How did it all begin?
Est. 1983
Armadillo Racing Enterprises (ARE) was established in 1983 when the owner Andy Collins plunked down $35 hard earned bucks to become a dealer selling AMSOIL synthetic oil to his friends in the Pacific NW Racing Community. It quickly became apparent that there was a real need for a trackside supplier of racing fuel and parts, so in 1986, “Armadillo Andy” as he became known, searched out and located the Engine Research Company (ERC) racing fuel. Arguably the finest racing fuel in the west, ERC trusted ARE to represent their product and using an old 1966 Chevy Pick-up, Armadillo Andy started taking fuel and parts to the local sports car races.
As the business grew so did the need to change business structure so in 2006 Armadillo Racing Enterprises, a sole proprietorship, gave way to Armadillo Racing Incorporated (ARI) with Armadillo Andy operating the corporation as President and chief cook and bottle washer. Throughout the 1980’s into the 2000’s, ARI served circle track racers, drag races as well as sports car racing.
The core business is much the same today as it was in the beginning, serving the NW Racing community with the parts and fuels they need, when they need them, trackside on race weekends. Of course, there has been considerable growth in that service. Today road racers are service from a 28-foot trailer/showroom with a huge inventory of parts.
A picture of our store at Bremerton Raceway with our mural on the building done by Andy’s daughter Nicki.
After serving the drag racing community for 15 years at Bremerton Raceway, the operation was shut down due to low car counts and a general lack of business. As of 2020, Armadillo Racing will again be serving the drag racing community at Pacific Raceways in Kent, WA from the Proshop located behind the grandstands near the burnout area. Capitalizing on the experience at Bremerton Raceway, this unique store provides the kind of parts drag racers need from safety equipment (helmets, suits, and HANS devices) to Holley Jets, tire gages, dial-in marker NHRA Rule books and so much more. Essentially everything a drag racer would need to pass tech, setup the car and race safely.
We are committed to you, your racing and the racing community. Our staff has been involved in motorsports from autocrossing, road rallying to road racing, turn marshalling to club administration (including serving as Regional Executive of NW Region SCCA, President of the International Race Drivers Club, and currently Armadillo Andy serves as President of the Society of Vintage Racing Enthusiast (SOVREN). We have sponsored events, series, and teams including the NW Region SCCA Track Trials program, SOVREN vintage racing, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and numerous drag, motorcycle, go-kart, stock car and sports car events and series. For years Armadillo Racing has been a teaming partner with the ProFormance Racing School at Pacific Raceways as their official supplier of safety equipment
We understand racing because we are involved and as a result are ideally suited to help you with all your racing needs
