Car Racing Industry Struggling in Tough Economy

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Story Published: Dec 10, 2008 at 7:12 PM PDT

By Audrey Asistio

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UNION GAP -- The struggling economy has the car racing business running dry. From lower ticket sales to fewer car repairs and maintenance, people in the business say they are struggling to make ends meet.

Car shop owner Brad Tidrick tells Action News, "It trickles down. Auto racing isn't a necessity, so people have opted to take their money and do more important things with it."

Tidrick and his son have been in the racing industry their entire lives.

"This is kind of...I'm not going to say a rich man's sport, but it's definitely disposable. If you don't have the money, you're not going to do it," says Tidrick.

Tidrick is having a difficult time making ends meet because car racing is an expensive sport. Action News reporter Audrey Asistio explains, "Just in a single car racing season, racers will have to replace a fender at least four times. That alone costs $400."

Adding that to the cost of an engine that went wrong at a race; replacing it could cost up to $45,000. Most of the cost comes out of the racer's funds. That's why a lot of racers are retiring earlier than expected.

And Tidrick says that although it's an industry barely making ends meet, nobody expects auto racing to die anytime soon.

"That's the industry we're in and that's what our hobby is," Tidrick smiles. "It's a drug and we can't get away from it. We're stuck in it."

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