Speedmaster has appointed Fredrick (Rick) Roberts PhD as North American Director of Engineering. Roberts served 28 years as Edelbrock's Director of Engineering and played an integral role in the development of their EFI, cylinder head, and intake manifold programmes.

From Caltech to the Aftermarket

Roberts received his PhD in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology and began his career at IBM. His direction changed when a passion for cars drew him to the automotive aftermarket.

"I left a good-paying mechanical engineering job to work for what was then a head porting company, Air Flow Research. It was at AFR where I got a first-class education on cylinder heads. I became partners with AFR in the purchase of Brownfield Company, the first aftermarket manufacturer to produce a small block Chevy aluminium cylinder head." - Rick Roberts

28 Years at Edelbrock

After three years at AFR, Roberts' work caught the attention of Vic Edelbrock Jr. In 1991, he was appointed Director of Engineering - a title he held for over 28 years.

"While at Edelbrock, I participated in a variety of projects including the first Edelbrock Pro-flo EFI system, the development of an entire line of street performance cylinder heads, and various pure race cylinder heads and manifolds." - Rick Roberts

In 2019, Roberts founded Roberts Automotive Consultants, working on projects ranging from a V10 LS engine block and heads to pre-runner suspension components.

Why Speedmaster

Roberts' name surfaced repeatedly during Speedmaster's search for a Director of Engineering - both from candidates and industry colleagues.

"The fact that someone of Rick's calibre chose Speedmaster over so many other performance brands speaks for itself." - Tim Kawasaki, Deputy CEO

"In early 2022, I was approached by Tim Kawasaki of Speedmaster to discuss refining their existing product line, helping them develop new products, and mentoring young talent. For me, this is a welcome return to a similar role I had at Edelbrock and, ironically, with a similar opportunity to participate in the development of a strong brand offering the best in aftermarket performance engine parts. I look to the future with great optimism." - Rick Roberts

Roberts is the second PhD to join the Speedmaster team. His appointment supports the company's goal of reaching 85% Made in USA by 2025, with a track-proven engineering leader now directing product development.

"We live our vision statement every day - trusted and respected for its people and products globally. The addition of Rick to our team is one of many examples of this." - Tim Kawasaki, Deputy CEO

About Speedmaster

Founded in 1979, Speedmaster is a vertically integrated performance company delivering complete, engineered performance systems across engines, drivetrain, and forced induction. With more than 500 employees across three continents and over 25,000 parts designed, engineered, and manufactured in-house, Speedmaster operates as a unified brand built on engineering precision, long-term thinking, and measurable results. Learn more at speedmaster79.com.