Hundreds of motorsports manufacturers, racers, celebrities and supporters gathered at the SEMA Garage’s annual open house on July 28, where they got a firsthand look at SEMA’s state-of-the-art facility. The Industry Innovation Center gives auto parts manufacturers a convenient way to test their cars and products to ensure they meet state and federal regulations. This year’s open house also featured the Garage’s emissions compliance center.
“The SEMA Garage represents the best of our industry’s innovative prowess, showcasing the cutting-edge tools and equipment that can revolutionize the way our industry develops products,” said Mike Spagnola, SEMA’s vice president of OEM and product development programs. “It also represents our industry’s commitment to meeting critical compliance measures, and underscores our important, long-standing relationship with state and federal regulators.”
This year’s event took place as the industry continues to operate under a cloud of uncertainty regarding how it is regulated. In July 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule that would prohibit the conversion of emissions-certified vehicles into racecars and make it illegal to sell any emissions-related parts for those cars. With pressure from Congress, the EPA indicated that it intended to withdraw the specific regulation. However, the agency maintains that it has the authority to regulate street vehicles modified exclusively for the track and the businesses that make those products, despite Congressional intent.
A bipartisan bill now pending in the U.S. Congress – the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act – would make it clear now and in the future that modification of street vehicles for competition is legal and beyond the reach of EPA regulations. The RPM Act addresses any doubts regarding regulation of racecars and gives the public and racecar industry much-needed certainty regarding how the Clean Air Act is applied.
The Open House provided racing enthusiasts and SEMA members with a number of opportunities to engage with their lawmakers, customers, families and friends about the RPM Act and the need to protect the future of motorsports.
