Founder Mark Nickels started what has become Nickels Performance Warehouse as a car-savvy 14 year old in 1962. His automotive knowledge formed the cornerstone of Nickels Performance. While Transtar Industries, Inc. (Cleveland, OH) purchased the business in 1994, Nickels Performance remains committed to its historic foundation of providing highly-experienced, technically superior service to its customers.

Nickels Performance services Parts Pro retailers in Maryland, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, plus portions of Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky and Louisiana. "Service" is the most important word at Nickels Performance, reflecting the commitment to provide its Parts Pro affiliated retailers with the products and services to build profitability.

Nickels Performance is a full-line distributor of performance parts and accessories. However, the warehouse specializes in motorsports-related hard parts and other products. It caters to the racing retailer, engine builder, chassis shop and the trackside service specialist. All 15 sales personnel are experienced in some facet of motorsports competition, including six drag racers and two circle track racers.