ASRock, as per the lore passed down to me by a former coworker, started as a low cost, second line, for ASUS.

They would just throw crazy mobos together, often with new technologies and new types of components, to test the reaction of the markets. If a particular feature or design was well accepted, ASUS would improve it, repackage it and sell main brand boards with it.

Apparently, at some point, the brand became so popular it was spun-off and became a company on its own.

I have very good experience with their products.