NASCAR Cup team. Through working with the team I saw that exhaust suppliers used by Cup teams back then were almost always behind and lead times were often pretty long, so I decided that there was a need for this type of operation in this area. In 1995 I went into business, working by myself in a 1,200-square-foot building in Concord, North Carolina.

“Since then the company has grown in a way I never could have imagined, ”Sousley said. “Within six to eight months of starting I had hired someone to help me part time. He later became a full-time employee, and since then we have added roughly one employee a year to the point that we are a 20-man shop now and our facility encompasses 24,000-square-feet.”

PRO-FAB has been highly successful in NASCAR, working with most of the top-tier Cup teams in the sport today. They provide exhaust components for most all of the Chevrolet teams, for example, and are proud of the fact that PRO-FAB has worked with the last eight consecutive championship-winning teams.

These days Sousley has broadened his scope tremendously, however. This has been in large part due to the fact that a number of racing teams outside of the stock car arena have set up shops in the Concord area.

“With drag teams and teams involved in other forms of motorsports moving to North Carolina we have been working hard to keep up with growing demands,” Sousley said. “We are, of course, also working to diversify our business across the country, not just in this area. In fact, we are actually expanding to other regions worldwide. These days I would say we do just about everything related to professional motorsports. We can build anything for anyone at any time — that’s what separates us from the rest. We build a quality product with quality equipment and quality tubing."

A major part of PRO-FAB’s diversification has been into the field of drag racing. Looking back, Sousley recalled that his first involvement with professional drag racing came when KB Racing, today the home of NHRA Pro Stock champions Greg Anderson and Jason Line, moved into the area. He began working with them and from there his relationship with straight-line racers expanded to the point where PRO-FAB has become a major reason why many successful teams achieve their performance goals on the two-lane asphalt.

The company’s record of contributing products to more than 50 championship drivers from across the motorsports spectrum shows they work with some of the most talented names in the business.
“I think our track record is something to be proud of, as it speaks to the quality of our product, length of time we’ve been in business and the relationships we’ve built,” said Sousley.

When it comes to the PDRA, PRO-FAB works with a number of top-flight racers, including Tommy Franklin, Jason Scruggs, Bubba Stanton, Pat Stoken, Ricky Smith and a number of others. They also supply components to Sonny’s Racing Engines & Components, Pat Musi Racing Engines and Jerry Bickel Race Cars, so customers of those companies are also enjoying the benefits of PRO-FAB parts.

In order to expand their involvement with PDRA even further, PRO-FAB, in addition to their generous contingency program, has something big in store for participants at the U.S. Drags, July 25 and 26 at Virginia Motorsports Park.

“We originally started with the Pro Mod classes – Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous and Pro Boost – as well as Extreme Pro Stock and Pro Extreme Motorcycle,” said Sousley. “Now we will be ramping up our contingency program to include Top Dragster and Top Sportsman as well. In the past we have not had anything for dragsters in particular, so we are going to introduce some new stuff in Virginia for Top Dragster as well as Top Sportsman. We are going to have a major presence at the event and have a number of new products on display. We are proud to post contingency money as a way to thank and give back to our customers.”

When asked his overall opinion of the PDRA thus far in its inaugural, Sousley had this to say:

“I would have to say that the PDRA is doing very well. I have enjoyed working with [PDRA Race Director] Bob Harris – he seems to be very grounded, very honest and easy to work with. I have also been doing some work for some of the PDRA owners and they have also been very good to work with. Basically I feel that the PDRA is made up of a good bunch of people, both competitors and sanctioning body officials and I have really enjoyed being around them and working with them.”

On their web site can be found what can best be described as a mission statement. This really says it all where this industry leading operation is concerned.

Every PRO-FAB header is a work-of-art, meticulously crafted in our shop by the PRO-FAB team. PRO-FABrication has serviced the racing industry’s needs for nearly two decades by providing unparalleled components and customer service to race teams, engine builders and individuals alike, turning their dreams into reality. We are dedicated to providing the best quality product, with the highest quality materials, at the best price.

Article by: Brian Wood