Drag Illustrated Issue 139, December 2018 | Page 70

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT ZP Performance Steering ididit’s new steering column brand supports 30 Under 30 program I didit may have more than 30 years of experience and success, but it hasn’t caused the company to stand pat at any point. That’s evident in the release of its newest brand, ZP Performance Steering, and with its support of Drag Illustrated’s popular 30 Under 30 list for 2018. The longtime company sponsored the annual 30 Under 30 nomination process in 2018, which again drew thousands of entries. Recognizing suc- cessful, up-and-coming standouts in the drag racing industry continues to be an important matter for Drag Il- lustrated and ididit’s support of the program indicates a similar sentiment. “The future of drag racing belongs to the next generation of drivers, teams and fans,” ididit Senior Sales Repre- sentative Eddie Mohr says. “Not only is the technology of products evolving, so are the ways fans and enthusiasts engage with the sport. Supporting the momentum that the 30 Under 30 pro- gram has created is a great way that we, as a manufacturer, can encourage and celebrate drag racing’s new generation of influencers as they create the next chapter for one of the most exciting sports in the world.” The younger generation continues to be a ma- jor focus for ididit, which is located Tecumseh, Michigan, and started its business in a small garage in 1986. Now, it’s the leading aftermarket steering col- umn manufacturer and a major reason for that is because it continually keeps an eye on the fu- ture. That’s especially true in a digital age when information is readily available and moves at a breakneck pace. It puts a focus on constant innovation and re- search and development, but ididit has managed to thrive in these settings, giving customers of all ages an easily accessible online platform. That mindset was prevalent in the release of the ZP Performance Steering line and tied in well with its support of the 30 Under 30 nomination process. “As we began to identify the best way to launch ZP Performance, we knew our marketing ap- proach needed to find unique ways to reach drag racing’s newest generation of influencers and fans, but in a manner that allowed them to discover the benefits of the ZP products organically,” Mohr says. “After discussing opportunities to partner with Drag Illustrated on the first-ever spon- 70 | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com sorship of the program, we were excited to show our support and let the team at DI continue to do what they do best: engage with their audience online and let the readers and enthusiasts take the wheel. “We have found the best way to cost-effectively grow ZP’s growing line of performance products is to partner with existing media vendors who have the same vision and approach to organic, user-generated content and promotion as we do.” Excitement for the performance steering and lightweight column line has been impressive, gar- nering strong reviews and online conversation in the process. But chatter for a new product can quickly fizzle out if the quality isn’t there. That hasn’t been a problem for ZP Performance Steering. The company has stood out from its compe- tition for decades thanks to an insistence on a high-quality product, and the ZP Performance Steering line has taken that particular category to another level. It is the first line of purpose- built performance steering columns designed to decrease overall vehicle weight without compro- mising dependability, and it certainly checks all the boxes in the process. The Pro-Lite column weighs less than six pounds, about half the weight of a traditional ididit aftermarket column, but still includes safety requirements like signals and flashers to make it street legal. That’s an ideal choice for high- performance cars that go seamlessly from street to strip, while the Pro-Fab line chocks in at even more impres- sive 4.6 pounds. The ultra-lightweight design is an attractive draw, but the products also don’t hold back when it comes to quality and efficiency when it comes to installation. “Drag racers at every level are dis- covering that replacing their steer- ing columns with ZP products is an easy and cost-effective way to shed weight and get better times at the track,” Mohr notes. “We knew it was an important factor to the performance industry to have both features, a light- weight product that is easy to install. “So, it became important to us to provide those features first and foremost. No matter what new products we come out with or the features that they offer, we continue to stay focused on our core policy of ‘Quality is not only what we do, it’s who we are.’ We will always strive to ensure that we can back up this statement and deliver desired features on top-quality products.” Even 32 years later, ididit remains passionate about its business, tackling new challenges and finding new ways to offer premium products. That’s been the mindset behind the ZP Per- formance Steering products, which were only introduced after significant research and develop- ment. Perfection continues to be the goal for this product line and the entire company, and that’s true with the newest product line, which also includes more than lightweight steering columns. “We will continue to research and identify new opportunities to solve steering problems for our customers, as we have since 1986,” Mohr says. “ZP Performance does not only make and sell performance steering columns, we also manufac- turer quick-release steering hubs built for race applications and will continue to develop new and exciting products for drag racing applications and other emerging markets.” - JOSH HACHAT Issue 139