6 minute read

COVER STORY

from Hickory Living April 2022

by Oasis Publishing, Inc.

from Hickory Living April 2022, page 35

The Laboratory Mill

on the cover

A Passion for Cars

By Peter Eisenhauer

Skill, enthusiasm, and care. Going into its fourth year in business this month, Conley Motorsports in Hickory has a proven track record of providing expert maintenance and repair work for owners of Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagen automobiles.

Customer Reg Williams has entrusted his cars to owner Justin Conley since the time Justin was the repair supervisor at a local dealership. “He quickly became my go-to guy,” said Reg. “When he decided to go out on his own, it was a no-brainer to stay with him. Justin has always been passionate about the cars, and he has put his heart and soul into having his own shop.”

Like many youngsters in Catawba County, Justin grew up with a fascination for motor sports. He raced motorcycles for a while, and at an early age he developed a fondness for the German cars he works on now. His first car was a 2001 Audi S4. When he bought it used in 2005, it had a bad manual gearbox. Justin rebuilt it himself. So it was natural that immediately upon graduating from high school, Justin enrolled at the NASCAR Institute program in Mooresville—learning basic auto mechanics, as well as the more specific demands of servicing track cars. After finishing that program, he jumped at the chance to spend six months in Southern California to get certified as a mechanic on Porsche, Audi, and VW cars. “For no particular reason, other than I love those cars, and I was 19 and could do what I felt like doing.” With the training credentials in hand, Justin went to work for the dealership and spent the next ten years perfecting his craft, gaining experience with cars and the car business.

While building up his experience and relations of trust with regular customers, Justin also kept a toe in the water in the racing world. Reg, who also owns and races track cars, notes that organizations like Gold Crest Motorsports from Atlanta, which services highpowered race teams, have hired Justin. “They recognize his talents and his ability to work with the high-tech sophisticated machines,” Reg said. “The tolerances are so much tighter, and the stakes are so much higher when you have $200,000 machines that run to 9000 rpm and hit speeds of 170 on the back straight.” Customers of Conley Motorsports can feel confident that if Justin can handle sophisticated racing machines, he has the skills for anything. And for those who do have the desire to take their street cars to the track, he obviously knows how to set up a car for those demands.

Reg marveled at the way Justin quickly swapped out the entire motor of the car when one of his racers had timing chain issue at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. Similarly, at Sebring, Justin and Luke Buckner (who is the shop foreman at Conley Motorsports) saved the day with an overnight motor and clutch replacement.

The quick work that is called for in the racing pit also gets applied to in everyday situations at Conley Motor-

Photos:

On the cover–Justin Conley, owner of Conley Motorsports (Photo by Shane Greene Photography)

Opposite Page–The staff, from left to right–Factory certified technicians Seth Privette, shop foreman Luke Buckner, Justin Conley, and receptionist Heather Belton. (Photo by Shane Greene Photography)

Above–Justin is known for his skills both in the shop and at the track. • Luke and Justin diagnosing an Audi Q5 (Photo by Shane Greene Photography) • Justin is replacing an alternator at the race track on a Porsche GT3 R Cup car (Photo provided by Conley Motorsports)

sports, making for very satisfied customers. According to one online review: “In and out in 15 minutes! Came out to the parking lot, changed out a door latch, and I was on my way!” Justin says his business focus is firmly on the needs of those who enjoy the driving experience and feel of these makes for ordinary street driving. The shop’s online reviews reflect that focus. One describes Justin and his team as “conscientious, honest technicians who will put your safety first and foremost!” Another writes that “a customer that goes to this facility is treated like family!”

Many customers would also agree with Reg’s comments about Justin’s straightforward approach. “I really appreciate his honesty,” Reg said. “When he tells you what the car needs, you can count on him to go out and find that part at the best price for you.”

You’ll be welcome at Conley Motorsports by receptionist Heather Belton. There is a comfortable waiting room, coffee available, and there is even a Fanatic racing simulator, with, of course, the Porsche logo on the steering wheel to entertain the next generation of car enthusiasts.

Whether you are bringing in a VW Beetle, an Audi A5 Cabriolet, a Porsche 911 GT3, or any other model from these manufacturers, you are sure to get expert care from technicians who know these models inside and out. Along with Justin, Luke and Seth Privette are also factory certified technicians and genuine enthusiasts for these cars. The shop is equipped with all the latest technology to diagnose, repair, and optimize your car’s performance.

Conley Motorsports is an authorized dealer for Cobb Tuning, ECS Tuning, and Eurodyne, which provide state of the art software for tuning and diagnostics for Volkswagen, Porsche, and Audi cars. It is also an authorized

Photos:

Left, top to bottom:

• Seth removing a transmission from an Audi Q7 • Luke using factory scan tool to diagnose a car • Heather talking with a customer (Photos by Shane Greene Photography)

dealer for the highly regarded Motul oils and lubricants. The shop also recently became an authorized dealer for Integrated Engineering IE Performance Software for VW and Audi, which unlocks the performance potential of street cars.

And communications do not take a back seat, either. Call for Justin and you are most likely to have Heather tell you, “Sorry, he’s underneath a car right now.” But you never have to wonder what is going on with your car. The shop uses the TekMetric software system to keep customers informed with photos, texts and emails detailing the work in progress. “This has really been great for us,” says Justin, who places a high value on letting customers know everything that is happening with their car. That includes detailed explanations of the diagnostics and full information about repairs that are needed. The system also allows the shop to send out reminders for regular maintenance that helps prevent future repairs.

With three years under their belt, Justin and his team at Conley Motorsports are grateful to their customers and looking forward to many more years of servicing and repairing cars for VW, Porsche, and Audi owners in the Hickory area. “Our customers are great,” said Justin. “We are a full-service, preventive maintenance and auto-repair shop. We are enthusiasts for these cars, we use the latest technology to assess every situation, and we guarantee all of our work.”

So whether you are looking for maintenance and service, diagnostics and repair, or performance upgrades— don’t panic— just turn to Conley Motorsports.