The Speed Partz Story 

As Speed Partz celebrates its ninth year of business, the question is commonly asked, “How did this all start?”  The business was started in 1999 by Larry Fasse because of his passion for the sport of racing.  Started with a few simple products, today the shop carries over 100 products including its own line of specialty race products (FOZ Race Products) and mini sprints (FOZ Race Cars). 

Pictured to the right, a young Larry Fasse poses with one of his first trophies.

Fasse’s love of the sport began at the very early age of ten.  His then next door neighbor Ralph Embler was a motorcycle racer and mechanic.  After the death of his mother, Fasse found himself spending considerable time in Embler’s shop learning all he could and developing a love for racing.  At the time

youngsters could not begin racing until the age of 16.  As soon as he was of age Fasse began competing in motocycle hare scrambles.  He soon discovered his true passion of TTs (basically a road race on dirt) and flat track.

Larry gets ready to take to the track on one of his early motorcycles.

For the next 18 years or so Fasse competed earning his professional American Motorcycle Association (AMA) license and numerous feature victories and championships.  After the birth of his second son, his commitment to family made the time and risks associated with professional motorcycle racing too costly and he gave up his professional license—although he continued to compete sporadically for the next few years and still enjoys riding today. 

Just as one chapter of racing ended in the Fasse family, a new one was beginning.  Larry’s oldest son Scott started racing go-karts with the Ohio Valley Karting Association.  As a graduation gift from high school Scott was given a gift certificate to the Skip Barber Driving School.  Larry was also given a gift certificate to the school for his birthday.  After attending the school the pair was bit even harder by the racing bug and began racing Formula Fords with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).  For the next five years Scott competed in Club Formula Ford and Formula 2000 competiton with the SCCA and USAC with Larry handling car preparation and crew chief duties.

After Larry quit racing, it didn't take long before his son Scott started racing go-karts.	Larry and Scott were given gift certificates to attend the Skip Barber driving school in 1986

As is often the case, as commitments in Scott’s life increased including marriage and house, the SCCA became too expensive.  Although the pairs idea was to sit out for a few seasons to save the money required to begin competing with the SCCA again, two years proved to be too long.  After a few short months and a trip to 35 Raceway to watch the 600cc mini sprints, the pair determined that this might be something they could afford to do. 

An old Zimmer mini sprint was purchased to fill the void left after  Larry and Scott took a break from road racing.	Larry captured a win in the old Zimmer during a mechanics race at 35 Raceway.

About that same time, out of frustration for the lack of racing coverage in and around Cincinnati, Ohio, Fasse started a website.  The site’s original intent was just to cover racing news from in and around the Cincinnati area.  The site quickly developed a following and was receiving several thousand visitors every month.  At this point he wondered if there might be a way the website could help support his son’s racing.  Starting with a simple product that Speed Partz still carries today, the SmartTool Digital Level, an online parts business was launched.  For the first few years the business operated as Exposure Motorsports Marketing and began orienting their product line towards the motorcycle powered race car market.  He was still working his full-time job as a Director of Distribution for a large software company.  He carried a cell phone with him at all times and attempted to catch every call he could.  In 1999 the parts business had grown to the point where it had overtaken one of the bedrooms in Fasse’s house.  At this point Fasse determined that he might really give this thing a go—and the company officially became Speed Partz LLC.  Relationships with vendors like S&S Headers, Autometer motorcycle gauges and Kinser Air Filters helped the company get a foothold in this exciting new market.   

In 2003 the business made the move out of Fasse’s house into a 1200 sqaure foot warehouse space.  It was around this same time that he made the decision to leave the security of a good paying, stable job and enter the parts business full-time.  The shop had a small office, a small inventory area and an even smaller work shop.   

It only took a few years before the 1200 square feet could no longer contain the growing business.  Space became even more scarce when opportunity came knocking in the form of the FOZ race car.  During discussions with famed midget and sprint car builder John Godfrey, the idea for a new upright mini sprint chassis was born.  Fasse commented, “building race cars was never part of the plan, but I figured when you have a chance to work with someone the caliber of John, it might be worth taking the plunge. 

As things began developing with the new FOZ mini sprint, it became evident that additional space was required.  Furthermore, he was finding a growing number of customers that wanted to stop by.  Unfortunately the 1200 square feet was not very conducive to customer visits.  After a significant amount of searching a new site for the business was found.  The new 7500 square foot facility is located just North of Cincinnati in Hamilton, Ohio.  In addition to being centrally located to much of the local mini sprint racing that goes on in the area, it also has good access to shipping to better support the company’s large base of mail order customers. 

The manufacture of the FOZ Race Cars mini sprint was not a part of the business plan, but was a welcomed opportunity.	Two new FOZ Chassis ready for assembly and shipment to a new home

As the company approaches its tenth year in business, a lot has changed.  However as much as things have changed, there remains one constant—this is still a company that is built on a love of the sport of racing.