Company Profile

Photography and Article by Ling Ly

 

Group 5 Motorsport is an industry leading company serving motorsport Enthusiasts and those with a passion for modifying cars.  Group 5 provides excellent customer service and the highest quality merchandise at a very competitive price for all types of vehicles.

 

Group 5 Motorsport is well known amongst motorsport Enthusiasts throughout the United States. It has won many major awards for car shows and race events. It is also a sponsor of countless industry events and online communities such as myMBonline.com.

 

 

Group 5 has established relationships with almost every automotive aftermarket industry manufacturer, vendor, supplier, and various partners in the twelve (12) years it has been in business. Most services offered are performed in-house or clients can be referred to a network of many reputable partners they have established relationships with. All partners or referrals offer the same high level of integrity, customer service, and quality of work.

 

Group 5 provides the following services:

• Engine Assembly
• Turbocharging, Supercharging, and Nitrous Oxide Application
• Suspension Systems
• Bolt-on Performance Parts
• Lighting Accessories
• Aerodynamic Parts and Body Kits
• Wheel and Tire Packages
• Brake Systems and Components
• Drivers’ Gear such as Sparco, Momo, etc.
• Window Tinting
• Paintless Dent Removal

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Company Philosophy and Clientele

Group 5 Motorsport is built on five basic principles – honesty, integrity, a strong customer service culture, quality employees and solid market knowledge. This foundation combined with entrepreneurial spirit and long-term vision allows Group 5 to provide superior service for their present and future clients.

 

Group 5 Motorsport takes pride in providing the highest quality parts, installation, and customer service for discriminating owners, of not only high performance vehicles, but to any motorsport Enthusiast interested in modifying their cars.

 

 

At Group 5 Motorsport, success is measured by the results achieved for its clients. Over the years, Group 5 has expanded and diversified into different areas of the automotive aftermarket as the industry changes with the sole purpose of better servicing its clients.

 

Although Group 5 Motorsport has expanded and diversified in many different areas, the growth is not just about being the biggest but simply about servicing the clients’ needs. The main focus is on attention to detail and offering a clean, top notch facility with a professional appearance where the clients leave with full confidence and 100% satisfaction after every visit.

 

 

Group 5’s philosophy and principles have earned the trust, confidence, and business of many athletes and high profile clients.

 

Listed below are a few examples of past and present clientele.

• Ken Block – Co-Founder of DC Shoes
• Damon Way – Co-Founder of DC Shoes
• Bucky Lasek – Pro Skater
• Danny Way – Pro Skater
• Rob Dyrdek – Pro Skater
• Alphonso Rawls – Pro Skater
• Collin McKay – Pro Skater
• Willy Santos – Pro Skater
• Kien “Donger” Lieu – Pro Skater
• Robert Bejar – Actor
• Paul Walker – Actor
• Craig Lieberman – The Fast and the Furious
• JP Walker – Pro  Snowboarder
• Jeff Brushie – Pro Snowboarder
• Jeremy McGrath – Pro Motocross and Supercross Rider
• Ryan “Rhino” Hughes – Pro Motocross and Supercross Rider
• Eric Elegado – Real Estate
• Kevin Mitchell – Pro Baseball Player
• Ken Griffey, Jr. – Pro Baseball Player
• Tony Gwynn – Pro Baseball Player
• Femi Ayanbadejo – Pro Football Player
• Aaron Harang – Professional Baseball Player
• Marlon Mcree – Professional Football Player
• Pierre Luc Gagnon – Professional Skateboarder

 

The History of Group 5

Group 5 Motorsport was established by Banton (Ben) Ma and Troy Wilhite in 1996.

 

Ma and Wilhite established Group 5 because San Diego County lacked facilities that could provide professional and reliable customer service for the motorsport Enthusiast. The lack of performance shops in the region left plenty to be desired by many gear heads such as Wilhite himself. The already established businesses lacked the selection of quality aftermarket parts and/or lacked the level of customer service one would expect before, during, and after the purchase or installation of such aftermarket parts.

 

The emphasis on customer service has proven to be vital for Group 5. As of today, Group 5 is the lone ranger in a town where countless similar type businesses have come and gone by the wayside in those twelve years since opening its doors to the public.

 

Customer service -- the X-Factor that has allowed Group 5 to survive in such a cut-throat industry is also the motivation behind why Group 5 Motorsport was established as documented in the Q&A session later in this article.

 

In 1999, Ma moved on to pursue the racing goals of Group 5 in developing a sister company called Advanced Engine Breathing Systems, or better known to many today as AEBS. Wilhite, who was also the very first employee, acquired Group 5 and has continued to operate the business with the same simple philosophies developed twelve years ago while adapting to the ever changing automotive aftermarket industry.

 

 

Group 5 has a close knit employee base, some of which have been employed since establishment. As an example -- Albert Holman -- Group 5’s wholesale manager, has been employed at Group 5 since 1997. The amount of knowledge obtained and contacts established during his tenure has proved invaluable especially with today’s rapidly changing automotive technology. The contacts and relationships developed with many industry experts during that time is the difference between resolving difficult challenges presented to Group 5 by its clients versus sending potential clients home disappointed due to the lack of proven solutions or expertise needed to resolve such challenges.

 

A Look Into the Future

Today, Group 5 Motorsport holds many direct warehouse distributorships for companies such as Sparco, KW Suspensions, Suspension Techniques, Synapse Engineering, HRE Wheels, Neuspeed, Belltech, and many more.

 

Due to Group 5’s strong working relationship with its vendors and suppliers, the direction of its business is to enter the wholesale market to offer better service to smaller businesses while still providing the same high level of service to its existing motorsport Enthusiast clientele. This will improve the availability of difficult to obtain products, ensure prompt delivery of such products, and improve access to expert industry technical support for every Enthusiast.

 

 

Group 5 will continue with its current growth plan while adapting to the ever changing automotive aftermarket industry. Armed with the invaluable knowledge and abilities of their employees, Group 5 strives to accomplish the goals of continuing to provide exemplary service and the highest quality parts for its diverse clientele.

 

Q & A with Troy Wilhite, Owner of Group 5 Motorsport

 

myMBonline.com will be conducting an interview with the owner of Group 5 Motorsport, Troy Wilhite. He will provide some personal insight on why he chose to enter into this line of business and will provide some information on the heritage of the company most know as Group 5 Motorsport.

 

myMBonline: Troy, can please you tell us why Group5 was established?

 

Troy Wilhite: Group 5 Motorsport started shortly after meeting Ben Ma at a detail shop named Detail Works in San Diego. At the time, I had just stopped working at a local tuner shop. For the old school folks who might recall, the place was called Dillinger’s. They had gone out of business which left me with no other viable shop locally. Ben was part owner of the detail shop at the time and would notice my car (1995 BMW M3) had more modifications every time I dropped by so he proceeded to ask me where I got my work done.

 

 

myMBonline: So where did you purchase your mods and who installed them on your car if there were no shops locally?

 

Troy Wilhite: I explained to him that I had to drive over 100 miles to LA to get mods done or buy parts since there were no tuning shops in San Diego that offered the selection of parts or level of service I expected. This must have sparked something in Ben’s mind because the next time I showed up at the detail shop, he asked me if there was a need for a good tuner shop in San Diego. I obviously answered, “Yes”, and he then asked if I would be interested in working for him if he opened one.

 

At that time I had my own business dealing with saltwater reef tanks which involved sourcing the corals and organisms from the Sea of Cortez so I informed Ben I could only work three days a week. From 1996 to early 1999, I worked for Ben and we established Group 5 Motorsport.

 

myMBonline: Many of us have heard about Group 5’s successes and achievements back in the heyday of Import Racing and the show scene. The industry has obviously evolved into what it is today. Please tell us more about the history of the company and how you have contributed to those past achievements.

 

 

Troy Wilhite: We were mainly an Asian Import tuning shop with some emphasis on European (my M3!). I was basically the only Euro salesperson on staff. During the time Ben owned Group 5, there were many great things that were accomplished — (Some of which are listed below or mentioned later in this interview).

 

I have always been a car nut so, during the time I worked for Ben, I started going to car shows. Not only to attend but to compete. I was disappointed after attending my first show where we did not even place. When I got home, it was on! We promptly supercharged my M3, had La Jolla Audio do full Audio/Video/Playstation (the Playstation was way back when only one or two others had done this) and modded everything on the car within my budget.

 

 

After that, we started to place at every single event entered, placing first in many of them. We continued to consistently win the Euro division from 1997-2002. Group 5 Motorsport and I monopolized the Euro division by winning almost every event during that time period. We had more trophies than I could ever imagine. That success placed the M3 in the Import Showoff EXC class where we were up against ALL of the wild sponsored show cars whereas our car was funded out of pocket with our own money. The only thing the M3 was ever sponsored for were Michelin tires. We somehow managed to consistently compete and place 2nd and 3rd multiple times in a division where we were huge underdogs. (See list in accomplishments section).

 

 

We also had a 1996 Honda Civic DX where we did a complete Spoon motor swap and basically did EVERYTHING Spoon offered — plus a Zeal body kit and a full Audio/Video setup from La Jolla Audio. The entire interior was redone to include Sparco front seats and matching fabric for the rear seats. This car took home many awards and was featured in multiple magazine articles until it was retired and sold to the next owner. Many will still remember the vivid purple metallic Civic with Volk III wheels and the yellow Spoon valve cover peering out of the engine bay.

 

 

Next up was the itch to get into racing. Group 5 Motorsport built an All-Motor naturally aspirated Honda CRX that competed with Skunk2 for the fastest All-Motor FWD Honda. Driven by Roger Sangco, we started off running in the high 12-second range and, over time, we were able to get the car down to a then record setting pass of 10.951 seconds at 119.62 MPH!  We continued to battle back and forth with Skunk2 with both teams setting world records along the way until we finally retired the car.

 

myMBonline: We’ve noticed Group 5 has accomplished quite a bit with Asian Imports in the past. How has Group 5 evolved in these changing times?

 

Troy Wilhite: As time went on, we changed our focus to adapt to industry changes.  We’ve moved to a more even blend between Euro and Asian imports as Euro’s become more popular amongst Enthusiasts. Those same Enthusiasts, who were the heart and soul of the Asian Import industry, have shifted into the European scene bringing with them a similar culture and knack for modifying their newly acquired cars. That includes Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and VW just to name a few.

 

 

myMBonline: The list of past and present clientele is quite impressive. Some shops will name drop every chance they get if a high profile client steps through their door to buy little things, say, air fresheners. Give us some examples regarding the detail of work that Group 5 has been entrusted to do or have done in the past to some of these high profile client cars.

 

 

Troy Wilhite: We have numerous high profile clients who have come to us with high performance European cars wanting to squeeze even more performance out of their cars.

 

A prime example is Danny Way (Pro Skater for those who are clueless) and brother, Damon Way (Co-founder of DC Shoes). They both happen to be frequent customers of ours. Danny will leave his car with us for days or weeks at a time while he is on tour so that he can have something new to play with once he returns. We recently did a complete makeover of his M3 where we installed a VF supercharger kit, Brembo brakes, Vorsteiner carbon fiber body parts, HRE Wheels, and KW Coilover suspension to name a few.

 

 

One car and client that might be of particular interest to the members of myMBonline is the notorious matte black Brabus Rocket CLS belonging to Ken Block of DC Shoes. It just so happens to be sitting in one of our work bays right now waiting to have some work done to it. I cannot disclose the full details of the work being done but let’s just say Mr. Block drives the car the way it is supposed to be driven. (Have you guys seen his flying Subaru videos??) Well, sometimes the result of that enthusiasm mixed with off-road adventures does not produce the prettiest of results. Rest assured, his car will be back to its original condition in no time and could be featured for a future article on myMBonline. BTW, Ling is going to kill me for spoiling the surprise but the cat is now out of the bag! =P

 

Another car we’ve worked on that has some name recognition is Craig Lieberman’s Audi RS4. (Craig Lieberman, for those not familiar, is/was a consultant for the movie “The Fast and the Furious” – yeah he is the one responsible for starting the craze – and was also the owner of the orange Toyota Supra in the movie.) We did the installation of the KW Variant 3 coilover suspension, Milltek exhaust, and various Hotchkis suspension components for a tech feature in Modified Luxury and Exotics magazine.

 

 

Then, of course, there are various cars we’ve worked on that most myMBonline members are familiar with. Both of the C55’s on BBS LM’s, KW Variant 2 coilovers, and Euroteck carbon fiber front lips (Ling and Ken’s) were done by Group 5. Ali’s silver E55, that was part of the photoshoot done by Ling in May was completely modified by us as well along with Mike La’s S55 just to name a few. The 2008 CL550 build-up was also another car we recently modified.

 

myMBonline: Well, there you have it folks. If you all have any questions for Troy, please feel free to post them up in the comments thread for this article located here. Otherwise, if you're in the area, don't hesitate to swing by Group 5 and pay the guys a visit. Address info is listed below.

 

Industry Awards and Achievements

 

Not only has Group 5 Motorsport earned the respect of their clients, but also the respect of manufacturers and national publications.

 

Articles about Group 5 have appeared in the following magazines:

• VW Jetta – Euro Tuner
• VW R32 – Euro Tuner
• BMW M3 – Max Power, Car Audio Magazine, Showoff Magazine, and the cover of Car Audio Magazine.
• Nissan 240SX – Cover of Import Tuner
• Orange CRX – Turbo and High Performance
• Road Race CRX – Honda Tuning December 2005. Won 1st and 3rd place at the Redline Time Attack.
• 96 Spoon Honda Civic DX H/B – Super Street, Car Audio & Electronics, Import Showoff Magazine, Import Tuner, Max Power Magazine, Super Street Magazine, TMR Magazine
• 93 Mazda RX-7 with LS-6 Corvette engine swap Modified Mag March 2009
• 03 Audi A4 Eurotuner July 2009
• 80 Toyota Celica with turbocharged Toyota Tacoma engine 1999 Sport Compact Car
• 06 Audi RS4 June 2007 Modified Luxury and Exotics

 

Group 5’s participation in car shows and major events have earned us the following awards:

• Battle of the Imports, Nov. 96 - Bracket 3 1st place
• Import Showoff, Oct. 97 - Vendor Auto 1st place
• Import Showoff, Nov. 97 - Euro Exotic 1st place
• Import Showoff, Nov. 97 - Accord 1st place
• TMR, 98 - Best Retail Shop
• V-Tecnik Show - Accord 2nd place
• PIRA Import Challenge, Apr. 98 - Luxury Category 1st place
• Import Show Off, Santa Clara, May 98 - Best Sedan
• Import Show Off, July. 98 - Euro Exotic 1st place
• Majestic Summer, 98 - Old School 1st place
• PIRA Import Challenge, Aug. 98 - Euro 2nd place
• PIRA Import Challenge, Aug. 98 - Best of Show
• Import Showoff, Nov. 98 - Euro Exotic 1st place
• Import Showoff, Nov. 98 - Vendor 1st place
• Hot Import Nights, 98 - Hottest Euro 1st place
• Hot Import Nights, 98 - Hottest 2 Door 1st place
• Import Autorama, Jan. 99 - Honda/Acura Sedan 1st place
• Import Showoff EXC "Best of the Best", Anaheim - 9th place
• Max Speed/Meguiar’s Hottest Car in California - Individual 2nd place
• Hot Import Daze, Long Beach, May 99 - Mild Division 3rd place, Hottest European Car
• Import Showoff, Pomona - Custom Showoff Auto
• Hot Import Nights, Long Beach, Jun. 99 - Mild Division 1st place, Hottest European Car
• BF Goodrich Import Nationals, Pasadena, Jun. 99 - Euro 1st place
• Import Showoff, San Jose, Jul. 99 - Custom Auto Showoff
• Goodtimes Motorsport, San Diego, Aug. 99 - Luxury 3rd place
• Hot Import Nights, Long Beach, Oct. 99 - 2 Door Mild 1st place
• Import Showoff, Del Mar, Oct. 99 - Euro 2nd Place
• Import Showoff Classic "Best of the Best" Finals Top 10, Anaheim, Dec. 99 - EXC Class 7th place
• Hot Import Nights, Feb. 00 - Hottest Euro
• Shoreline Showoff, Long Beach, Apr. 00 - EXC Class 3rd place, Meguiar’s Best Paint Finish
• BF Goodrich Import Nationals, Costa Mesa, Apr. 00 - Best Euro
• BF Goodrich Import Nationals, Jun. 00 - Best Euro
• Import Showoff, Pomona, Jul. 00 - EXC Class 3rd place
• Import Autofest, Chula, Vista Oct. 00 - Luxury Class 3rd place
• Hot Import Daze, Irvine, Oct. 00 - Hottest Euro, Best in Car Entertainment
• Import Showoff EXC Finals Top 10, Anaheim, Dec. 00 - EXC 5th place
• Hot Import Nights, Del Mar, Jan. 01 - Hottest Euro, 2 Door Mild 1st place
• Flexivity Car Show, Mar. 01 - Pro Division 1st place
• Dub Entertainment Dub Fest, May 01 - Best BMW, Best Luxury
• Extreme Autofest, Pomona, May 02 - Best BMW
• Import Revolution, Anaheim, May 02 - Best Euro, Mild Class 2nd place
• Dubfest, Sept. 07  - Best Mercedes-Benz, 3rd Place
• ...and much more!

 

The list does not include the immense success of Group 5’s All-Motor CRX that set multiple world records for an All-Motor Front Wheel Drive vehicle.