The Motor Man.
I have been restoring cars for most of my life in some form or another. Cars from the ground up, inside and out,” says Tracy Battest, owner of Ultimate Upholstery Solutions, LLC. He restored his first car at age 16, inspired by his uncle, Gary Weishaar from Hosmer, SD. Tracy grew up seeing his uncle’s collection and interest in cars. He loves the look of old cars. He also loves, “…the sound, and of course, the power. I love a car that not only looks good, but can really smoke the tires.”
This summer marks his second year as a vendor at Downtown Aberdeen’s Sizzlin’ Summer Nights car show. “It is such a great event to bring people with the same passion for cars together. It is a great opportunity and draw to Aberdeen.” He’s also participated in other shows all over the region in past years, such as the Wheel Jam that takes place in Huron, SD. Tracy opened Ultimate Upholstery Solutions in 2001, and running the business has been a full-time job for him and his wife, Alissa, since March of 2004. Ultimate Upholstery Solutions specializes in automotive upholstery and customizing, and offers full upholstery services, including but not limited to: automotive interior repair, boats, motorcycles, ATVs and furniture. Tracy decided to open his business in Aberdeen because “This is my hometown. All of my family is here and this is where I wanted to raise my family. My wife Alissa is also a born and raised Aberdonian, and we wanted our two boys; Kaden (10) and Devin (6), to grow up with the same great opportunities and experiences we had.”
Tracy says the most rewarding part of restoration is definitely the finished product, and being able to drive that product with pride. “Starting that engine, knowing the time, dedication, hard work and craftsmanship that went into a beautiful classic car – that is the best feeling in the world.”
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