PRI and SEMA continue to lay the ground for their 2026 priority of protecting the racing community, making a major push in Wisconsin to rally support for "Right to Race" legislation ahead of the next legislative session starting in January.

For three days last week, SEMA and PRI staff and advocates hit the ground in Madison, the state capital, to build momentum to support legislation that protects race tracks from nuisance claims, mirroring a recent PRI- and SEMA-led victory in North Carolina. The team met with lawmakers and later joined more than 35 race tracks at the Promoters of Wisconsin Auto Racing (POWAR) meeting at Angell Park Speedway to give a presentation outlining the legislation, explaining its urgency and organizing next steps to strengthen a unified statewide coalition.
 

Left to Right: Gregg McKarns, Owner of Madison International Speedway; Rep. Jeff Mursau; Mike Kertscher, President of Road America; Tierra Hubbard, Senior Manager of State Government Affairs at SEMA and PRI; Tom Deery, PRI Ambassador.

SEMA and PRI’s Government Affairs team, alongside local race track owners and operators, met with 16 lawmakers to advance nuisance-protection legislation aimed at safeguarding long-standing facilities from challenges driven by new surrounding development.

On November 12, the Wisconsin Historical Society held a beam-signing event to celebrate its collaborative exhibit project with Road America, commemorating the track’s 70th anniversary. SEMA and PRI were honored to add their signatures to the future Wisconsin History Center, a state-of-the-art facility opening on Capitol Square in 2027.
 

Wisconsin History Center beam displaying the signature of SEMA and PRI, and Madison International Speedway in the Rotunda of the Wisconsin State Capitol.
 

PRI also hosted a presentation on November 11 for race tracks across Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois, outlining the legislation, highlighting its urgency and coordinating next steps to strengthen a unified statewide coalition.

Lawmakers are listening, race tracks are mobilizing and momentum is building. Support is growing as leaders recognize the essential role race tracks play in the United States' economy, heritage and communities. This is a pivotal opportunity to protect the future of racing while preserving jobs, investment, tourism and long-standing traditions.

SEMA and PRI remain committed to advancing similar protections nationwide, ensuring motorsports facilities and related businesses have the safeguards they need to thrive.

Want to get involved?

Help us keep race tracks alive and thriving. For information on how you can support motorsports advocacy in your state, contact SEMA and PRI's Senior Managers of State Government Affairs: Tierra Hubbard, who leads efforts in the eastern states, at tierrah@sema.org, and Victor Muñoz, who covers western states, at victorm@sema.org.