Meet Ricardo Saldana of Kingdom Motorsport

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ricardo Saldana.

Ricardo, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I been mechanically inclined all of my life. When I was a kid all I ever talked about was cars, I worked with dad when I was younger he rebuilt Starters & Alternators for cars so naturally I was a good fit. Lol I would go with him every day and get paid a dollar for helping out. It was a learning experience for me and it was some of the best times of my life back then because I was with my dad every day. I eventually wound up getting a job at a part store when I was 17 years old and slowly progressed into becoming a mechanic with Firestone. That’s where I learned how to install tires, so I just stuck with it. I didn’t like the environment that I was in while I worked there because everything was so negative and I seen some really good workers get fired for a really dumb reason, so I left to find something else.

I was driving down South Wabash street (McCormick Place Area) one day and came across a Tire shop that was looking for a technician, so I stopped in and filled out an app. The owner Sid came to the counter and asked if he could help me and I said I was inquiring about the sign in the window, He said “Do you know how to mount tires?” I said yes, I used to work for Firestone. He said “Fill this out and come out to the service area” I was hired on the spot and I started the following Monday.

Municipal Tire was the name of the place and they we’re in business since 1924 in the same location. It was a family owned company and they we’re “The Best in the Business!” I started off as a General Service technician and slowly worked my way up to Wholesale Sales. I was given the opportunity to become a salesman by Sid’s eldest son Mike who is my best friend to this day. Had it not been for Mike believing in me and my skill, I wouldn’t be here where I am today! He taught me everything from A to Z and I learned more and more as the years went on.

I worked for other wholesale distributors/wheel manufacturers and even got to travel to South America, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Argentina and many other countries and states to sell custom wheels until I lost my job.

That was a bad 4 year period of my life, but losing my job and everything that meant the world to me at that time was a lesson that I had to learn to eventually make me the individual I am today!

I worked for a shop in Joliet for a few years and eventually got fed up and decided to open up my very own custom shop.

Has it been a smooth road?
It’s never a smooth road when you do your own thing! Lol

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Kingdom Motorsport story. Tell us more about the business.
Kingdom Motorsport specializes in Tires, Custom Wheels, Suspension Lifts, Leveling kits and Accessories for cars and trucks! We are known for some of the BEST DEALS on Tire and Custom Wheel Packages! I am proud to see some of the feedback from our customer base because it shows that our customer service is second to none. We are the shop that sells what the other guys don’t and do what the other guys are afraid of doing!

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Our industry is constantly evolving with new products and services every year. Kinda hard to figure out where it’s going as far as trends, all I know is everyone wants new wheels and tires every year.

Contact Info:

• Address: 13957 East Illinois Hwy (Unit 5)
  New Lenox, IL 60451
• Website: www.kingdommotorsport.com
• Phone: 815-320-6262
• Email: kingdommotorsport@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingdom_motorsport/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingdommotorsport/
• Yelp: Kingdom Motorsport

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