In 1989, Joe Mainiero and his father, Mark, a longtime drag racer with 20 years of experience building Ford racecars, opened a performance shop in Delray Beach, Florida. Originally called Super Stang, the shop amassed more racing victories and records than any other in the area. Joe’s driving skills were legendary on the streets and dragstrips of South Florida. And in 1999, when Willie Figueroa climbed behind the wheel of the shop’s innovative, Vortech-supercharged 1,900-plus-horsepower 1995 Ford Mustang GTS, the team was the first to eclipse the 8-second barrier in True Street. The UPR 1995 GTS went undefeated in drag radial and True Street events for 3 years and was the poster car featured in a national BF Goodrich Drag Radial ad campaign.
Joe knew the Mustang market needed a company that truly understood the racer’s suspension needs, and together, he and Mark began manufacturing the strongest, lightest, and best-performing parts at an affordable price. They could offer the same quality as more expensive components in the market at a lower cost by buying American-made chrome-moly by the mile, literally, and focusing on mass production rather than small-batch items.
They started going by the name ‘Unlimited Performance Racing, which became UPR Products when the company formalized in 1998. Two years later, UPR Products hit its stride and moved into its current location in Lake Worth, which occupies three buildings totaling roughly 20,000 square feet. With in-house manufacturing, materials storage, warehousing, and office space, the UPR campus is a mecca of Mustang parts production.
Thanks to Joe and Mark’s drive, determination, and focus on efficiency, UPR gained traction. Additionally, the UPR team’s focus on excellent customer support and unparalleled trackside support set the company apart from competitors. “UPR brings its fully stocked 18-wheel tractor-trailer to approximately two dozen events every year, simply so racers have access to the parts that they need when they need them, and customers can check things out in person before they buy,” noted UPR marketing director Sharad Raldiris. And it was with the addition of Sharad, with his considerable social media expertise, that UPR Products became a household name in the Mustang world.
UPR designs and develops its components in the USA. Although the company still focuses on its mission of providing race-ready suspension parts, UPR adapted to accommodate a changing marketplace. It has branched out into other avenues, such as its popular oil catch cans, customized emblems, apparel, and more.
UPR’s K-members, A-arms, control arms, anti-roll bars, and various other products have helped countless drivers win races, set records, and earn championship titles throughout various series such as the NMRA, NMCA, World Ford Challenge, Fun Ford Weekend, and many others. Team driver Bill Putnam has achieved tremendous success with his UPR-backed Limited Street Mustang GT, earning consecutive NMRA championship titles. Bill’s outstanding seasons showcase the potential of UPR’s suspension products.
The information gathered from decades of real-world performance enables UPR’s tech department to share that knowledge with customers who want to choose parts and install them on their vehicles.
UPR Products will never forget its roots and always strive to provide customers with the best possible parts, service, and prices.
