21/07/2026
Thank you Mr. Engine!
Edward Justice Sr. (1921–2008) Founder’s Award
Edward "Ed" Justice Sr. was one of three brothers who became early pioneers in the automotive lubricant and fuel additive industry during the early 1950s. Alongside his brothers, Zeke and Gus, Ed helped build a company that would become one of the most recognized names in motorsports sponsorship and performance products. Long before their success, the Justice brothers were already involved in business as teenagers in their hometown of Paola, Kansas, developing the entrepreneurial spirit that would shape their future.
During World War II, Ed served in the U.S. Army Air Forces in England. After returning home, he and his brother Zeke went to work for legendary race car builder Frank Kurtis at Kurtis-Kraft, where they helped construct sprint cars and midget racers for oval-track competition. Outside of their regular jobs, the brothers spent evenings and weekends operating their own business, Justice Brothers Race Car Repair and Fabrication, while experimenting with lubricants and fuel additives designed to improve engine performance and durability.
Using the profits from selling one of the midget race cars they had built, the brothers founded Justice Brothers Inc. to manufacture and market their own line of automotive lubricants and additives. Each brother played a vital role in the company's success. Ed led sales and marketing, Gus managed the company's finances, and Zeke focused on product development and testing. Ed's outstanding salesmanship and marketing vision quickly propelled the company into the national spotlight.
Recognizing the promotional value of motorsports, Ed strategically aligned Justice Brothers with several of America's premier racing organizations, including NASCAR, the Championship Car circuit, the Indianapolis 500, and NHRA Drag Racing. Before long, Justice Brothers decals appeared on race cars across the country, while many of the sport's top drivers proudly represented the brand as company spokesmen.
One of the company's earliest and most significant successes came in 1950 when Johnny Parsons won the Indianapolis 500 driving a Justice Brothers-sponsored Kurtis-Kraft roadster. That same year, the Justice Brothers name appeared at NASCAR's Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, marking another milestone in the company's growing motorsports presence.
Soon afterward, Ed signed a promising young drag racer named Don Garlits to a sponsorship agreement. The partnership would become historic, as Justice Brothers became Garlits' very first corporate sponsor. As Garlits rose to become one of drag racing's greatest legends, the Justice Brothers name gained even greater recognition throughout the racing world.
Over the following decades, the company expanded its line of products while supporting countless championship-winning drivers and teams across multiple forms of motorsports. The Justice Brothers brand became synonymous with quality, performance, and racing excellence.
Today, the legacy established by Ed Justice Sr., Zeke, and Gus continues through the leadership of Ed's son, Edward Justice Jr. Their company remains a respected name in the automotive lubricant industry, carrying forward a tradition of innovation, integrity, and unwavering support for motorsports that has endured for more than seven decades.
