Candy 2.0 influence ‘for good’
High-profile car guru vows he’s not a bad guy
A FLAMBOYANT businessman with more than 140,000 Instagram fans has been charged with dangerous driving at a Gold Coast car meet.
Troy Kenneth Williams, aka Troy Candy, fronted Southport Magistrates Court on Monday charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle at Helensvale in November 2019.
But the man dubbed Candyman 2.0 says he doesn’t want his young fans to drive dangerously on the road — telling them to stick to the track and that his days of burning rubber on the roads are behind him.
Williams made his fortune through his custom car business Eye Candy Motorsports and clothing brands, which include shirts with his own face plastered across them.
He is well-known for his online antics, regularly posting videos of his extravagant party lifestyle, women and hot cars.
The 31-year-old moved to the Gold Coast last year from Victoria but was arrested in hotel quarantine and charged with the driving offence alleged to have been committed at Siganto Drive in Helensvale during a car meet more than one year ago.
In court on Monday, defence lawyer Blake Fraser, of Fraser Lawyers, adjourned the matter to give him time to conference with prosecutors.
Another man, Dylan Brandon, was charged with doing a burnout on his Harley-Davidson at the same event, which attracted about 200 people.
He was last year fined $2000 by the Southport Magistrates Court.
Williams told his fans in September that he was looking for a “fresh start” in Queensland, after claiming he had been vilified by Melbourne police.
“As some of you may know I have had severe Victorian police harassment since I was 18. Think what you want but I am by no means a criminal. I know some will think ‘you deserve it’ etc but you’ll never know what iv (sic) been through with these guys and what hasn’t been captured on camera,” he posted last year.
Speaking exclusively to the Bulletin on Monday, Williams said he was enjoying local race tracks since moving to the Sunshine State.
“In Melbourne, I was a little shit when I was (aged) 18,” he said. “You get your licence at that age and think you’re a bloody race car driver doing burnouts on the road. I got a bad name down there and unfortunately it just stuck no matter how good I did or how long I stayed out of trouble.”
Williams said Gold Coast police officers had been friendly in their dealings with him since his move.
“I’ve had incidents, the normal checks and you’re away again but in Melbourne with the police, it was very personal.
“I know I’ve got an influence and younger kids see me online and think it’s cool to drive (dangerously) on the road. I know cops worry about that and I have really made a conscious effort since I’ve moved to remember my influence on anyone and tried to promote driving on the tracks.”
As for his lavish Candyman 2.0 lifestyle, Williams says the similarities between him and Gold Coast tobacco king Travers Beynon begin and end with how they market their lifestyle, adding he has a large focus on raising money for charity.
“I don’t know if I agree with the comparison but he runs a business and I’m a businessman too. I just don’t have 15 girls at my house,” Williams said. “But it is all about a lifestyle, everything that we do — my website thrives off people who look up to that lifestyle — the cars, jet skis, girls, parties …”
His matter is expected to return to court in March.