About us
Powerhouse Racing (PHR) leads the industry in product development and design, bringing reliability and quality to every product. Through individualized manufacturing, PHR invests in consistently evolving, top-of-the-line products. We are dedicated to creating products that hold value while pushing boundaries. Our specific expertise with Toyota and Lexus cars allows PHR to serve the needs of a varied and demanding customer base on an international scale.
PHR has developed a reputation for manufacturing and developing products that work well together, providing a union of power and reliability never seen before in the import performance market. Our established brand background and high quality products and services deliver customer-oriented results that challenge the status quo of what a car can be. For those seeking the highest in quality and reliability both on and off the racetrack, look no further than the PHR product line.
History of Powerhouse Racing
Powerhouse Racing was created in December of 1994 by company founder Jarrett Humphreys. However, the “Racing” attachment did not come about immediately; in fact it was not until 1998 that an actual racing division was created. For the first four years, Powerhouse, as it was then known, made a name in the import performance industry with its Non Turbo Toyota Supra creations during a time of growing import demand. At a time when many tuners were just beginning to understand the inner workings of the Toyota Supra Twin Turbo, Powerhouse was busy developing and marketing the very first turbo conversion kit for the Non Turbo Supra. In fact, for a short while, Powerhouse had constructed the quickest Toyota Supra in North America, running an 11.41 at 129 MPH during prototype testing in May of 1996. Word of this record setting time spread among the import world, eventually leading to publication of the car in Street Power magazine in late 1998. Not only had the record been set by a Supra in full street legal trim, but it had been done with a Non Turbo version.
Shortly after developing and marketing the very first turbo conversions for the Non Turbo Supra and creating an entire market for the Supra, Powerhouse turned its attention to the more popular Twin Turbo version. The team at Powerhouse worked hard through 1998 to develop and market such innovative new items as the now famous EGR block off plates, dual electric fans, and fuel system upgrade packages. In early 1999, Powerhouse started off its racing campaign with a bang. The team at Powerhouse took home 1st place prizes at the NOPI Import Drags inaugural event with its brand-new 1998 Supra. The 1998 Supra Turbo featured a full complement of Powerhouse products, including a PHR Single Turbo System, PHR Fuel System, PHR automatic transmission upgrade, and full stereo/video system. This car took 1st place honors at every race it attended during the 1999 season, concluding the season by setting the world record for a full street Supra once again at 9.91 seconds @ 145 MPH. It was the first Supra to break the 9-second barrier using all-factory driveline and suspension components, and went down in the history books as the quickest unibody import car of 1999. The “Racing” attachment had now become synonymous with Powerhouse, creating the brand name as it is known today. PHR took its success with the 1998 Supra and developed an extensive line of products to suit the Supra Twin Turbo market, expanding on the already popular product line. The race engine program grew by leaps and bounds, as customers worldwide began to realize the effectiveness and reliability of PHR-powered cars. Many of the items that grew out of need from our racing program filtered down to development in street use, and eventually made their way into the online catalog. Powerhouse Racing had once and for all established itself as the premier tuning company for the Toyota Supra in North America.
As 1999 began to come to a close, the team at Powerhouse Racing knew that the competition would be much tougher in the coming years. Therefore, a joint venture project was undertaken between MVP Motorsports and Powerhouse Racing in June of 2000; a venture that would set Powerhouse Racing at the top of the import racing world for many years to come. It was decided that a 1994 Supra would be dedicated to placing a street-class Supra into uncharted territory. After months of painstaking research and development, the Supra was ready for testing in May 2001. The results instantly spoke volumes about the Powerhouse Racing methodology: keep it simple, yet effective. Within three hours of testing, the Powerhouse Racing/MVP Motorsports Supra had not only set a new world record for a street class, stock suspension import, but had done so with relative ease on its first trip to the track. This record of 8.98 seconds at 154 MPH would not fall for over 13 months, as the competition attempted to catch up in terms of technology and power.
Increased horsepower is what research and development leads to - making horsepower as efficiently as possible while keeping the components as reliable as possible. The team at Powerhouse Racing is hard at work, dedicated to developing the products of the future. While the race cars of the past illustrate our dedication to the industry, our street cars of the future illustrate our determination to put quality above all else. Powerhouse Racing is a company that has experienced substantial growth, but has never forgotten its beginnings. By placing the customer first, the team at Powerhouse Racing continues to deliver the products and services many have come to count on through the years.