American Racing Wheels

If you're looking to spice up your Mustang with a little bit of factory induced flair, take a look at the new Boss 302S wheel from Ford Racing.

The new Boss 302 has been heralded by many as the baddest Mustang ever built. With 444 horsepower on tap, a track-tuned suspension, aggressive Mustang rims (wheels) and tires and monstrous brakes, it's hard to find fault with these claims. Unfortunately, while the new Boss 302 may turn blazing fast lap times and turn heads while doing it, the cost for such pleasure is a staggering $45,000. No doubt still a tremendous performance bargain, but this price tag sadly puts it out of range for the large majority of buyers considering the purchase of America's iconic pony car.

Fear not, as parts exist to freshen up the pony already in your stable. Whether you own a 2005-2010 4.0L V6, 2005-2010 4.6L V8, 2011+ 3.7L V6 or a 2011+ 5.0, the new Boss 302S wheels are designed to fit all members of the S197 chassis team. Designed for use with Brembo brakes, these wheels will even fit the 2011+ 5.0L GTs equipped with the optional Brembo package and any 2007+ GT500. This truly is a versatile wheel that can be used with a large range of applications. What's more is these wheels can be used in a 19x9 at all four corners or with a 19x9 front and 19x10 rear stagger. 

So if you're in need of new Mustang wheels, search by vehicle to find the set that works best with this American legend. 

Recently, I was lucky enough to travel south from our Indiana headquarters to the famed Petit LeMans race held this year at Road Atlanta. For those of you that have never been to an American LeMans Series race, I highly recommend that you take a look at the 2012 events calender and plan accordingly. It's not often one gets to experience so closely the efforts put forth by the drivers, crews and their machines. 

During an excursion along the pit wall, I met several drivers, crew members and finally the iconic Mr. Bibendum. It appeared on this day that he wasn't fighting evil gas pumps or flinging tires onto cars skidding out of control, but rather showcasing the lessons learned from Michelin's racing programs.

As one of the premier tire suppliers to ALMS teams, Michelin had countless employees present to gather data and keep teams stocked with the Michelin performance tires they would need to keep their cars competitive over the 12-hour stint. Such an effort was very inspiring and made me appreciate the amount of testing and development that is continually applied to Michelin's full line of products. And they must be doing something right, as our performance tire reviews show the Michelin Pilot Super Sport as the top tire in its category.

Of course, we're not all lucky enough to drive race cars on famed circuits, or compete in endurance racing events. For some, the closest we may get is a lapping day with our weekend track toy. For others, a joyful Sunday drive might do the trick. Whatever the scenario, enjoy your time behind the wheel. 

To discover a top-notch driving experience, take a look at the Michelin car tires available at Tire Rack.

If you are looking for a wheel for your older hot rod or muscle car, then the American Racing Authentic Hot Rod Torq-Thrust 2.1 is definitely one to consider. Whereas most wheels that are being made today come in the higher offsets used by modern vehicles, the Torq-Thrust is available in the lower offsets needed by classic cars.  

The Torq-Thrust 2.1 comes in a polished aluminum finish. While a polished wheel does require some extra care and cleaning to retain its original shine, it will never peel, chip or bubble. And a polished wheel, when cared for properly, will provide a beautiful shine for years to come. 

For those looking to do a staggered tire fitment, the Torq-Thrust 2.1 does offer multiple widths in the 15" and 17" sizes, allowing for the use of wider rear tires.  

To check the availability of the Torq-Thrust 2.1 for your vehicle, click here and then enter your vehicle. We have not had all the classic cars in for fitment testing, so if you do not see your vehicle listed, contact one of our sales specialists for assistance.

Spring is a great time for wheels. People are taking their fun cars out of storage, and taking the winter wheel and tire packages off of their daily drivers. Many wheel manufacturers introduce new designs, and Tire Rack often adds new brands to our line around this time of year. The most exciting addition to our lineup this year is HRE. 

Long considered a leader in custom wheel design, HRE has intensified its focus on engineering to make them a leader in quality as well as in style. It is great to be able to offer a world class, American made wheel at the top of our line, alongside the European powerhouses BBS and OZ Racing. 

While we keep many of the wheels that we sell in stock, most of the HRE wheels are built specifically to order. This usually means a 3-4 week lead time from the initial order to the shipment of the wheel package. With a little advance planning, these exceptional wheels will be well worth the wait.

View all of the HRE styles we carry and shop by vehicle.

American Racing Authentic Hot Rod MC5 wheels are exclusively available for many Corvette and Camaro models.

American Racing Authentic Hot Rod MC5
Available Sizes: 17", 18", 19" and 20"
Finish: Chrome Plated

See if the MC5 or any other American Racing Authentic Hot Rod wheel fits your vehicle.

Take a look at the new American Racing Authentic Hot Rod wheels. Designed for hot rods of yesterday and today, the iconic five-spoked American "mags" still live on.

American Racing Authentic Hot Rod Circuit Black Painted	American Racing Authentic Hot Rod Circuit Chrome Plated

American Racing Authentic Hot Rod Daytona Chrome Plated	American Racing Authentic Hot Rod Daytona Machined w/Black Accent

Enhance your vehicle's look with a Tire & Wheel Package available at Tire Rack.

Tire Rack is excited to announce new wheel options from American Racing. With a brand that has been producing high quality products for over 50 years, trust American Racing to add some attitude to your car. With wheel diameters ranging from 16" to 22" and a wide range of bolt patterns, American Racing has many options available for your vehicle.

Dagger (Machined with Black Accent)












Dagger (Silver Machined with Clearcoat)












Mainline (Machined with Black Accent)

Winter is half over. Tax returns will be on their way, and some will have a little bonus in the mail from Uncle Sam. What to do with that little extra green? How about a new set of wheels from Tire Rack?

Springtime is the right time to put new wheels on your vehicle and give your car a fresh new look. 

Take a look at our new wheels from American Racing, Enkei Performance Series, Enkei Racing Series, Enkei Tuning Series, O.Z. Racing, MSW and Focal.  Don't miss or newest lines from Helo and Von Max, as well as the ultra-retro Enkei Classic wheels.  

Visit our Upgrade Garage to find a wheel that fits your vehicle.

American Racing wheels were made for modern muscle cars, especially the Ford Shelby GT500 Coupe. It's a sleek, yet nostalgic vehicle that calls for an equally sleek wheel. One that looks modern, but fits its old-school attitude. In fact, American Racing defines today's muscle cars as "modern performance cars with attitude." And they create wheels based on that definition. Like the new Villian. It features a machined finish with black accents. And we think it looks perfect on the GT500.
If you drive a modern muscle car, check out Tire Rack's complete selection of American Racing wheels.

Shop by vehicle, or use our Upgrade Garage—it'll show you what the wheel looks right on your vehicle.

If you're looking for Mustang rims, or rims for any modern muscle car, you just might be interested in two of Tire Rack's newest American Racing rims:

Wheels are just another name for Rims. Technically the Rim is just the outside edge section of the wheel that "touches" the tire. Among our most popular "rims" are American Racing Rims, Borbet Rims, OZ, and BBS. For the C6 Corvette, I like the lightest weight forged wheel that we sell in the stock, or Original Equipment 18 and 19 inch sizes. Those are the coveted BBS-GT, the Holy Grail of wheels. These are lightweight (21 lbs. front anf 23.5 lbs. rear) strong and beautiful looking wheels, especially in the Diamond Black Finish (also available in silver).

Check them out and let me know what you think!

I am often approached with the question: "Why can't I find more fitments for my muscle car or vintage automobile?"

The goal of Tire Rack is to provide products for all vehicle makes and models. However, due to the availability of the "classic" automobile/truck and the desired range of looks from vintage to heavily modified street machines, it is not feasible for Tire Rack to catalog all of these fitments. With the limited number of vintage cars now on the road and coupled with the geometric suspension changes over time, there is not a great deal of participation from the manufacturers that build wheels to match the engineering designs of the classic automobile. Thus, it places the vintage vehicle in the "custom" fitment which relies on the customer's expert knowledge and understanding of the requirements for proper fitment. 

Tire Rack's business model is designed around the concept of providing comprehensive understanding of your vehicle based on our engineering team's measurements. Thus, we do not rely on any other source for this information and build all of our fitments around the measured specifications. Once this information is gathered, our engineers then cross-reference the criteria of load capacity and speed ratings against the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer. When considering the specifications of a vintage era automobile, there is very little documentation available. We then rely heavily on our customers to provide vehicles for us to measure proper fitment and match all of the products that meet the criteria for safety and engineering. 

When looking for your classic muscle car ... you might consider some of the American Racing Hot Rod Series:

     

And don't forget to dress those wheels properly.  Here are a few of the most popular tire choices for vintage hot rodders:

       

Gran Torinos and Firebirds will always be classic muscle cars. Today, new versions of old favorites like Chargers, Corvettes and Mustangs carry on the muscle car tradition. And just like any vehicle out there, you can never deny a good muscle car a great set of wheels.

That's where American Racing wheels come into play. In fact, they've been around for years.

All American Racing rims are manufactured to be aggressive performance wheels, which is perfect for the aggressive muscle car. With staggered fitments, modern finishes, larger diameters and design elements taken from racing wheels—there's a reason American Racing rims are so often considered to be standard equipment.

This spring, Tire Rack has two new American Racing wheels:
Shop by vehicle to see if they'll fit yours.

See all American Racing wheels.

    Summer is quick upon us and what better time to order your custom OZ wheels for your car.


Tire Rack's fitment specialists work to find the best balance between required brake clearance and maximum outer lip depth for the most aggressive appearance.


Applications are available for many of the world's most exotic cars including Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Porsche. But you don't have to own an exotic car to enjoy the quality and prestige of an O.Z. Racing Tuner System wheel. Wheels are available for a wide variety of luxury and performance cars, as well.

Read more about the process here!

Like clothes and computers, you can buy wheels online. And at Tire Rack, we do our best to be your top choice for an online wheel shop. Our shopping tools are designed to enhance your buying process, giving you expert fitment and performance advice at every opportunity. And that's all available to you because we've spent years training on and testing the various products we sell—from brake pads and wheels, to winter tires and shock absorbers.

Our extensive collection of wheels features a number of high-quality brands that are available exclusively at Tire Rack:

• Kazera
• Kosei
• moda
• MSW
• O.Z. Racing
• Rial
• Sport Edition
• Sport Muscle
• Sport Tuning
• TRMotorsports
• Zinik

See our complete collection including American Racing, Breyton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Enkei Performance Series and more.

Search by vehicle and enter our Upgrade Garage, which will show you all of the products—including wheels (right on your vehicle, on the screen)—that we have for your vehicle.

    A question I hear quite often is exactly that "What is the 'best' mod for my car?".

    It is asked with full expectation to hear something like "get some new tires and wheels they'll look great and really handle the corners" or "an AEM cold air intake will up the performance of your car and that would be really cool". While both of those statements are accurate they may not be the best answer.

    I find that many times the people who are asking that question are younger drivers who are excited to get their life behind the wheel jump started. They over look the fact that their driving skills are still under-development and they still need improvement as well as experience before they can truly appreciate what any upgrade or a mod to the car can offer.

    Every year more than 5,000 American youths ages 16 - 20 die behind the wheel. Nationwide, a teen dies in a traffic crash an average of once an hour on weekends and nearly once every two hours during the week. That means every week more than 100 families will lose a child.


    The Tire Rack has joined with the non-profit BMW CCA Foundation and the SCCA to bring Tire Rack Street Survival teen driving program to the nation. Through the efforts of members of the BMW Car Club of America, the Sports Car Club of America, the Mercedes Benz Club of America and the Porsche Club of America as well as other automotive enthusiasts who volunteer their time to serve as coaches with each teen, over 80 schools will be held in locations across the U.S. and benefit over 1,600 student drivers this year.

    The point I am making is quite simple, the best 'mod' for a young inexperienced driver is more often than not  "fix the loose nut behind the wheel"

    Even older, more experienced drivers can improve their skill set behind the wheel by enrolling in a high performance drivers education course or a full on race school with professional racers as instructors. These are typically held at major race tracks around the country. 

    Many local car clubs with national affiliates run these schools and are very friendly, helpful and fun to hang around with. To find a club near you search your favorite marque like Audi, BMW, Porsche or Mustang. The SCCA as well as NASA are also involved in schools and welcome new members at all events. For you Mid-West guys and gals you might want to look into the Audi Car Club Chicagoland Chapter, The North Shore Corvette Club and the Salt Creek Sports car Club as all of them organize great events.

   
And befor you go there, Yes, I remember the old adage "practice what you preach"

    I recently attended the Ford Racing school at Miller Motorsports Park in Toole, Utah and came away with better understanding of vehicular dynamics and car control skills. The lead instructor at the school was Professional racer Cyndi Lux. She and her team of instructors were fantastic as their instruction was helpful and easy to understand. 


   

In addition to the great driving instruction I was also able to learn about a couple of BF Goodrich tire models and how they perform and react under extreme conditions.

    Let me tell you I had an absolute blast pushing them to the absolute limit. Actually, a little beyond their limit, at times, according to one of the the instructors 

My name is Luke Pavlick ... I'm a car guy