The success of RPM Racing Engines started over 30 years ago, with Rick Paya, a young engine apprentice at Keefer Engines. Owner John Keefer, known for his knowledge and design of performance racing motors, saw the talent and drive in Rick, began passing on his vast knowledge of the racing and racing engine industry.
In the early 90’s, while working full time as a contract mechanic, Rick took his passion for speed and race cars to the next level, with a start up company named Tricky Racing Engines. Calling on his mentor’s knowledge and his own drive for perfection, the pursuit of the perfect racing power plant began.
News spread quickly through the northeastern racing circuit of a new aggressive engine builder. The Busch North Racing Team of Lamell Lumber was quick to bring in Rick as crew chief and carbuilder. Proving to be one of the most successful combinations in northeast circle track racing.
Already known for his engines, Rick also became a leader in fabrication and car handling. The demand for his winning engines and knowledge consumed the majority of his spare time. After years of racing success, it was time to take his part time projects to a full time race engine manufacturing business.
On a residential hillside in Georgia Vermont, Rick opened his new facility, where many of his power plants originated and have been distributed to some of the most successful and famous names in the New England racing series. Soon racing teams from across New England and Canada were traveling hours to gain some of Rick’s racing knowledge and to purchase a dominant engine. With the constant demand for Tricky Racing Engines, the need for a larger production facility was apparent.
The 1998 completion of Rick’s new facility, located on 331 Carpenter Hill Road, brought a new drive and attitude to the racing engine company. Rick wanted to use the new energy and elevate to a new level…and “RPM Racing Engines” is born.
In 2000 RPM Racing Engines was named one of the most successful machine shops in New England by Circle Track Magazine. Catapulting RPM has one of the leading sources in the high performance engine industry, with a complete machine shop and the only facility in New England that houses an engine and chassis dyno.
In an effort to bring new innovations and race inspired performance products and services to his one of a kind business, Rick took on another challenge and rejoined the #32 ACT Late Model team of Jean Paul Cyr as acting Crew Chief in 2002. This allowed him to continue the research and development process on current power plants and performance products to expand the benefits of his customers. With this research, new state of the art machines were added to RPM Racing Engines to execute these new techniques and innovations.
Recognizing the ever changing challenges and demands of motorsports, Rick began looking for even more ways to bring his racing and business to a new level. In the closing of the 2006 racing season, Rick purchased the race team from Jean-Paul Cyr and established RPM Motorsports. With this new responsibility, Rick became even more eager to bring new ideas and concepts to RPM Motorsports and RPM Engines. In the fall of 2006 Rick broke ground at his current establishment for the new RPM Motorsports shop. By spring of 2007, the 2,800 square foot shop of RPM Motorsports was completed and in full operation.
In 2007 the RPM Motorsports team – #32 Jean-Paul Cyr took their fifth consecutive ACT championship with a total of 7 ACT Championships overall. This has placed Jean-Paul Cyr and RPM Motorsports in the record books as the only driver/team to beat Robbie Crouch’s all time record in the American Canadian Tour series.
Going into 2008 Rick joined forces with local tracks to build a crate engine program and foundation for their racing series. Rick’s knowledge and dedication to grassroot racing brought RPM to a new level, finishing out 2010 with 10 tracks with RPM’s exclusive crate engine programs.
Turning into 2009 brought great change and excitement to the RPM Motorsports program. Jean-Paul Cyr decided to leave the racing series to dedicate more time to his family and focus on the family business. With this Rick partnered with long time racing champion Brian Hoar to take over the seat left by Jean-Paul. Brian brought great strength to the team with a record to date of 26 ACT wins rounding out the 2010 year. In addition, the RPM Motorsports / Brain Hoar combo clinched the 2009 ACT Championship and the 2010 ACT Championship – tying the all time championships won by Jean-Paul Cyr. The 2011 year builds even more excitement with this duo once again competing within the Amercian Canadian Tour series – looking towards a record breaking 8th championship.
RPM – Rick’s Performance & Machining and RPM Motorsports has now become an established and successful business by the hard work and dedication by Rick Paya. Rick continues to look for other avenues to bring his business to the next level.
If you would like more information on RPM / RPM Motorsports please visit our site again as we will update information periodically. If you are ever in the area, stop by… Rick would love to give you a tour.
