This article originally appeared in the September 2025 issue of THE SHOP magazine.
Time Attack and High Performance Driver Education (HPDE) sessions are just two of the many trends that are enticing more and more drivers of all abilities to try their hand at road racing.
With a class or category for any year, make or model, these types of track day events provide opportunities for racers to test the limits of their driving abilities while putting their favorite vehicle through its paces on a closed circuit. The good news for shops is that sometimes that means broken parts, and other times a strong desire for upgrades to improve performance and safety.
More competitors mean a growing market with more knowledge to gain and more pitfalls to avoid. Road racing parts suppliers offer their observations on market trends, sales tips and few new products to give local racers the winning edge.
IN-RACE ADJUSTMENTS
Embraced by a new generation of enthusiasts, road racing is seemingly more popular than ever.
“As the sponsor of the Eibach GLTC (GRIDLIFE Touring Cup) Championship, we’ve seen livestream technology and YouTube televised road race events bring a lot of attention to this form of motorsports,” says Mark Krumme, head of marketing, North America, for Eibach. “Because there’s more and more growth, a lot of companies are investing more in technology and drivers are investing more in their projects and vehicles. With that comes performance improvements, such as advancements in race tires and 3D rapid prototyping of aero components, creating a need for suspension solutions that can handle the increased grip.”
The sport is known for competitive adjustments and innovations. Product technology advances year after year.
“For us here at Red Line Oil, it’s all about staying ahead of the changes and lubricant requirements. As engine and car technology have changed, especially in the more modern platforms, engines often aren’t as stressed from an rpm standpoint, but factory forced induction (and modification of those systems) adds more load,” says Mark Beatty, brand director. “So, engines are designed to last longer but can be pushed harder, which adds significant lubricant and coolant requirements. Additionally, with the additional power potential and technologies like direct injection fueling, which allows higher operating temps, quality engine fluids have never been more important.”
When it comes to competition batteries, Jim McIlvaine, eCare manager for OPTIMA Batteries, says more racers are looking to lightweight lithium batteries to help reduce vehicle weight.
“They are often capable of doing this more effectively, for less cost, than many carbon fiber replacement components and body panels,” he says.
Dave Brzozowski, motorsports manager at Wilwood Engineering, see tires with more grip, coupled with advancements in damper/shock technology.
“Cars are going quicker, easier, so the demand for all aspects of braking performance is critical,” he explains.
Higher power levels, faster lap times and greater demand for reliability under extreme conditions is driving the market, says Rich Barsamian, vice president of sales and marketing at Advanced Clutch Technology (ACT).
“This has pushed drivetrain components—especially clutches—to deliver not only increased torque capacity but also enhanced thermal resistance and longer lifespan across a variety of applications,” he says.
Seth Glauberman, CEO and president of Malco Products, credits groups such as SCCA, GRIDLIFE, NASA and others with making the sport more accessible at more levels.
“With regional events and open track days, the average racer can do more as a hobby,” he says. “Cars are safer, and equipment has made it a safer hobby or semi-professional endeavor.”
But more oversight often also means more rules, says Aaron Lambert Sr., COO of Penske Racing Shocks.
“It depends on the series being raced in and what the rules are. We have seen an influx of ‘electronically’ adjustable shocks that are being run on track-day cars. When it comes to competition, most of those electronics are ruled out, so, on that side, I think it’s evolved due to data acquisition,” he notes. “Both on- and off-car data collecting has become the norm, which allows the end user to fine-tune their shocks for their feel or handling issue. Prior to this, it was really based off driver feel.”
COMMON CONNNECTIONS
Asked about misinformation when dealing with racers, Glauberman notes the most common misconception is that “they’re only concerned with making more horsepower.”
Barsamian recommends not underestimating how abusive and demanding road racing is on clutch systems.
“Many assume that a high-performance street clutch is ‘good enough’ for track use, especially during HPDEs or Time Attack sessions,” he reports. “But, the reality is that even weekend warriors often push their drivetrains to levels that require true motorsport-grade components.”
Lambert cautions against assuming racers always know exactly which components are already on their vehicles.
“A lot of times racers are getting second- or third-hand cars and just going out and racing based off previous owners saying, ‘It’s race-ready.’ I tell most shops, racers and customers that if you don’t know what’s on your car, you must find out. It will save a lot of time and money in the end. Most of all, from a safety standpoint, you need to know what you’re sitting in.”
That type of information comes when professionals have an opening conversation with each new customer, Brzozowski adds.
“(Some shops) don’t ask enough questions about exactly what the customer is doing with the vehicle, the class they compete in, the rules and regulations in effect, and what they are trying to accomplish,” he says. “Have experienced people (manufacturers) you can go to to ask questions, ensuring the customer gets the correct answer the first time.”
With so much to learn, shops should be continually focused on educating their staff on the latest products and innovations.
“Have an understanding of how suspension changes affect the balance of the vehicle,” says Krumme. “Most people will buy a coil-over system and not know what really happens when they turn the knob on a one- to three-way adjustable shock. Shops should reach out to their manufacturers to take advantage of their experience and understanding of these systems.”
Back to his earlier comments about saving weight, McIlvaine has seen too many shops looking to install the absolute lightest battery into a race vehicle that will start the engine, often leading to the use of motorcycle or other powersports batteries in automotive applications.
“That can potentially be a big mistake, as sometimes charging systems fail on vehicles and the battery needs to at least supply enough power to safely get a vehicle back to the pits,” he explains. “Batteries with enough reserve capacity can potentially allow a vehicle to finish a race, but smaller motorcycle batteries typically have nowhere near the capacity needed to operate many race cars for that amount of time.”
Finally, Beatty notes that in road racing, rarely is there a universal solution.
“The cars, the drivers and the teams can be very sophisticated, so understanding their needs has never been more important,” he says. “The industry was built on relationships and shops need to focus on building them with their customers. One size does not fit all, so get to know your customers and point them to the products that fit their needs and not to what is on sale or cheap.”
SPEAKING THE RACERS’ LANGUAGE
Looking to increase relationships and sales with road racers? ACT’s Barsamian has a simple equation: “speak the language of the racer—and back it up with data.”
He says that “road racers care about lap times, consistency and reliability. Shops that want to grow in this space should focus on offering solutions that address heat management, serviceability and torque-holding under extreme conditions—not just horsepower ratings. We recommend shops lead with technical credibility—talk about torque curves, thermal thresholds and friction materials. Highlight real-world use cases and build relationships with local track day groups or HPDE organizations. Being trackside—even as a vendor or advisor—builds visibility and positions your shop as a trusted resource, not just a reseller.”
Becoming the local road racing expert means doing your homework on the tracks and classes that host your customers.
“There are so many variations,” says Wilwood’s Brzozowski. “Concentrate on marketing to the grassroots racer.”
You’ll then want to have in-demand products on hand and available for immediate purchase, says Eibach’s Krumme.
“It’s safe to say that most racers are procrastinators. With that in mind, have at least two pieces of inventory available of your most popular springs and/or suspension components,” he suggests. “That goes a long way—if racers have a last-minute need and a shop is able to fill it, they will keep coming back. The nature of road racing is that it requires short windows of time to work on the vehicle.”
One way to build repeat business is through a consistent maintenance regimen, OPTIMA’s McIlvaine suggests.
“One of the biggest mistakes made with any vehicle that isn’t driven regularly is to leave the battery unmaintained. Any vehicle that only sees occasional or weekend use should be connected to a quality battery maintenance device, to ensure the battery is ready to go when needed.”
Highlighting offerings that appeal to road racers and general performance customers can help build a shop’s brand, says Glauberman from Malco Products.
“There are a lot of services an average racer can benefit from. You don’t need to be a race-only shop to provide upgrades like suspension, high-performance brakes, ECM tuning and safety items such as harnesses, roll cages and more.”
Highlighting specific product requirements can give racing customers the edge they’re seeking, says Red Line’s Beatty.
“The best tool for our resellers is education. There is so much information (and misinformation) in the market and on the internet about fluids. We are in a space where customers are able to purchase multiple times per season, and while many have already formed an opinion and product preference, each purchase is an opportunity to teach—and in doing so create a new, recurring purchase,” he says. “Our best dealers have invested time in an understanding of our products and educate their customers when the opportunity presents itself, which creates long-term sales.”
The more your shop can learn and then share with customers, the better your relationship with the local racing community will be.
“Come take a shock class. Learn how to read and use a shock dyno,” says Lambert from Penske Racing Shocks. “Take an online course to learn how to read data. Learn vehicle setups—there are a lot of good shops out there that offer in-person classes or seminars on how to set up a car, corner-balance a car, how to set up shocks, how to measure and set ride height, etc. Learn all you can.”
ROAD RACING PRODUCTS
HOT PRODUCTS: 225mm & 10.5-Inch Mod-Twin Clutch Kits
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Instead of stages, kits rated by actual torque capacity at the crank; choice of heavy-duty organic kits for street use or cerametallic puck-style kits for race applications—available in Heavy Duty, Xtreme and Maxx Xtreme configurations.
Advanced Clutch Technology
Rich Barsamian
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
HOT PRODUCT: Race Springs in Metric Sizes
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Between 1,500-1,700 race spring models available in different diameters and spring rates to fit enthusiast- to motorsport-level coil-overs; complementary bump spring system fine-tunes vehicles with high grip and high downforce with rates from 50 to 7,000 pound-inches.
Eibach
Mark Krumme
Head of Marketing, North America
HOT PRODUCT: OTG Waterless Wash
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Designed for track-day cleanup of paint and glass to keep vehicles clean between runs and looking their best for podium photos.
Malco Products
Seth Glauberman
CEO & President
HOT PRODUCT: D1200+ Battery Charger & Maintainer
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Capable of charging both lead-acid (flooded or AGM) and lithium 12-volt batteries; microprocessor-controlled to deliver the current the battery needs, when it needs it.
OPTIMA Batteries
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager
HOT PRODUCTS: Mazda Shocks
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Partnerships with Spec Miata, Spec MX5 and MX5 Cup; applications range from non-adjustable shocks for the Spec Miata up to three-way-adjustable models for MX5Cup; quality damping gives drivers more support and slows tire degradation.
Penske Racing Shocks
Aaron Lambert Sr.
COO
HOT PRODUCTS: Racing & High-Performance Street Oils
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Full synthetic lines start with PAO/ester, also known as Group V, base stocks with extremely high sheer strengths to support modern motor outputs; ZDDP packages protect against top-end wear; gear oil and transmission fluids also available.
Red Line Oil
Mark Beatty
Brand Director
HOT PRODUCTS: Burnished Spec 37 Race-Ready Rotors
FEATURES & BENEFITS: Include a proprietary process that removes impurities and oils introduced during the machining and manufacturing process; provide a race-ready, heat-cycled surface, eliminating all pre-bedding, saving time and increasing life expectancy.
Wilwood
Dave Brzozowski
Motorsports Manager
