Hawk Disc Pads and Brake Shoes

Hawk Performance: Race-Born Braking for the Street and Track

Hawk Performance has been one of the most respected names in friction technology since its founding in 1991. Disc brake pad sets are the heart of the Hawk lineup, but the brand's story begins well before any product hit the shelves. Born out of frustration on the circle track, Hawk was created when executives at Wellman Friction Products — a company with deep roots in severe-duty friction manufacturing for aerospace, military, and industrial applications — couldn't find brake compounds capable of meeting their own racing demands. The result was a purpose-built performance brake brand whose DNA traces directly back to some of the most demanding friction environments on earth.

That motorsports heritage is more than a marketing story. Hawk Performance has earned recognition as an official brake product for organizations including the National Auto Sport Association and the SCCA, among others, and its friction compounds have accumulated more motorsports championships than those of any other friction manufacturer. The engineering behind every compound — from street-oriented HPS and HPS 5.0 formulations to aggressive DTC-series racing compounds — reflects decades of dynamometer testing and real-world racing feedback. In fact, Hawk operates an extensive R&D department equipped with 23 dynamometers and friction science expertise at the PhD level, ensuring that advances on the track translate into meaningful improvements for everyday drivers.

For enthusiasts who want a complete braking overhaul, Hawk's disc brake rotors round out the friction equation. The Talon line of cross-drilled and slotted rotors is engineered specifically to complement Hawk pad compounds, optimizing heat dissipation and improving wet-weather stopping confidence. For those who prefer a single-purchase solution, disc brake pad and rotor sets bundle matched components so pads and rotors are broken in and bedded together as a system from day one.

Hawk also recognizes that a high-performance pad and rotor combination is only as good as the hydraulic system behind it. Their brake fluid line — including the HP520, HP600, and HP660 formulations — is specifically engineered for the elevated thermal demands that high-performance friction materials generate, helping to maintain consistent pedal feel and pressure transfer even under track-day heat cycles. For drivers ready to step up their entire stopping system in one move, the disc brake upgrade kits offer a curated, vehicle-specific path to noticeably sharper braking response.

Whether you drive a muscle car, import tuner, heavy-duty truck, or dedicated track build, Hawk Performance offers a compound and configuration matched to your specific application — making it one of the few brake brands that genuinely bridges the gap between championship racing and confident daily driving.