Greg Weld has been making car wheels in Kansas City for more than three decades, so forgive us if he just caught our attention this year when Sean "P. Diddy" (at the time) Combs announced that he wanted to work with Weld's company to design a line of custom wheels. "Wheels have become a fashion statement -- a badge of taste and style," the rap mogul and clothing designer told reporters at the New York International Auto Show in March. "We see an opportunity to bring excitement to the wheel category by delivering the Sean John sophisticated design with the best-quality production." Weld started building his own wheels back when he was a race-car driver himself -- he was the youngest rookie ever to race in the Indianapolis 500 -- but he gave up that life to help others perform better in the fast lane, building "stronger, lighter and truer wheels for both on and off the racetrack," according to company literature. Now, with 400 employees (most of them right here in town) and company revenues reportedly between $50 million and $100 million, Weld Wheel Industries produces gorgeous forged-alloy wheels for race cars as well as regular cars, trucks and motorcycles. They're sparkly, sexy and hot. Diddy knows that, and now the whole city should, too.
