Take 5 Carolinas and ClayCon Oil merge into FAST

Take 5 Carolinas and ClayCon Oil have combined to form Founders Automotive Services Team, or FAST, a Charlotte-based platform that now owns and operates 52 Take 5 Oil Change centers across five states. The deal creates the largest Take 5 Oil Change franchisee in the country by revenue and sets up further expansion.

Why it matters: - FAST now operates 52 Take 5 Oil Change service centers across North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana and Colorado. - The combined platform is the largest Take 5 Oil Change franchisee in the U.S. by revenue. - The merger creates a larger operating base for new-store growth and service expansion across multiple markets.

What happened: - Take 5 Carolinas, the first franchisee in the Take 5 Oil Change system, combined with ClayCon Oil, the brand’s third franchisee. - The two companies formed Founders Automotive Services Team, or FAST. - FAST is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. - The company will continue to operate as a Take 5 Oil Change franchisee.

The details: - FAST owns and operates service centers in five states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana and Colorado. - Brannan Lahoda serves as president and chief operating officer. - Lahoda has more than 10 years of experience operating automotive service platforms. - Lahoda previously led all North American company-owned operations for Take 5 Oil Change during its growth from 65 locations to 650 locations. - FAST says the new structure reflects the founding legacy of both companies within the Take 5 system and the speed associated with the brand. - The company has a defined plan for near-term growth initiatives. - FAST also has a substantial pipeline of new stores in development.

Between the lines: - The combination concentrates more scale under one operator in a brand where location count and execution can be a competitive advantage. - Lahoda’s background suggests FAST is leaning on an operator with direct experience scaling the same brand at a national level. - The merger appears designed to pair existing store density with a stronger expansion platform rather than simply preserve current operations.

What's next: - FAST expects to keep expanding across its current markets. - The company plans to use its larger scale and resources to support growth while maintaining service reliability. - New stores in development point to continued rollout beyond the current 52 centers.

The bottom line: - Take 5 Carolinas and ClayCon Oil have joined forces to build a larger, faster-growing franchise platform with national-scale ambitions inside the Take 5 Oil Change system.