A SEMA-supported bill (H.B. 6226) has been introduced in the Connecticut State Legislature to provide an exemption from property taxes for antique, rare and special-interest vehicles. The bill is pending in the Joint Transportation Committee for consideration.

Connecticut law defines an "antique, rare or special interest motor vehicle" as a motor vehicle 20 years old or older, which is being preserved because of historic interest and is not altered or modified from the original manufacturer's specifications.

For more information on H.B. 6226, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

A SEMA-supported bill (H.B. 6226) has been introduced in the Connecticut State Legislature to provide an exemption from property taxes for antique, rare and special-interest vehicles. The bill is pending in the Joint Transportation Committee for consideration.

Connecticut law defines an "antique, rare or special interest motor vehicle" as a motor vehicle 20 years old or older, which is being preserved because of historic interest and is not altered or modified from the original manufacturer's specifications.

For more information on H.B. 6226, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

A SEMA-supported bill (H.B. 6226) has been introduced in the Connecticut State Legislature to provide an exemption from property taxes for antique, rare and special-interest vehicles. The bill is pending in the Joint Transportation Committee for consideration.

Connecticut law defines an "antique, rare or special interest motor vehicle" as a motor vehicle 20 years old or older, which is being preserved because of historic interest and is not altered or modified from the original manufacturer's specifications.

For more information on H.B. 6226, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

At the urging of SEMA and the hobbyist community in the state, West Virginia legislation has been amended in committee. The bill originally sought to redefine “abandoned motor vehicles” to include vehicles or vehicle parts which are either unlicensed or inoperable, or both, are not in an enclosed building and have remained on private property for more than 30 days.

Under the amendment, antique motor vehicles would be exempted from the scope of the measure, as would motor vehicles or parts that are obscured from view by means of blocking or screening behind natural objects, plantings, fences or other appropriate visual barriers. The amendment largely mirrors SEMA model legislation to create fair standards for inoperable vehicles.

The amended bill was approved by the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and sent to the Judiciary Committee for consideration.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

At the urging of SEMA and the hobbyist community in the state, West Virginia legislation has been amended in committee. The bill originally sought to redefine “abandoned motor vehicles” to include vehicles or vehicle parts which are either unlicensed or inoperable, or both, are not in an enclosed building and have remained on private property for more than 30 days.

Under the amendment, antique motor vehicles would be exempted from the scope of the measure, as would motor vehicles or parts that are obscured from view by means of blocking or screening behind natural objects, plantings, fences or other appropriate visual barriers. The amendment largely mirrors SEMA model legislation to create fair standards for inoperable vehicles.

The amended bill was approved by the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and sent to the Judiciary Committee for consideration.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

At the urging of SEMA and the hobbyist community in the state, West Virginia legislation has been amended in committee. The bill originally sought to redefine “abandoned motor vehicles” to include vehicles or vehicle parts which are either unlicensed or inoperable, or both, are not in an enclosed building and have remained on private property for more than 30 days.

Under the amendment, antique motor vehicles would be exempted from the scope of the measure, as would motor vehicles or parts that are obscured from view by means of blocking or screening behind natural objects, plantings, fences or other appropriate visual barriers. The amendment largely mirrors SEMA model legislation to create fair standards for inoperable vehicles.

The amended bill was approved by the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and sent to the Judiciary Committee for consideration.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

At the urging of SEMA and the hobbyist community in the state, West Virginia legislation has been amended in committee. The bill originally sought to redefine “abandoned motor vehicles” to include vehicles or vehicle parts which are either unlicensed or inoperable, or both, are not in an enclosed building and have remained on private property for more than 30 days.

Under the amendment, antique motor vehicles would be exempted from the scope of the measure, as would motor vehicles or parts that are obscured from view by means of blocking or screening behind natural objects, plantings, fences or other appropriate visual barriers. The amendment largely mirrors SEMA model legislation to create fair standards for inoperable vehicles.

The amended bill was approved by the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and sent to the Judiciary Committee for consideration.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

HE’S BACK: IndyCar Series driver Helio Castroneves was acquitted on five of the six charges facing him in his highly publicized tax- evasion case. The sixth charge (conspiracy) ended in a hung jury. Thus Castroneves was back in a Team Penske Indy car at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. He finished seventh. Dario Franchitti claimed the victory.

GOING BACK: Paul Tracy will return to the Indianapolis 500 for the first time since his near victory in 2007. Tracy will drive a car entered by KV Racing Technology, which is co-owned by Jimmy Vasser and Kevin Kalkhoven.

MOVING UP: Lesa France Kennedy will take over for her uncle, Jim France, as CEO of International Speedway Corp. when France steps down June 1. The son of Bill France Sr. will remain as chairman of the ISC Board of Directors.

NEW TROPHY: The trophy given to the Southern 500 winner at Darlington (South Carolina) Raceway has been named the Johnny Mantz Southern 500 trophy after the first (1950) winner of the event.

MOVING ON: Ron Dennis has stepped down as CEO of the McLaren Group Formula One team for which he has worked since 1980. Richard Lapthorne will replace Dennis.

NEW NO. 1: With the struggles of other contenders this week, Formula One points-leader Jensen Button, who finished third in the Chinese Grand Prix, moved to the top spot in the weekly National Speed Sport News Power Rankings, which rates drivers from all auto-racing disciplines. The rankings appear weekly in America’s Motorsports Authority.

SUBSCRIBE: National Speed Sport News has been published weekly since 1934. Click here to subscribe to National Speed Sport News at a special industry rate.

HE’S BACK: IndyCar Series driver Helio Castroneves was acquitted on five of the six charges facing him in his highly publicized tax- evasion case. The sixth charge (conspiracy) ended in a hung jury. Thus Castroneves was back in a Team Penske Indy car at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. He finished seventh. Dario Franchitti claimed the victory.

GOING BACK: Paul Tracy will return to the Indianapolis 500 for the first time since his near victory in 2007. Tracy will drive a car entered by KV Racing Technology, which is co-owned by Jimmy Vasser and Kevin Kalkhoven.

MOVING UP: Lesa France Kennedy will take over for her uncle, Jim France, as CEO of International Speedway Corp. when France steps down June 1. The son of Bill France Sr. will remain as chairman of the ISC Board of Directors.

NEW TROPHY: The trophy given to the Southern 500 winner at Darlington (South Carolina) Raceway has been named the Johnny Mantz Southern 500 trophy after the first (1950) winner of the event.

MOVING ON: Ron Dennis has stepped down as CEO of the McLaren Group Formula One team for which he has worked since 1980. Richard Lapthorne will replace Dennis.

NEW NO. 1: With the struggles of other contenders this week, Formula One points-leader Jensen Button, who finished third in the Chinese Grand Prix, moved to the top spot in the weekly National Speed Sport News Power Rankings, which rates drivers from all auto-racing disciplines. The rankings appear weekly in America’s Motorsports Authority.

SUBSCRIBE: National Speed Sport News has been published weekly since 1934. Click here to subscribe to National Speed Sport News at a special industry rate.

HE’S BACK: IndyCar Series driver Helio Castroneves was acquitted on five of the six charges facing him in his highly publicized tax- evasion case. The sixth charge (conspiracy) ended in a hung jury. Thus Castroneves was back in a Team Penske Indy car at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. He finished seventh. Dario Franchitti claimed the victory.

GOING BACK: Paul Tracy will return to the Indianapolis 500 for the first time since his near victory in 2007. Tracy will drive a car entered by KV Racing Technology, which is co-owned by Jimmy Vasser and Kevin Kalkhoven.

MOVING UP: Lesa France Kennedy will take over for her uncle, Jim France, as CEO of International Speedway Corp. when France steps down June 1. The son of Bill France Sr. will remain as chairman of the ISC Board of Directors.

NEW TROPHY: The trophy given to the Southern 500 winner at Darlington (South Carolina) Raceway has been named the Johnny Mantz Southern 500 trophy after the first (1950) winner of the event.

MOVING ON: Ron Dennis has stepped down as CEO of the McLaren Group Formula One team for which he has worked since 1980. Richard Lapthorne will replace Dennis.

NEW NO. 1: With the struggles of other contenders this week, Formula One points-leader Jensen Button, who finished third in the Chinese Grand Prix, moved to the top spot in the weekly National Speed Sport News Power Rankings, which rates drivers from all auto-racing disciplines. The rankings appear weekly in America’s Motorsports Authority.

SUBSCRIBE: National Speed Sport News has been published weekly since 1934. Click here to subscribe to National Speed Sport News at a special industry rate.