Moto GP Brings in Big Bucks to Local Stores and Restaurants - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

LAGUNA SECA, Calif. -- Moto GP Brings in Big Bucks to Local Stores and Restaurants. This is the 7th year the event has been held at the Mazda Race Track in Laguna Seca. This year GP is expecting around 140,000 people to attend the races. 

People from all over the world made their way to the Central Coast this weekend. Mazda Raceway CEO Gill Campbell says people from almost every country in the world are attending. "We map where all of our tickets are sold and the only hole in the entire world is actually over Lake Havasu," said Campbell.

We talked with people who came all the way from Canada, who told us the trip was well worth it. "Drove up last night. Yea I'm just excited to see the Moto GP bikes," said Todd Heibert.

In between flights, hotels food and shopping. These tourists easily bring in millions for local businesses. 

Alethea Cusimano has worked at Tarpys for more than 8 years. She told me having more tourists town gives more business to everyone. "All the races bring a lot of people into town. Especially the Moto GP since it's an international race. We are lucky being right off of Highway 68 to get a lot of the people coming back into town," said Cusimano.

There's a lot these stores have to prepare before the big rush. "We get extra staff we get extra products in town and we try and gear up for the race fans to be ready to take care of them," said Cusimano.

This year more than 200 countries will be watching the races.