Tracking legal, legislative, and regulatory developments impacting the racing and performance industry.

PRI’s Washington, DC-based advocacy team, along with race track ambassador Tom Deery, work continuously to protect and assist tracks, sanctioning bodies, and motorsports businesses around the nation. This month, we are tracking several initiatives, including racing legend Richard Petty’s support for important motorsports legislation, PRI/SEMA leadership meeting with lawmakers in DC, and HP Tuners teaming up with PRI staff to help facilitate a tour with a congressman, whose subsequent backing of the RPM Act marks a big win for the industry.

Richard Petty Joins PRI/SEMA CEO On Capitol Hill

In July, “The King” Richard Petty joined PRI/SEMA CEO Mike Spagnola in the nation’s capital to advocate for Congress to pass the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act (RPM Act). The bipartisan bill (H.R.3281/
S.2736) protects Americans’ right to convert street vehicles into dedicated race cars and the motorsports-parts industry’s ability to sell products that enable racers to compete.

Like most NASCAR drivers who competed in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Petty raced cars that started as street-legal vehicles. However, the EPA maintains that such modified race vehicles are not legal under the Clean Air Act, threatening many classes of racing along with an industry that employs tens of thousands of Americans and contributes more than $2 billion to the US economy each year.

Petty and Spagnola sat down with key members of the US Senate and House of Representatives to advocate for the interests of racers, enthusiasts, builders, tracks, sanctioning organizations, and businesses, while also looking to gain stronger congressional support to protect one of America’s oldest pastimes and hobbies. In an effort to curtail the EPA’s overreaching and extreme enforcement of the Clean Air Act, Petty and Spagnola appeared in Washington, DC, to push for passage of the RPM Act, which awaits committee action in the House of Representatives and Senate.

“The EPA is overstepping its jurisdiction and penalizing small motorsports parts businesses,” Petty said. “The RPM Act is essential to the racing industry and protecting the careers of young racers all over the country. During most of my racing career, my fellow NASCAR drivers and I competed in race cars that started out as street-legal vehicles.”

“There’s no bigger name in motorsports than ‘The King,’” said Eric Snyder, PRI’s Director of Congressional Affairs. “Richard Petty won 200 NASCAR races. Most of his wins came while he was competing in race cars that were converted from street-legal vehicles. Some of the most important lawmakers in DC were excited to meet The King and learn why he is so passionate about protecting racing and the ability to modify street vehicles for the track.”

Petty’s visit “produced immediate results,” Snyder added. “It led to House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) co-sponsoring the RPM Act. Meetings with Mr. Petty were integral to firing up key lawmakers, motivating them to lobby their colleagues in support of the RPM Act.”

Petty and SEMA met with several key congressional members to discuss the importance of the bipartisan RPM Act. They included Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), RPM Act lead sponsor; Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), RPM Act original co-sponsor; Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), Senate Republican Conference Chairman and RPM Act co-sponsor; Indiana Sens. Todd Young (R-IN) and Mike Braun (R-IN), RPM Act co-sponsors; Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), RPM Act original co-sponsor; House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA); House Minority Whip Scalise (R-LA); Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), RPM Act lead sponsor; Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), RPM Act lead Republican co-sponsor; and RPM Act original co-sponsors Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC), Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), and Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL). 

The RPM Act reverses the EPA’s interpretation that the Clean Air Act does not allow a motor vehicle designed for street use—including a car, truck, or motorcycle—to be converted into a dedicated race vehicle. This American tradition was unquestioned until 2015, when the EPA took the position that converted vehicles must remain emissions-compliant, even though they are no longer driven on public streets or highways.

“Now is the time for other racers and racing personalities to get your network engaged in the fight to pass the RPM Act,” said Snyder. “Tell them to go to saveourracecars.com, which makes it easy to sign a letter to lawmakers in support of the bill, call members of Congress with the click of a button, and access talking points to prepare for a call with congressional staff. And, if you want to go further, invite your lawmakers to the track or to visit your business. Email me at erics@sema.org. I’m ready to help.”

Lawmakers Back RPM Act Following PRI/SEMA Leadership Visits

Prior to his visit with Richard Petty, PRI/SEMA CEO Mike Spagnola visited Washington, DC, in June to lobby for the passage of the RPM Act. There, he met with key members of Congress who are integral to the legislative process on the bill and urged them to act.

With strong legislative support from more than 160 members of Congress, thanks in part to unprecedented grassroots advocacy from industry members and enthusiasts, the RPM Act is well-positioned to be passed. Still, it must be voted on to become law this year.

In an effort to help get the bill over the finish line, Spagnola met with key elected officials, including strong bill supporters and members who are best positioned to shape automotive policy. Specifically, Spagnola met with the following lawmakers about the RPM Act: Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), an RPM Act co-sponsor and Ranking Member on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee; Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), RPM Act co-sponsor and member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee; Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), an RPM Act co-sponsor; Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-WA), the senior Republican on the Energy & Commerce Committee; Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), a strong voice on automotive issues on the E&C Committee (Rep. Dingell’s new district will include Plymouth, Michigan, which is home to SEMA’s Detroit Garage); and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), an RPM Act co-sponsor and the Chairman of the Congressional Motorsports Caucus. 

“We had very productive meetings with some of the most important lawmakers in the automotive policy space,” said Spagnola. “The momentum for passing the RPM Act is building, and the progress we are making is in no small part thanks to the phone calls and letters members, the racing community, and automotive enthusiasts have made to Congress. Now is the time to keep our foot on the gas and continue to remind lawmakers that they must pass the RPM Act before the November election. It is time that Congress delivers for the men and women in our community and protects the right to convert and sell parts for race vehicles.”

The RPM Act (H.R.3281/S.2736) is a bill that would protect the future of racing by clarifying in federal law that it is not illegal to modify and convert a street vehicle into a dedicated race vehicle. The House and Senate must pass the RPM Act by Jan. 3, 2023, for it to become law during the 117th session of Congress. Businesses and enthusiasts are urged to continue to reach out and contact their legislators at saveourracecars.com and push for passage of the RPM Act this year.

“The motorsports industry positively impacts the lives of millions of Americans. From the racers, race crews and teams, to the businesses that manufacture and market parts, and even the fans who support the sport, the industry is far-reaching,” said Eric Snyder, PRI’s Director of Congressional Affairs. “The best way to educate lawmakers and congressional staff on why they need to support the RPM Act is to provide them with information about the role of motorsports parts businesses and the race tracks in the state or district they represent.”

Rep. Schneider Voices Support For RPM Act During HP Tuners Visit

PRI thanks Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL), who announced his support for the RPM Act during a recent visit to diagnostic, logging, calibration, and data acquisition solutions provider HP Tuners. 

Rep. Schneider toured the Buffalo Grove, Illinois-based facility and met with company employees to learn more about how software and hardware tools are designed and manufactured. These components are used in racing applications as well as to help bring vehicles into and maintain emissions compliance. He also saw firsthand how important the RPM Act is to the specialty automotive aftermarket and to HP Tuners in particular, including its leadership and workforce. 

“We were happy to welcome Congressman Brad Schneider to come take a tour of HP Tuners and share some insights with our employees,” said co-owner and CEO Keith Prociuk, who founded HP Tuners more than 20 years ago to help offset the costs associated with his passion for racing. “Thank you to the Congressman for visiting and engaging in a thoughtful dialogue about some of the most important issues facing the industry, including the RPM Act, the right to repair and modify vehicles, tax policy, and data protection/cyber security. We appreciate Rep. Schneider voicing his support for the RPM Act, which is so critically important to our company and racers like myself.” 

This recent visit was coordinated by PRI’s team based in Washington, DC, as part of an effort to pass bills that protect motorsports and enable the racing parts industry to thrive. Whether in Washington, DC, or state capitals around the country, public policy battles are won by organized interests that have relationships with lawmakers. In short, the organizations that shape public policy are the businesses and individuals who know their lawmakers and, more importantly, their lawmakers know them.

Hosting members of the US House of Representatives and Senators at your businesses is integral to developing meaningful relationships with lawmakers and helping them to understand the industry so they can advocate for policies that defend and expand it.

“Rep. Schneider was impressed by HP Tuners, as his tour of the company helped him to understand the importance of the RPM Act,” said Eric Snyder, PRI’s Director of Congressional Affairs. “HP Tuners’ Founder and CEO Keith Prociuk and HP Tuners Chief Operating Officer Andrew Mernone are passionate about racing. Their advocacy for the RPM Act and the importance of the legislation to the company is very compelling. Hosting a member of Congress at your business or taking them to the race track is the best way to develop a relationship and get your lawmakers to join our campaign to pass the RPM Act.”

The first step in developing these relationships is to introduce yourself and invite them to your business. PRI’s government affairs staff will draft an invitation, send it to your lawmakers, coordinate the visit by providing a briefing prior to the event, and manage day-of logistics in coordination with you and your company. To host a lawmaker at your motorsports business, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.