Take Five With Kyle Tucker

Former GM Engineer and Founder of Detroit Speed Discusses Performance Aftermarket Manufacturing in the Modern Era

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Engineers notoriously know at least six or seven workable answers to any question put in front of them. What separates a good engineer from an okay one is the ability to recognize which of those options is the best answer. But Kyle Tucker isn’t merely a good engineer he’s a great one, and that greatness lies in his ability to get to the ideal answer quickly, turn it into a tangible and practical product, and deliver that with almost insane efficiency, into the hands of consumers. Tucker grew up on a farm in Missouri and attended what is now Missouri University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Rolla. It was a must, while studying mechanical engineering, that he meets Mark Stielow. Yes, that Mark Stielow, the guy whose series of first-generation Camaros have set the standard for Pro-Touring cars for more than a quarter-century.

Alongside Stielow, Tucker started his career at General Motors working in development at the Milford Proving Ground. But while corporate life has its rewards, he had his eyes on something different. Moving on his passion for Detroit iron, he began developing parts for a 1969 Camaro he was building in his garage at home. The passion quickly became a business, with customers wanting his custom-designed components. With the help of those early customers, Detroit Speed Inc. was born.

It used to be if you wanted to make your muscle-era monster get around a corner, you grab-bagged some shocks and springs and hoped for a miracle. Kyle Tucker is one of the pioneering people who changed that.

Oh yeah, Detroit Speed is now located in Mooresville, North Carolina.

HRM] How long has Detroit Speed been around now?