Performance Powers HTW Motorsports

When Jim Strangio set out on an adventure to start a new automotive business that aimed to set him apart from some other tire dealerships in southern California, he wanted to do more than just sell tires.

He wanted to change the game and provide an outlet for car enthusiasts to dream bolder.

It was the late 1970s and the streets were lined with plenty of local markets and restaurants, movie theaters and countless tire and auto service centers.

Strangio, who had owned his own tire dealership in Ontario, Calif., for a while, thought something was missing. He couldn’t just settle for offering basic tire services.

He recognized there was a certain group of people out there who were passionate about cars, “souping up” their vehicles and enjoying the scenic California highways in style. And he was determined to create a place for that.

“Jim thought his old business was just like any other tire shop, so he just kind of wanted to go in a different direction,” says Phil Velto, Strangio’s nephew.

That’s when Strangio decided to open High Performance Tire and Wheel, now called HTW Motorsports, in Upland, Calif., and the rest is history.

Phil calls his uncle an “innovator” who grew his new shop into a standout source of high performance (HP) and ultra-high performance (UHP) tires, custom wheels and accessories.

Strangio worked with car dealerships to do van conversions and install chrome modular wheels on vans and trucks, offering a range of tire and auto products and services and further building his reputation.

“He was kind of an inventor in the area and that’s when HTW took off and exploded years ago.” 

Decades passed and Strangio eventually handed off the business to his sons, Scott and Tony, who have carried the torch for nearly 35 years.

Today, HTW Motorsports, a dealership and off-road center, located along the famous Route 66 highway, offers tires, custom wheels, lifts, a range of accessories, parts and auto service. Branded as “Upland and Inland Empire’s largest dealer,” the dealership says it can service any type of car, whether it’s an SUV, sports car or light truck.

Phil says roughly 25% to 30% of the company’s business comes from selling and servicing HP and UHP tires.

Every day, HTW Motorsports helps numerous owners of expensive vehicles like Mercedes and Lexus and “super cars” like Corvettes, Porches, Ferraris and Bentleys, as well as owners of everyday contemporary cars.

With the range of vehicles that roll into the dealership daily, Phil says every new job is exciting — and that’s what keeps the business on its toes.

“I just love interacting with people and helping them and advising them when it comes to their vehicles,” says Phil, who works for Tony and Scott part-time at HTW Motorsports and also runs his own business, Hub Cap Annie & Wheel.

“We’ve always done business together because our businesses kind of overlap each other,” says Phil. “Nobody can have all the inventory and stock that’s necessary, so I buy things from them and they buy things from me.”

That family partnership, along with a team of 12 that includes a small office staff, tire technicians and service providers, makes it all happen.

“We’re in a pretty affluent area here in the Inland Empire and Upland, (which includes) Rancho Cucamonga and Claremont,” says Phil. “With our history, people know us and trust us to put a different look on their high-end car and service them.”

When selling HP and UHP tires for more expensive vehicles,  Phil says you have to focus on understanding the customers’ priorities, driving habits and wants for their cars and “meet them in the middle.”

Phil “reads the room” when a customer comes into the dealership with a more expensive car, such as a Bentley, and helps them choose a quality tire that meets their high-end performance standards.

Recently, HTW Motorsports sold tires to a customer with a high-end Volvo SUV who had his heart set on keeping low-noise tires on his vehicle. The HTW Motorsports team searched for the best noise-cancelling tires and they landed on a set of Pirelli-branded HP tires.

“He didn’t even ask me about the price.”

This is why focusing on drivers’ top priorities is key, he says. Every customer who comes to HTW Motorsports is unique with different desires and viewpoints, so the dealership’s employees are extra careful to be sure each need is met.

Whether some shoppers have a specific tire or wheel in mind for their vehicle or others are seeking guidance from the experts, HTW Motorsports highlights its showroom with three walls of glass and about 50 displays of wheels that are “constantly updated,” as well as a smaller display of tires.

Lots of customers enjoy looking up close at products, especially when it comes to wheels, which Phil says helps the team brainstorm creative ideas for many high-priced performance cars.

HTW Motorsports’ warehouse typically has a couple thousand tires in stock and usually keeps several sets of HP and UHP tires on hand. According to Phil, the dealership can normally get products into the shop on the same day or the next day and inventory is “constantly moving.”

There are always new trends that emerge when it comes to “tricking out” high performance vehicles, according to Phil.

The latest finishes for custom wheels and other accessories can fluctuate, but many drivers gravitate toward bold, sporty finishes such as jet black or “hyper silver,” he explains.

HTW Motorsports also frequently installs lifts and lowering kits for a range of sports cars, which drives business forward.

We do a ton of Mercedes and BMWs,” says Phil. “We’re often dumping them and lowering them just a little bit to change them, then putting a different size tire and wheel to make the stance a little bit more aggressive.”

Making sure customers are happy is what matters most to HTW Motorsports, he says. That’s why the company test drives nearly every vehicle they service to make sure they run properly for customers — especially to ensure tire pressure monitoring system sensors reset, vehicles are balanced and lift kits are installed to perfection.

“One of the things I enjoy most about this business is satisfying our customers,” says Phil. “This business constantly keeps my brain working because there’s something different every single day.”