North Carolina's Need for Speed Starts with Big Forged Engine Internals and Big Brakes MOTORMIA Finds

New MOTORMIA data reveals North Carolina racing enthusiasts are dramatically outspending everyday builders, especially on brakes, engines, and forced induction upgrades.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New enthusiast behavior data from MOTORMIA reveals that North Carolina's racing community is investing significantly more into performance vehicle builds than non-racing enthusiasts, highlighting a growing shift toward increasingly sophisticated, track-focused vehicle setups heading into 2026.

The findings are based on analysis from MOTORMIA's proprietary automotive intelligence platform, which combines over 5 million aftermarket parts, more than 50 million fitment records, and real-world enthusiast build behavior to understand how modern vehicles are actually modified in practice.

According to the data, racing-focused users spend approximately 66% more per vehicle build than non-racing enthusiasts, averaging roughly $10,000 versus $6,000 per project. Racing enthusiasts also install 2 more parts per build, reflecting a trend toward more complete and technically advanced performance packages.

The average component selected by racing users additionally costs 31% more than parts chosen by non-racing enthusiasts.

But the largest spending gaps emerge in categories tied directly to track performance and high-horsepower reliability. North Carolina racing enthusiasts spend approximately 2X more on turbocharger and supercharger upgrades than non-racing builders, while spending on engine components and brake systems reaches nearly 3X that of the average enthusiast.

The analysis also shows that racers consistently choose higher-priced components within each category, signaling increased demand for premium performance hardware designed for durability under competitive driving conditions.

"These trends show enthusiasts are building far more complete performance systems than they were just a few years ago," said Isaac Bunick, CEO of MOTORMIA. "It's no longer just about adding horsepower. Racers are investing heavily in the supporting systems. Braking, engine internals, cooling, forced induction, suspension - everything required to make a car perform reliably under real racing conditions."

The company says the data also validates the growing importance of intelligent fitment infrastructure within the aftermarket industry. As modern builds become increasingly customized, compatibility between modifications becomes exponentially more difficult for traditional catalog systems to manage.

MOTORMIA's AI-powered fitment intelligence system was designed specifically to solve that problem. Rather than only matching parts to stock vehicles, MOTORMIA's platform understands vehicles in the context of their existing modifications, enabling users to discover components compatible not just with the original vehicle configuration, but with the car as it currently exists after upgrades have already been installed.

The findings reinforce North Carolina's longstanding role as one of America's most influential motorsports markets, fueled by deep roots in stock car racing, grassroots drag racing, time attack competition, and track-day culture.

For reporters covering motorsports business, automotive technology, enthusiast culture, or the performance aftermarket, the data offers a real-time snapshot into how racing-focused consumers are shaping the next era of vehicle modification.

Key Findings

• Racing enthusiasts spend 66% more per build
• Racing builds include 2 more parts (Average: 9.5 vs 7.4)
• Average component cost is 31% higher
• Turbocharger and supercharger spending is approximately 2X higher
• Engine and brake spending is approximately 3X higher

About MOTORMIA

Founded in Arizona in 2023, MOTORMIA has quickly become one of the leading platforms for U.S. auto enthusiasts to discover aftermarket parts and build their dream rides. Built by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, MOTORMIA combines AI, aftermarket data, community insight, and real-world modification data into one intelligent ecosystem. The platform has powered more than one million builds across cars, trucks, bikes, and UTVs, helping enthusiasts discover, design, tune, and optimize their vehicles through AI-assisted discovery and fitment intelligence.

Learn more and get the app at MOTORMIA.

SOURCE MOTORMIA