, producing forged and billet wheels for NHRA Pro Stock, Pro Mod, and sportsman racers. Directly competes with Race Star across the same drag strip and street performance wheel categories.
• Forgeline Wheels: Forgeline manufactures custom forged performance wheels widely used in road racing, drag racing, and high-end street applications. Competes with Race Star's Pro Forge series for premium forged wheel sales.
• Billett Specialties: Billett Specialties produces billet aluminum wheels and accessories for street rods, muscle cars, and drag racers. Comparable to Race Star in serving the performance/street enthusiast segment with premium alloy wheels.
• Bogart Racing Wheels: Bogart Racing Wheels produces lightweight aluminum racing and street wheels popular in drag racing and muscle car applications. Overlaps with Race Star on product category and customer base of drag strip and street performance enthusiasts.
• Center Line Wheels: Center Line Wheels manufactures performance and racing wheels for street rods, drag racing, and muscle cars. Direct competitor in the lightweight drag racing wheel segment.

Emerging players

• TSW Alloy Wheels: TSW produces forged and flow-formed aftermarket wheels for sports, luxury, and performance segments. Comparable to Race Star in targeting enthusiast consumers with premium-fitment wheels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RaceStarWheels
• Instagraminstagram.com/racestarwheels

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Race Star Industries