The Real Deal: How much of an effect are rising gas prices having on classic car enthusiasts?

The wet weather later today may slow you down, but apparently higher gas prices won't dampen Memorial Day plans for many New Jersey residents, according to Caleb Silver at Investopedia.
“Despite those high gas prices, folks expected to do a lot of driving this Memorial Day weekend in New Jersey,” says Silver. “Overall, transportation is up 15.5% - slightly lower than the national average, but that's planes, that's trains, that's buses and that's automobiles so overall costs are high. But gas prices are the highest, still, folks will do a lot of driving as they plan to do across America this holiday weekend.
News 12 is getting "The Real Deal" from classic car enthusiasts about just how much of an effect gas prices are having on them for Memorial Day weekend. We also discovered what they're fearing for the future of the hobby they love.  
“It hurts us, it hurts every way of our life,” says car club charity event planner Michael Gelnovatch.
Gelnovatch helps plan car club charity events for his car cub friends, but he says the hobby they love and the car club charity event car shows they attend are in jeopardy because of record high gas prices.
“Four years ago, it was $1.75., three years ago it was $2.20,” says Gelnovatch. “Last year it was becoming tough. Now we're struggling to get to these shows because we can't afford to go once we've done all this charity because the cost of fuel. A lot of our vehicles that we have out here are older vehicles so they don't get the gas mileage that a newer vehicle may have. That being said, 40/50% of our hobbyists or car enthusiasts are now in the retirement age on fixed incomes. It's crushing us and decisions have to be made.”
Gelnovatch says while some classic car owners won't show up to car shows across New Jersey this Memorial Day weekend, they will be driving their car beauties, even if it's just a lot closer to home.
At charity car show events, classic car owners have to pay an admission fee for their cars, usually around $25. They all usually pool together to donate to the charity event, as well, so none of that helps as gas prices continue to go up -- and affect the hobby they're so very passionate about.