People Places & Racing News

SEMA Hall of Fame Member Ray Lipper Passes Away

By SEMA Editors

Ray Lipper
Ray Lipper

Ray Lipper, 2002 SEMA Hall of Fame inductee and founder of Center Line Wheel Corp., located in Santa Fe Springs, California, has passed away. 

Lipper built a name for himself and his company based on his background as a designer and engineer. He recognized the need for a stronger racing wheel and went to work creating numerous wheels for the industry.

Lipper produced some of the lightest and strongest one-piece wheels in the industry, from his first attempt, known as the Auto Drag, to his development of the technique for using a single blank that can be split and spun into a one-piece wheel.

Center Line is credited with being the first wheel manufacturing company to produce a modular aftermarket wheel for Harley-Davidson, and the first to develop and manufacture a wheel using a rotary forging process. Lipper and his engineers at Center Line also developed and produced the wheels for the Spirit of America land-speed record car.

Funeral information is not available at this time.