Carquest

American automotive parts chain

The Carquest marketing alliance and distribution network was formed in 1974 by O. Temple Sloan of General Parts, Dan Bock of Bobro Products, and Joe Hughes of Indiana Parts Warehouse. In response to competition from high volume retail stores, Sloan believed "that programmed distribution through a cooperative alliance would be the most effective means to remain competitive." According to a 1994 Bangor Daily News article, the company was "made up of 14 distributing companies operating 64 Carquest Auto Parts Stores throughout the United States" at that time. O. Temple Sloan Jr. started General Parts in 1961. Founding member Bobro was later sold to White Plains Automotive in 1984 and renamed B. W. P. Distributors. BWP was later acquired by Advance Auto in 2012. Dan Bock later served as president of Carquest. Founding member Indiana Parts Warehouse was acquired by the third founder General Parts in 1991. Indiana Parts had served 90 locations. Carquest acquired Worldpac in 2004, but kept its operations separate. General Parts received $258 million in 2011 for selling 33 of the company’s distribution centers and office buildings in a long term sale leaseback deal. In December 2012, Advance Auto Parts acquired warehouse distributor B. W. P. Distributors, which supplied the Northeastern United States. On October 16, 2013 it was announced that Carquest would be acquired by Advance Auto Parts, Inc in an all cash transaction estimated at approximately $2 billion dollars. The deal was finalized on January 3, 2014. Carquest members now include Advance Auto Parts, Automotive Warehouse of Hawaii, CAP Warehouse of Nevada, and Muffler Warehouse of Idaho. In 2021, Advance Auto Parts announced plans to open retail stores under the Carquest name.

WorldPac was formed in 1995 by the merger of WorldWide Trading Corp. (WWTC) and Imported Parts and Accessories (IMPAC). WORLDPAC, which specializes in providing hard to find aftermarket parts for imported vehicles, was acquired by Carquest in 2004 The event took place annually in February and aired on Fox Sports 1. On September 9, 2007, the two companies announced Casey Mears will drive the No. 5 Kellogg's/Carquest Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. In 2008, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Mark Martin, a seasoned veteran would be driving the car in 2009. Carquest continued to sponsor Mark Martin in 2010 and 2011. Carquest Auto Parts has primary sponsor placement in eight points races on the No. 5 Chevrolet driven by Mark Martin during the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Carquest Auto Parts joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2002 as an associate sponsor of Chevrolets driven by Ricky Hendrick in the NASCAR Busch Series. The relationship carried over to the following season, resulting in a NASCAR Busch Series championship with driver Brian Vickers, and has since transitioned into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The company sponsored the Carquest Bowl from 1994 to 1997. The company sponsored three time IHRA Drag Racing Top Fuel Champion Paul Romine from 1997–2004 and from 2001 2004 was associated with the No. 2 Team ASE NASCAR Craftsman Truck driven by Scott Riggs and Jason Leffler. It also sponsored NHRA drag races from 2003 2007. Most recently the company sponsored the #92 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford driven by David Gilliland as part of a one race deal in which Carquest adorned the hood and Black's Tire adorned the side. In 2022, Advance Auto Parts entered an exclusive partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which made Carquest an official auto parts retailer for the team.