Braking Power for Racers and Recreational Riders/Drivers
Larry Mills and his family have spent more than three decades building DP Brakes into a performance-driven, rider-first brand. Host Heather Wilson Schiltz sits down with Larry to explore the family history behind DP Brakes, the aviation roots that shaped its technology, and why being present at the track still matters in today’s digital world.
Larry shares what actually goes into producing a high-quality brake pad, why sintered metal technology remains the gold standard, and how DP Brakes balances performance, durability and rider feel across motorcycles, ATVs, and UTVs.
The conversation also dives into sponsorship from a brand perspective, long-standing racer relationships, and what Larry looks for when deciding who to support. It’s an honest, technical, and relationship-driven look at how one company has earned decades of trust in motorsports.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:
• How Larry’s father’s work with Dunlop Tires led to the founding of DP Brakes in North America
• The aviation roots behind DP’s sintered metal brake pad technology
• What actually goes into designing and manufacturing a brake pad
• Why ceramic backing plates matter for heat management and brake feel
• How DP Brakes balances performance, longevity and real-world conditions
• Why Larry prioritizes being at races
• How racer feedback directly influences R&D and product improvement
• What brands really look for when sponsoring racers
• Why loyalty and long-term relationships still matter in motorsports
• Where DP Brakes is focusing its growth heading into 2026
📲 Connect with Larry Milles on Instagram
🌐 Learn more about DP Brakes:
Website: https://www.dp-brakes.com
Instagram
Facebook
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“With the sintered metal brake pad, you can stop and they perform it in all conditions — not only in wet, dry, cold, hot — they work in every condition. And our process is different than all the others because of the furnace that we use and technology that we use.
And we also apply a ceramic backing to the back plate too, which also helps the performance, because it keeps that heat within the pad and the rotor so you don’t get any brake fade. And another key feature to our materials is that there’s about six to eight different materials depending on which brake pad it is.
But the key to our success is you don’t get any noise because of the graphites that we use in there. So you don’t get that brake squeal. You don’t get any brake dust, which is huge.”
-Larry Mills, DP Brakes North America President
