Industry Insights: Mark Maynard

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Mark Maynard


A champion for racing and performance, this state senator is making a positive impact on West Virginia’s motorsports community through business-friendly legislation and advocacy on behalf of professionals and enthusiasts like himself. 

The performance industry has long been aware of political and regulatory forces at various levels that threaten our existence: noise ordinances, environmental pressures, zoning restrictions, and so forth. Through the years the industry has been the target of people and entities seeking to limit or even abolish motorsports and performance endeavors.

Those of us who love automotive performance might have a difficult time explaining the emotional bonds that fuel our passion; we are intimately tied to automotive performance by the sights, sounds, and feel of motoring. We sometimes express frustration that government and regulatory officials don’t understand or appreciate our passion.

But some officials and regulators actually share that passion, and Mark Maynard is a great example. A lifelong and admitted “gearhead,” Maynard is currently serving his second term in the West Virginia Senate. He grew up working at his father’s Union 76 gas station, and watched as his father competed in sand drag races throughout the region. Maynard later served for several years as a professional crew member with multiple racing teams, including with Jim Head’s nitro Funny Car in NHRA competition. Today he owns a small business in his native Genoa, West Virginia, and remains an avid muscle car and off-road enthusiast.

A rising star in the West Virginia Republican party, Maynard made a stunning political debut in 2014 when, seeking his first political office, he upset Truman Chafin—the longest serving Senator in West Virginia history—in a tight race for the 6th District senate seat. Maynard won re-election in a landslide in 2018, and today is chairman of several key Senate committees including Economic Development, Natural Resources, Enrolled Bills, and Rule-Making Review.

Maynard is a tireless advocate for West Virginia in terms of motorsports and performance causes, including quick work in spring 2020 that allowed motorsports facilities in the state to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also led the way in the creation of the West Virginia Motorsports Committee, which will advance causes related to the industry.

Despite a busy schedule during this year’s Senate session, Maynard recently took time to visit with Industry Insights. He invited readers with questions or comments to contact him on his cell phone (304-360-6272) or by email at mark.maynard@wvsenate.gov.

PRI: It’s important that motorsports and performance people remain active with our elected and appointed representatives. How can we better engage with our leaders?

Maynard: For one thing, get to know your representative in your state, both Senate and House, and develop a rapport with them to let them know what’s important to you. The legislators do not have to be 100% pro-motorsports like myself, because when I was elected to this position I found out very quickly that I had to know a little bit about everything. Many times, I am educated by my constituents on different subjects. 

Here’s the greatest piece of advice I can give: Each individual has a voice here, and in any state capitol. I tell people from other states, go to your capitol and let your voice be heard. And keep track of bad legislation through organizations like SEMA and PRI; an email from an association like yours, or a newsletter that establishes what’s going on in the different states, that really helps. Matter of fact, way before I became a legislator, in my Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road Magazine I would read about a piece of bad legislation that had been introduced in a particular state. It would give the name of the legislator and their party, and that gave people the opportunity to reach out to that legislator. 

PRI: What do you see as the biggest threat to racing and the performance industry?

Maynard: I have no reason to think this other than just being pessimistic, but at this point federal regulation is probably my biggest concern. As a state legislator, many times I see federal regulations get passed down to the state, with the threat that if you don’t support the federal mandate you risk losing federal funding. So that is one threat.

What the threat would exactly look like, I don’t know. I would hate to see regulations that could prohibit the use of passenger cars in motorsports. That would really hamper our sport, financially and other ways. One other concern is public land usage. I recently became interested in desert racing in America, and if we lose our right to traverse public land in desert races it would devastate the desert racing community, plus other forms of racing that take place on public lands.

PRI: I suspect any representative at the state or federal level is inundated with information and requests. How can we cut through all the noise and help our representatives better understand our industry? 

Maynard: If there is something very important on someone’s mind, they could spend less than 15 minutes and accomplish every method of contact for their legislator: email, phone call, and a letter. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to find a contact database for all of the representatives in your state to allow you to send one email to all legislators. But with copy-and-paste you can reach many legislators with the same message. You can also save the email address of all of your legislators in a document, so that whenever you have a message you can copy-and-paste using the CC or BCC function. In West Virginia, for example, you could get your point across in less than five minutes to 134 legislators. We also have our phone system, which is not used as much anymore, but in the Senate we each have an administrative assistant that listens to every voicemail and passes that message on to us. We also still get snail mail. 

But my main recommendation is belonging to an association that can keep you updated and represent you on topics related to your industry.

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A lifelong “gearhead,” West Virginia State Senator Mark Maynard is a passionate champion for the rights and freedoms of motorsports participants throughout his home state.

PRI: This is very interesting. To be honest, I’ve often had the sense that my representatives are so overwhelmed with constituent feedback that my single message isn’t going to make any difference. But as we talk about this, my instincts are that maybe my message has more resonance than I realized.

Maynard: Absolutely! I am not overwhelmed; I have a manageable amount of messages and feedback. I share my cell phone number readily and have really tried to get it out there. I receive a manageable number of text messages every day. And Facebook Messenger, I get a lot of junk emails there and it’s hard to keep track, but that’s another way I can be reached. We try hard to keep an eye on feedback, especially when we’re in session. That’s when it’s really important for constituents to contact their legislator, when they are in session. As a matter of fact, I got behind on my communication this week, but we just had our last committee meeting for the week and I’m going to hold myself in my office this afternoon and evening to respond to all of the messages I have received. Grassroots efforts can have a big impact on a bill.

PRI: One of the areas you mentioned working on is tort reform language that would limit liability of motorsports facilities in West Virginia. How would that work? 

Maynard: It’s in the early stages right now, and the research has been much more difficult than I anticipated. I started on the project months ago. The reason this came on my mind was that there was a local drag strip in my area and a competitor had signed the release of liability waiver, but his throttle stuck and he missed the sand trap and crashed and was badly injured. The next thing you know, the track shut down. Now, I have no idea of what specifically happened in that case, but it got me thinking. My idea is that somehow through legislation we could protect the tracks from closure related to lawsuits. I’m doing this because I love motorsports and I want it to grow in West Virginia. I want to see people responsible for their own actions. A liberal legislator was kidding me recently, having fun, and he said, “You know what, when we have a roast for you, I’m going to use your quote, ‘Every time my feet hit the floor in the morning, I’m in charge of my life and the decisions that I make, good or bad.’” So that’s what I’m looking for; I want people to be responsible for their own actions. I don’t know where this will go, as I’m still in the research stage. But I’m going to continue to work on it.

PRI: As electric and hybrid vehicles gain popularity, there will inevitably be some attention from regulators looking at motorsports. How can we make sure the internal combustion engine is specifically protected in motorsports applications?

Maynard: That’s a great question, Dave. The idea of the internal combustion engine not being a part of motorsports, that actually almost brings a tear to my eye. I embrace all forms of motorsports, electric or otherwise, but my first love is the rumble of an internal combustion engine. It’s going to take a grassroots effort for constituents to say, “No, we will not allow these engines to go away.” I’d hate to see it come to this someday, but it’s one thing if we lose the cars on the street, but we’re going to have to stand firm to not allow the electric engine to ever be exclusive.

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Mark Maynard sponsored a dirt late model car during the last election. In the past, he has crewed for a late model team, and once served on Jim Head’s NHRA nitro Funny Car team.

PRI: You were the lead sponsor in 2019 on legislation that created the West Virginia Motorsports Committee. What will be the primary mission of the committee?

Maynard: Our mission was to grow motorsports in West Virginia. Recently in March, Governor Jim Justice confirmed five appointments to the committee. Last spring (2020), when our governor issued the COVID mandates, one of the mandates covered outdoor sporting events, and motorsports events fell under that mandate. However, I had to do the work the motorsports committee would have done, spending a couple of days contacting every venue in the state to let them know what was going on, and going to bat with the governor to specify that motorsports facilities could be open and practicing certain precautions. That is the kind of work the committee could really have a positive impact with.

PRI: You’ve also been an advocate of attracting more motorsports events to West Virginia. How can government officials attract new events to the state? How can a state become more hospitable for motorsports?

Maynard: There are always tax incentives and that sort of thing. We recently had a deal that was very simple; it allowed motorsports facilities that were doing infrastructure improvements to not pay sales tax on those improvements. So technically, it’s not money lost by the state but it’s a savings for the facility. There are also elements through tourism where states can make a real difference by welcoming events, even if there is no direct funding help. Just the fact of being listed on their schedule of events, brochures, things like that, it is supportive. Every state does this sort of work and they could really help motorsports by including that information in their marketing. It makes a difference. 

PRI: You touched on this a moment ago. Another important issue for segments such as off-road racing is land access. You were recently appointed as a board member of the BlueRibbon Coalition. How can we make certain we have access to the land needed for different forms of competition?

Maynard: You know, it once again comes back to your state and federal legislators. They are in control of this land, but when it comes right down to it, they share control. State and federal agencies are technically in charge, and the legislators can make the greatest arguments in the world (for land usage for motorsports) but if these agencies don’t agree then it doesn’t happen. They are considered the experts, and their opinion many times outweighs the points made by a legislator or a committee. I can have the greatest ideas in the world for land access, but when the Department of Natural Resources says it’s bad, the idea goes down in flames most of the time. 

I’ve talked about contacting your legislators, but in many cases the head of a state agency actually has much more authority than the legislature. But they are known as bureaucrats for a reason. They are often appointed and in a position to do good things, and sometimes when you think outside the box it’s not always a good thing. So this bureaucrat could risk his position if he gets a little too radical and tries to make things happen. But for an individual to try to make things happen, contacting your state and federal agency, the EPA, and either National Forest (USDA) or the Department of the Interior (DOI), those are avenues. 

The fight for land usage is becoming a pretty big job. I have scheduled meetings in (Washington) DC with the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) and the DOI stressing the importance of land access. If I lived closer to DC I would be there once a month, knocking on their doors.

And one more thing…go to the Capitol. I know it’s difficult now with the COVID situation, but go to Washington and set up an appointment with your legislators, and talk to them. Stress to them the importance of land usage for off-road sports. The squeaky wheel gets the grease…that’s still true. Ranch Pratt of the BlueRibbon Coalition has been very active on this front.

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“Each individual has a voice here,” said Mark Maynard, urging motorsports enthusiasts to express their concerns to legislators. For this, he even offers his cell phone number.

PRI: Speedway Motors announced in January plans for a new distribution center in Kearneysville, West Virginia. How can West Virginia continue to attract motorsports and performance companies to your state?

Maynard: We are making friendly changes in our state code, through tort reform and employer sanctions. I was pleasantly surprised when I learned of Speedway locating here—in fact, I need to reach out to them and congratulate them for choosing to expand with a facility in West Virginia. I think it boils down to making your state “business friendly.” And it doesn’t hurt to have motorsports-friendly language every now and then to get the industry in the news. 

PRI: The backbone of the performance industry is comprised of small businesses. What can the government do, in a broad sense, to help those businesses thrive? How can government create a business-friendly environment?

Maynard: The most important thing is to do away with over-regulation. That is one of my main goals, every day. That doesn’t mean to get rid of regulations; I’m talking specifically about over-regulation. When you get to that point, when you have the right balance of regulation, you can start working on positive things like tourism efforts, tax incentives, and employer-friendly regulations. 

I recently heard that Edelbrock is moving their facility from Torrance (California) to Mississippi. I toured the Edelbrock facility some years ago when I was working on Jim Head’s Funny Car crew, and it is a massive and impressive facility. It took up two or three blocks, an amazing facility. The fact that Edelbrock would go to the expense and work to move such a facility from California to Mississippi, that shows the dramatic situation with regards to state regulations and business climate. It’s expensive to move, but you can definitely see the motivation. 

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As an ATV enthusiast, Mark Maynard knows firsthand how critical it is to preserve outdoor spaces for motorsports. “The fight for land usage is becoming a pretty big job,” he said.

PRI: Your Senate service has surely been a unique learning experience thus far. What’s been the biggest surprise for you, in terms of what it’s like to serve as an elected official?

Maynard: One thing is just the amount of unknowns you deal with. As a business owner, whenever I felt like we were over-regulated, I would accept it and think, “Okay, those are the rules, gotta live by ’em.” But after serving, I realized that every individual and every business owner has a voice. If you don’t like something, you can come up to the capitol and tell us about it! That’s probably been the biggest epiphany I’ve had, the fact that every person has a voice. Unfortunately, people often don’t realize this. On my Facebook page I try to post things to inform my constituents on what is going on, to let them know what is happening.

PRI: You spent several years on the crew of Jim Head’s nitro Funny Car in NHRA competition. You’ve also crewed on a late model stock car. What did your crew experience teach you? Were there things you learned that serve you today?

Maynard: Absolutely! Serving on Jim Head’s crew for all those years—my Senate colleagues would be shocked to hear this—but I rank those years right up there with serving as a senator. It was hard work, it took a lot of determination, but I learned a lot of technical expertise. Seeing the cars run from behind the scenes, that was an amazing experience. Learning how things work, that was amazing. Ten of us would thrash on that car, hoping to make eight passes in a weekend, tearing it down completely between rounds. Doing the bottom end is a dirty job, and torqueing the mains to 110 ft.-lbs., torqueing the rods to 100…hot oil dripping on your face…it was tough, but it was an incredible experience.

PRI: Are you still interested in working with a team? Would it be possible given your current workload? 

Maynard: You know, I would love to. And I could do it on a limited schedule. My favorite races on the NHRA schedule are Las Vegas and Pomona, and I would probably do whatever I had to do every year to work those two events. Now, during an election year that would be difficult. And in the spring, that part of the season is off-limits for me because we’re in session during that period. But I would love to work on a trophy truck, something like that. 

When I worked on Jim Head’s team, he was number one. That’s how it is when you’re on a crew. The team comes before everything else; before family, before any extra-curricular activities. You had to be very dedicated to the team. You either make the team number one or you don’t work on the team. It wasn’t because Jim made that stipulation; it was because you have a job and if you’re not there, nobody could do my job because they all have their own work. 

But yes, there are times when I think about going racing again. If I get that opportunity again, I definitely plan on carrying my own weight.

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Mark Maynard is pictured here in 1980 with his father, who competed in sand drags. Maynard hopes to revive one of his dad’s racing trucks from the period and bring it to Gravelrama in 2021.

PRI: Your dad competed in sand drag racing when you were growing up, and you’ve talked of your passion for sand drag racing. Do you foresee getting involved in competition of some sort?

Maynard: I actually have competed in sand drags. He still has the amazing truck he ran back then. My dad is 82 now, and the event that is very popular here in the East is called Gravelrama. The 50th anniversary was in 2020, but it was rescheduled to 2021 due to COVID-19. My plan this summer is to bring the truck out of mothballs, get it serviced, go through it, get it ready to race, and race it in the 50th anniversary of Gravelrama. Hopefully I would get to take my dad with me to help me race it.

PRI: What an exciting idea! On the political front, you’re nearing the end of your second term in office. What do you see in your future? Will you want to continue to serve in the legislature? And do you have aspirations of a federal office, such as US Congress?

Maynard: You know, I do, because I see the difference I can try to make as a state senator and the way our state code is run. But my job is not done here, and I plan on running again here in 2022. After that I would definitely entertain a federal office. I would try to do the same things I’m doing right now, only doing it in Washington, DC. Dealing with USDA on land access, working with the EPA on motorsports regulation, doing tort reform to make people responsible for their own actions. But yes, that’s on my radar.

PRI: Senator, we appreciate you giving us time from your busy schedule. Thank you for your service to the people of West Virginia, and we wish you the best in the future.

Maynard: Thank you, Dave, it’s been an honor to talk to PRI. I enjoy talking about motorsports, my passion. And I invite any of your readers who can help us better represent motorsports to reach out to me with suggestions or input.

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