Inside the Industry: TopSpeed Motorsports - R35 GT-R - GT-R Life
~ Business Profile
Name: TopSpeed Motorsports aka TSM
Leadership: Cicio (Owner/CEO), Doug (Master Tech/Master Tuner)
Support Staff: Ryan Doi (Sales Manager), Mike Adams (Sales Consultant)
Customer Service: Mark (Customer Relationship Manager)
Location: Atlanta GA
Shop Focus: Racing
Shop Accolades: 3X 1 Lap of America Champs; TX2K 2013 Winners
Capacity: 8,000 sqft
Best Way To Reach Out: Phone, text, Facebook, GTR Life PM System, GTR Life Posts,Community Events
Website:TSM TopSpeed Motorsports // High Performance Cars Custom Modifications
Shop Car: 2010 GT-R (2X One Lap Winner) & 2013 Black Edition
-Specs (2010 One Lap Champ):Dyno: AWD Dynojet
- TSM 3.8 Road Race Engine
- TSM Head Package (Stock Cams)
- TSM Pro Eight Turbos
- AMS Downpipes
- TSM Y-Pipe
- TSM Custom Single Exhaust
- TSM Catch Can System
- Boost Logic IC Piping
- Boost Logic Intakes
- Boost Logic Intercooler
- TSM Front Splitter
- TSM Rear Wing
- Bride Seats
- TSM Roll Bar
- Volk G2 Wheels
- Michelin PSS Tires
- JRZ Suspension (Custom TSM Valving)
- Dodson Control Arms (Front)
- Password JDM Fenders
Shop Animal: Wrath
Liability Insurance: Yes
Business Summary:
Located in Atlanta Georgia, Top Speed Motorsports is a top tier racing shop with Engineering, Tuning, Manufacturing and Procurement capabilities. The business has served the greater enthusiast community for almost two decades with half of that time being dedicated to GT-Rs. Their facility is well kept, modern and appealing to motorsport enthusiasts. The TSM staff is professional, engaging and genuinely passionate about what they do. TSM's core focus is racing and the introduction of products meant to withstand the punishment of track driving. TSM has a solid reputation for delivering results and is widely considered as one of the industry's leading Tuning Houses. In turn, if you are serious about pushing your GT-R or quite frankly, Evo, Lambo, Porsche, Ferrari, etc. to the next level, TopSpeed Motorsports is worth serious consideration.
~Legacy
Standing in the emptiness of a dying dream, two friends confronted the storm of a lifetime. It was an infestation that detached the very foundation of their business. Within a motorsport minute, the operation was flooded with debt while long time customers were set adrift like displaced souls in a Tsunami. What does the business survival guide say about failure? Stay positive, focus on good things and never give up?Great advice if the worst case scenario is a Florida thunderstorm. Unfortunately, this was something far more malicious. It was a financial mega storm, one of those sci-fi things where very large objects and bovines get flung towards the hemisphere. It's the kind of experience that makes a man appreciate how unbiased and terrifying loss can be. The storm began to peel the business, removing each brick, board and nail like steamy layers of a hot cinnabun. Soon came decision time – join the cow birds, or choose survival. What followed was a stroke of genius, a true Bear Grylls moment for Motorsport enthusiasts. How does one survive as a premier tuner when facing financial ruin? It's simple: one lap at a time. This is TopSpeed and below is an account of the GTR Life visit to their outstanding facility in Atlanta Georgia.
~Playground
Even on a cold, rainy Atlanta afternoon, one can't imagine TSM in those stormy days.Positioned prominently atop rolling hills and surrounded by a landscape that would make Walt Disney nod in approval, the place screams playground. Even with grass the color of an old battle hardened German Panzer, the scene is unmistakably picturesque,inviting and full of motion. On one hill, a Raptor stages a slow crawl down a steep dune.
Positioned neatly but appropriately in front of TSM's loading docks is the unmistakable TopSpeed Transporter with its solid black and bright green color scheme. No mini vans in sight, probably nothing without at least one turbo under the hood. And then there were the GT-Rs-a who's who of GTR Life membership- all in a neat line, the last stand between the visitor and the inner workings of TopSpeed Motorsports.
~é—˜é‚Toukon(Fighting Spirit)
If you've ever had the opportunity to meet a professional fighter, an image of authenticity is quickly framed. It's been eight whole months at your local tough guy academy and you make it to the intermediate ranks, convinced that the next poor sod to cross your path will regret it-even though the last brawl you could remember involved pay per view, beer and wings. That's when they tell you that you're moving up in the world, you get to prep the guys who keep the gym going. The real fighters; the ones you never see because they train while you sleep, work and eat fast food. Your whole eight months at the gym have paid off as indicated by the two abdominal blocks that appear just before the morning latte messes everything up- damn Starbucks. No matter, tsuyoi kokoro(strong heart), that's what counts. Training day finally arrives and the gym is empty except for two shadowy figures. The introductions are brief because everyone is there for business. No stretching, no comforting eye contact from the dude you clocked last week- NOTHNG. The animal advances, his Muay Thai form is perfect,while you don't have enough lung capacity to hide the small but obvious bulge under your long sleeve intermediate shirt. It means nothing now. Half speed the instructor says. The beast looks at you like:did you hear something? Find your Kiai- a little voice whispers. The opponent switches stance with the effort of a Lion taking a Saharan yawn. You are out classed, protect yourself! The instructor screams. You absorb the whole thing. It travels like lightning, hot and white. You alright? the beast spits through his mouth piece. The dude is like 6'8 and built like twisted blue steel. Yeah- I'm good. GT-Rs are like those fighters and the line in front of the TopSpeed building offered a warning to the trained eye. Battle scars, brake dust, fat lips, even Godzilla himself perched atop one of the machines. Among the warriors lurked the Award winning TopSpeed One Lap Track Car, pure TOUKON and the new TSM Shop car, a beautiful red 2013 black edition, a Wakaisenshi (young warrior) that will be undergoing a major transformation over the next few months before making the transition to full warrior.
~Racing Core
A firm pull on the cold door handle sprayed a sharp arc of static electricity like a sinus clearing shot of Jack on an empty stomach. TSM is about racing and the first thing you see when entering their pristine lobby is evidence of this focus. It's an impressive display, a true testament to hard work, dedication and racing prestige. At the pinnacle of this glass treasure chest are the One Lap trophies, each boasting a themed design that captures the renowned contest. It's worth noting that the crystal cache is about to grow due to accolades from Texas 2k 2013.
To the left of the trophy case, a comfortable waiting area hugged a 40 inch flat screen TV and to the right, a neat hallway led to Mark's modular reception desk. Mark is mechanically inclined, attentive to detail; reliable and knowledgeable. He is also the man charged with tracking your builds and managing customer service for the shop. Mark also welds Titanium for fun (don't we all?). In keeping with front desk protocol, Mark kept us on ice as Cicio,TopSpeed's CEO, followed by his core team huddled for introductions. Ryan, TSM's sales manager is the ying to Cicio's yang. Defilade, like an M1A1 slouched behind a gentle dune, Ryan moves through conversation with ease. He is the kind of fella you want to discuss stuff with, which means a chat about a first build could feel like two old friends discussing good times.
But… Ryan is not without his weaknesses. Some men show pictures of their kids, Ryan, shows his EVO. It's award winning he says without a hint of pride. The car lives among the other TSM creatures to this day. Cicio referenced Mike, the first sales consultant TSM employed in the dark days. He is engaging, open and possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of tires. He won't admit it but Mike knows a thing or two about a thing or two. Cicio, the core of TSM is the result of a childhood that included power shifting a 75 Sting Ray 474 at the age of 9. What else does a man become with a childhood like that? In early banter, Davin and I poked Cicio about his passion for the industry and insistence on pushing the bleeding edge of racing. You just want to eliminate everyone don't you? We prodded. No! He replied firmly, that would be boring, if I did that, who would I beat? He smiled after making the statement, evoking images of a man on top of his game or a highly paid "professional" seeking to comfort the target before dropping the hammer.
~Closed Doors
Observing the crew and their fearless leader, one can see why they enjoy what they do . The facility certainly does not make you want to duck and run for cover. In fact, it could easily be in Redmond Washington or Silicone Valley where the only E-Tunes are for microprocessors and motherboards. On cue, a tech emerged from a door – nothing fancy, a pretty boring door actually, nondescript, white, the worse kind of door. It was something that they, the crew were guarding. If you have been around Exotics long enough, you develop an eye for profile. Nothing is as Red as a Ferrari, nothing is as Orange as a Lambo and there are no rear lights like those on a GT-R. Just a glimmer is all you need.
~Savage Things
Walking into TSM's workshop gave us reason to pause. On that day, a Lamborghini Murcialago LP 670 SV and Gallardo Super G TT-maybe kept company, while an F430 Spider mingled with the stable of savage Japanese warriors.
From a facilities perspective, the workshop portion of TopSpeed is also neat, clean, spacious and well equipped with a compliment of trained technicians. Cicio mentioned that above all else, he looks for technicians who:display a true willingness to learn. TopSpeed is all about pushing the limits so employees have to be willing to evolve to meet the expectations of the customer, business and industry.
The shop itself could be thought of as symmetrical and cellular in layout with five two post lifts acting as the core. At opposing ends of the work space are a fabrication cell and a "tuning" cell where the ruggedized computer equipment and the AWD Dynojet live. According to Cicio, plans to add a sixth lift are in the works. We were also able to get quick glimpses into the shop's pedigree and capability through the observation of what had to be one of the most violent assembly of GT-Rs in the South Eastern United States.
From the 1250whp monster that swept the Wanna Go Fast 1/2 mile event to a right hand drive Alpha 12 from a more familiar, much warmer region of the world to the TSM|ETS 30R GT-R that had just put out 971whp on 93 octane but was not releasable information at the time of our visit due to ongoing testing.
Included in the impressive bunch was a contingent patiently awaiting their lift appointment for repairs and upgrades that would enable what is now recorded as an earth shattering TX2K Performance by the TSM Tuning House. Not to mention the impressive European showing that underscored TopSpeed's deep technical breadth. By all appearances, the shop is also a safe environment as no tripping hazards, blatant storage liabilities or other obvious threats to human health and safety were observed.There was also no observable cause for concern with respect to property safety as the entire facility is located in what appears to be a fantastic location and the shop area is fully enclosed. In fact, as part of shop policy, no customer cars sleep outside or remain uncovered unless service is being performed or GTR Life is stopping by for a visit. And if all that does not stop "would be" intruders, TSM has in its considerable arsenal, a secret weapon.
He unfolded himself like a resurrected spirit and made his way over in involuntarily slow stride. He was a shop dog when the term was invented but still has the instincts of a young, wet nosed Pit. He skeptically sniffed and thankfully, we passed inspection. That said, a few minutes later he seemed to be cautioning a GT-R Brembo caliper to behave- maybe a delayed reaction? Don't judge the old boy, humans tend to act weird around GT-Rs as well.
There's something strange about seeing that many "built" GT-Rs in one location. Just on our visit, each of the five lifts were occupied by GT-Rs that were already way past stock and carried components from the best in the business. We had a quick chat with Chris, TSM's fabricator and driving force behind the intercooler and manifold for their R8 project.
The Audi's owner joined us as he observed the Medusa that Chris integrated into his ride. He was an Audi owner and GT-R owner doing the one stop shopping Cicio believes is an essential part of their business.
~The Old Ways
The Audi sat on the TSM AWD Dyno Jet almost begging for a run. Not in the cards unfortunately but in its stead, we got an opportunity to chat with Doug, TopSpeed's founder and Master technician. Doug is a serious man, with a sharp wit. As a point of reference, all the leads snaking out from the Audi, terminated at his station and ruggedized equipment. It was a visual on ownership and value. He's been in the business for a long time and has a truly enviable depth of knowledge and skepticism about – well everything. For him, tuning is a foundational thing, predating the GUIs and quick downloads of today. We asked for candor and got it. He also made the impression that he takes what he does incredibly seriously. It's his life's work and it shows. Cicio also went out of his way to mention on multiple occasions that without Doug, TSM would not be what it is today! A message that is now load and clear.
~Key Perspectives
This visit was long overdue and we are pleased to give this brief insight into this very complex business and the people who make it what it is. Cicio, Doug and their team took care of us and took an entire afternoon to share themselves and what they do with us and the community. It is worth noting that TopSpeed has a wide range of capabilities across multiple facets of the industry, makes models and brands. However,at their core, TopSpeed Motorsports is all about racing. That is what drives them and that is what they specialize in. So as you interact with the folks from TSM on the site keep these things in mind and certainly consider them as you think about you and your GTR Life.
Update: Here are a few more pics that provide an even deeper view of the TSM facility, enjoy:
Beautiful SV profile.
Fell in love with this machine on our visit- looks so perfectly mean in Matte..
No Orange like that Lambo Orange.
Holy Grail.
A wonderful wide view of the shop- really gives a great spatial perspective.
F430 Spider- the Italian Stallion.
Men at work.
Platoon TX2K13.
A profile of a very special R8.
What we saw on arrival- a welcoming committee of sorts.
Additional References:
http://www.gtrlife.c...er-971hp-on-93/
http://www.gtrlife.c...r-turbo-kit/it/
That is just one ridiculous amount of ridiculous cars. I think my head just exploded. Seems fair to say this shop aint messing around!
