Building off a successful 2025, when race track protections were secured in North Carolina and Iowa, PRI has expanded its effort to protect America's local race tracks from nuisance-based lawsuits driven by surrounding development that arrives after a facility is already established.

Four states are already on board with newly introduced bills: Indiana (HB 1415), Kansas (HB 2416), Ohio (HB 639) and Oklahoma (SB 1195).

Each bill advances a simple, common-sense principle: when a race track was there first and is operating lawfully, new neighbors and developers should not be able to use nuisance litigation to restrict or shut down the track.

Each "Right to Race" bill aims to give long-established race tracks more stability and predictability, enabling them to continue hosting events, supporting local jobs and serving the motorsports community. Together, these proposals reflect a growing, pro-motorsports approach in statehouses to protect the places where grassroots racing happens and where the next generation of racers and builders get their start.

The PRI and SEMA legislative approach has already taken checkered flags in other states. Recently passed laws in North Carolina and Iowa have shown that lawmakers can preserve motorsports heritage and community institutions while maintaining oversight. These four new bills build on that momentum and signal a coordinated, multi-state push to keep grassroots racing alive.

WHY THESE BILLS MATTER

Local race tracks are far more than weekend entertainment, serving as the backbone of the American motorsports industry. Local tracks are small businesses and community institutions that annually contribute $69 billion to the United States economy through local jobs, tourism, charitable activity and the next generation of racers, engineers and automotive innovators. They also serve as safe, regulated outlets for motorsports participation. When established tracks are forced to curtail operations or close due to nuisance litigation pressure, communities lose a vital part of their cultural identity, and the broader racing and aftermarket ecosystem loses a critical pipeline.

TAKE ACTION: HELP PROTECT THE TRACKS IN YOUR STATE

PRI and SEMA encourage race track owners, racers, local businesses and enthusiasts to engage early by educating lawmakers and community leaders about the value of racing facilities. Hosting a facility tour for local officials, sharing local economic impact data and community contributions, and building a broad coalition of supporters can help advance commonsense protections and keep racing alive for future generations.

• Stay informed and take action when it matters most by connecting with SEMA Action at semahq.org.
   

For more information and to get involved in race track nuisance-protection efforts in your state, contact SEMA Government Affairs at governmentaffairs@sema.org. For state-specific questions, contact one of our senior managers for state government affairs:

• Tierra Hubbard (Indiana and Ohio) at tierrah@sema.org
• Victor Muñoz (Kansas and Oklahoma) at victorm@sema.org
  
   

Image courtesy of Shutterstock | Bruce Alan Bennett