Congressional support for the bipartisan Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2021 (RPM Act), H.R. 3281, has continued to build in the days leading up to members of the U.S. House of Representatives leaving Washington, D.C., until mid-September. Letters in support of the RPM Act from racers and members of the motorsports’ parts industry to lawmakers in Congress asking them to cosponsor the bill continue to be a key factor in expanding support for the legislation.
Dusty Johnson
The RPM Act now has 96 bipartisan co-sponsors, as five members of the House recently agreed to publicly support the bill, including U.S. Representatives Jim Banks (R-IN), Larry Bucshon (R-IN), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN).
Carlos Gimenez
While the House of Representatives is out of session until September 20, members of Congress will hold town hall meetings and meet with their constituents. Local meetings provide a great opportunity for you to influence your members of Congress. To identify your U.S. House member, visit Action Center. You can sign up on their website to receive weekly email updates, including information about events in your lawmaker’s congressional district.
Larry Bucshon
The RPM Act must be enacted into law to guarantee your right to modify street cars, trucks and motorcycles into dedicated race vehicles, and ensure that industry can offer parts that enable racers to compete. It is imperative that lawmakers continue to be reminded of the importance of passing the RPM Act.
Victoria Spartz
Click here to see the current list of RPM Act co-sponsors, and don’t forget to send a letter to your U.S. Representative asking them to support the bill and fight for it to become law.
For details, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.
Feature vehicles provide exhibitors the ability to highlight
products and upgrades on cars and trucks positioned in
designated areas away from their company’s SEMA Show
booth.
Although the deadline to apply for a feature vehicle at the 2021 SEMA Show has passed, applications are still being accepted for exhibitors planning to utilize a feature vehicle for the Show.
All feature vehicles must be approved and paid for by qualified exhibiting companies. Criteria for placement is based on how the exhibiting company’s products are showcased on the vehicle, whether the car has been featured in the SEMA Show previously, how complete the vehicle build is, and to what degree the vehicle captures all elements of the specialty-equipment market.
Feature vehicles provide exhibitors the ability to highlight products and upgrades on cars and trucks positioned in designated areas away from their company’s SEMA Show booth. With unique style and unmatched innovations, feature vehicles are a visual marketing tool to help generate an organic appeal for an exhibitor’s products.
The SEMA Data Excellence designation recognizes the companies that have worked with SEMA Data to recreate and relaunch industry-leading product data sets. Here are products from current SEMA Data members that have achieved data excellence.
Fuelab’s 565 Regulators—The New “PRO Series” Line
Fuelab has given the tried and true 565 series regulator new digs and a new purpose. The 565 Series of regulators are capable of taming huge electric pumps (like their 40501 PRO Series spur gear pump) and the meanest belt driven mechanical pumps, all with a flat regulation slope.
These regulators feature -10AN ports and a massive ½-in. return orifice for applications well over 2500hp. They’re available in 4-12psi, 10-25psi, 25-65psi, and 40-80psi configurations, and utilize fluorosilicone diaphragms and o-rings, so they’re cross-fuel compatible, just like the rest of the Fuelab line.
JMS PedalMAX Extreme is designed specifically for the Polaris Slingshot market. Throttle response and acceleration are improved leading to more initial power and torque. Taking only minutes to install, the unit plugs in-line between your vehicle's pedal position sensor and vehicle harness, utilizing OEM connectors with a remote mounted control knob making performance adjustable on-the-fly. PedalMAX Extreme units are fully waterproof, backed by a lifetime warranty and made in the USA.
Tuffy Security Products Flow-Through Center Security Console Safe for Late-Model Ford Pickups
Tuffy Security Products fits ’15–’21 Ford F-150, ’17–’21 Ford F-250 Super Duty and ’17–’21 Ford F-350 Super Duty pickup models and offers owners a flow-through center security console safe that maintains a completely stock look, while providing full use of the factory accessory tray, arm rest and lid. It also retains access to the truck’s optional OEM USB and power outlets situated inside the console. The product installs in a few minutes using hand tools with no drilling required.
A lid support allows the console’s lid to remain open while accessing contents. It is manufactured with welded steel components and features a durable black texture powdercoat finish. The company’s patented Pry-Guard locking system and a 10 tumbler double-bitted lock with built-in weather seals secure the console’s contents.
The new Round 5 of the USTCC championship will be at the
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, September 17–19.
The United States Touring Car Championship to Race With IndyCar at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
The United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC) has added the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey to its 2021 calendar. The new Round 5 of the championship will be at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, September 17–19, with the IndyCar series. The weekend starts with practice, qualifying and round 5 of the championship, Friday, September 17, followed by round 6 on Saturday, September 18. Tickets for the event are available at www.weathertechraceway.com.
Drydene Xtreme DIRTcar Series Sets 2021–22 Schedule
The Drydene Xtreme DIRTcar Series has announced its third season winter tour schedule, which features four weekends of Late Model racing from November through February. Eight races are set across South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia, as the series adds Lancaster Motor Speedway and I-75 Raceway to the schedule for the first time. The season champion is set to earn $15,000 from a $42,000 point fund that rewards the top 10 overall who compete in the entire schedule. Drydene Performance Products also continues as the title sponsor of the tour. All events will be broadcast on DIRTVision. For more information, visit xtremedirtcar.com.
Fifty Five Promotions will take over ownership of Skagit Speedway,
the dirt track based in Burlington, Washington. Photo courtesy: Skagit
Speedway
Fifty Five Promotions Acquires Skagit Speedway
Fifty Five Promotions will take over ownership of Skagit Speedway, the dirt track based in Burlington, Washington. Fifty Five Promotions is the new promotional group comprised of Washington car owners Kevin Rudeen and Mike Anderson and the California-based promoter Peter Murphy. The group takes over ownership from longtime track owner Steve Beitler, who was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2018. Also the owner of Funtime Promotions, Beitler manages the Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington, and the Summer Thunder Sprint Car Series and the Washington Modified Tour. The acquisition and transition will be completed at the end of the track’s season following the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals featuring the World of Outlaws 410 sprint cars and NW Focus midgets, September 3–5, followed by the season championship presented by Scrap-It-Stow-It on September 18.
Ellen Stallcup
Texas Motor Speedway Promotes New Vice President of Marketing
Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) has promoted Ellen Stallcup to the newly created position of vice president of marketing. Stallcup began working for the multi-purpose facility—which celebrates its 25th Season of Speed this year—in 2003 as an intern with the corporate sales department for the fall IndyCar race weekend. She is now responsible for the development of marketing, advertising, promotional and budgetary planning, and the NASCAR event at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. She also manages Big Hoss, the 22,704.64-sq.-ft. HD LED display that owns the Guinness World Record as the world’s largest HD LED video board. The Windthorst, Texas native began her full-time career at No Limits, Texas, in 2004 as a ticket sales representative. In 2006, she was named advertising and events manager and promoted to director of the department in 2017. She was promoted in 2020 to the position of director of marketing.
Toyota will team up with Bubba Wallace’s foundation to assist the
students who dream of working within the world of motorsports.
Photo courtesy: NASCAR
Toyota Racing Forms “The Dream” Experiential Endowment
Toyota Racing has announced the establishment of the Dream Experiential Endowment in partnership with Bubba Wallace’s Live to be Different Foundation. The initiative will see Toyota team up with Wallace’s foundation to assist the students who dream of working within the world of motorsports. It is a continuation of the Toyota Racing “Dream” commercial that took to the airwaves around the 2021 Daytona 500. By working with various organizations around the country, Toyota Racing will identify a minimum of four participants per year and arrange for them to spend a finite amount of time with a Toyota race team or TRD-related organization to experience the dream they have to pursue a career in the world of motorsports. The initial group of recipients will be chosen in the coming weeks and begin their experience during the late summer of the 2021 racing season. Applicants looking to be considered can submit a resume along with a 500-word maximum essay explaining their dream to work in motorsports to ToyotaRacing@golin.com.
Calistoga Speedway Announces HOF Class of 2021
Calistoga Speedway, the 1/2-mile dirt oval in Calistoga, California, has announced its 2021 Hall of Fame class. The Hunt Family, Dewey Gatson, Paul Worden, and Dick Golden join the already announced inductees, which include Gene Figone, Ray Smith, Shane Scott, Roger Henderson, and Rick Hirst. The inductees will be honored during the Louie Vermeil Classic taking place at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California, on Labor Day weekend. The 10th annual Calistoga Speedway HOF dinner takes place Friday, September 3, prior to the winged sprint car event running on Saturday and Sunday, September 4–5. For more information, visit the event page.
Kyle Petty Charity Ride Announces Mini Ride for Fall
This fall, Kyle Petty will host the “Charity Ride Revival (CRR),” a one-time only, miniature version of his annual Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. The CRR was created in response to postponing the larger Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America until Spring 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Differing from the annual Ride, the CRR will be half the time, half the size and based at one single hotel–The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia. It will also only include previous participants of the Ride. These are precautions put in place by the Ride to protect the safety of participating riders and team members. From September 21–23, the CRR will travel a different route each day to a unique point of interest for riders to explore and enjoy before returning to the hotel.
Kyle Petty’s 2021 Charity Ride Revival Schedule:
Day 1, Tuesday, September 21 – National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia
Day 2, Wednesday, September 22 – Seneca Rocks in Seneca Rocks, West Virginia
Day 3, Thursday, September 23 – New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia
The CRR will continue the Ride’s mission of raising funds and awareness for Victory Junction–a camp dedicated to providing life-changing camping experiences for children with chronic and serious medical illnesses. For more information, visit kylepettycharityride.com.
Register now for the following upcoming live webinars and stay tuned to SEMA eNews as additional sessions are announced throughout the year. For a comprehensive library of upcoming live and on-demand sessions that members can access anytime, visit www.sema.org/virtual-education.
Wednesday, August 11 – Pricing Policies 101: The Truth About Pricing Policies Series: Pricing Policies Webinar Series
During this live webinar, manufacturers and sole-exclusive distributors will learn the basics of pricing policies and why it’s important to consider one to avoid price erosion in the marketplace. Rich Barsamian of Advanced Clutch Technology will share what he has learned from more than 10 years of experience, writing, implementing and executing pricing policies in the automotive aftermarket and participate in a live Q&A with session attendees.
Wednesday, August 18 – Wheel Knowledge 401: Resources for WTC Members Series: Wheel and Tire Industry Insights, Powered by WTC Track: Industry Segments, Powered by SEMA Councils and Networks
During this live webinar, wheel and tire manufacturers and companies will learn about the resources, high-tech tools and equipment available to them through the SEMA Garage. Participants will get the latest information on measuring sessions, 3-D printing capabilities, the Tech Transfer program and ADAS resources. An update on services available through the new SEMA Garage in Detroit will also be discussed.
Wednesday, August 18 – Pricing Policies 201: Implementing a Pricing Policy That Works Series: Pricing Policies Webinar Series
Learn the step-by-step approach to understanding the key components of a successful pricing policy. During this live webinar, attendees will learn what the most effective pricing policy is, what to do when your biggest customer breaks the policy and how a pricing policy increases sales. Cost: $25.
Tuesday, August 24 – The Value of Managing Different Personalities Series: Sharpen Your Soft Skills, Powered by SBN Track: Industry Segments, Powered by SEMA Councils and Networks
During this live webinar geared toward automotive aftermarket managers, attendees will learn about the value of managing different personalities and how to identify different personality traits in the workplace. Methods discussed will help managers learn more about their employees so they can adjust their management style accordingly, enhance teamwork and collaboration, and avoid unnecessary conflicts.
Wednesday, August 25 – Pricing Policies 301: Why Isn’t My Pricing Policy Working? Series: Pricing Policies Webinar Series
If you’ve launched a pricing policy and have not yet seen the benefits—stick with it and you will. This live webinar will help members understand the most common reasons why a pricing policy isn’t moving the needle. You will learn how long it typically takes to see results, why only some resellers follow a pricing policy, and what the top KPIs that measure a successful pricing policy are. Cost: $25.
Newly Added: Tuesday, August 31 – Preventing Ransomware in the Automotive Aftermarket – What SEMA Retailers, Manufacturers and WDs Can Do to Mitigate Threats
Cybersecurity threats continue to be one of the most important concerns for businesses and organizations. During this live webinar, aftermarket executives and decision makers will learn everything they need to know about how to make educated cybersecurity decisions. The information conveyed will help businesses identify key vulnerabilities within their organization and provide strategies and techniques for mitigating security threats.
Available when you need them, where you need them—SEMA’s On-Demand Virtual Education library includes dozens of recorded sessions that SEMA members can access anytime, anywhere.
Below are newly added and popular recordings that are available. For a complete list of sessions and registration information for upcoming webinars, visit www.sema.org/virtual-education.
ADAS Webinar Series
ADAS Technologies: Real-World Systems and Trends (Part One)
Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are now becoming standard on new vehicles. Aftermarket parts manufacturers and installers must adapt to the change and learn how to work with the new technology. In this webinar, industry experts provide a high-level look at current ADAS systems’ function, technology and trends. Watch on-demand.
ADAS Technologies: Making Sense of Simulation, Testing and Calibration (Part Two)
Learn how to test and verify that products perform as designed, without affecting OEM functionality or ADAS systems. In this webinar, experts and leading providers of ADAS simulation, testing and calibration explain the testing process, what it means, how it works and what to expect. Watch on-demand.
ADAS Technologies: How to Navigate Product Development (Part Three)
In the final session of the ADAS Webinar Series, leading aftermarket manufacturers who have successfully developed and launched products for ADAS-equipped vehicles share the steps they took to understand the systems, design compatible parts, and validate the functionality of all OEM features. Watch on-demand.
ARMO Builder Series
Episode One: Bob Smith “The Ferrari King”
Get to know the legendary builder and founder of Coachworks Bob Smith, who is sometimes dubbed “The Ferrari King.” Hosted by Sabra Johnson of City Classic Cars, the video features intimate and candid conversations showcasing Smith’s passion and creativity. The two talk shop and all things restoration, including lessons learned from working in the industry, advice for other restoration builders and more. Watch on-demand.
SEMA Industry Insights Series
2021 SEMA Market Report Webinar
As aftermarket businesses and the economy begin to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses must stay informed about trends that have changed and where the most opportunities can be found for various aftermarket segments. Watch as the SEMA Market Research team presents highlights from the recently released “2021 SEMA Market Report,” including key trends and insights on sales, consumer behavior, industry trends and more. Watch on-demand.
Industry Talks Track
ETTN Live Chat featuring Matt Beenen
2018 SEMA Launch Pad winner Matt Beenen has led BuiltRight Industries to developing and launching more than 80 unique aftermarket products in less than five years. In this Facebook live chat recording, Beenen discusses how the recent affordability of rapid prototyping and 3-D tools have leveled the playing field for small businesses, and how using 3-D scanning, 3-D printing and AR/VR can shorten iterative design cycles and encourage innovation. Watch on-demand.
ETTN Live Chat featuring David Goch
The automotive aftermarket is impacted by countless political and environmental policies. In this Facebook live chat recording, SEMA General Counsel David Goch shares information that will help manufacturers understand current emissions testing and policies, where the future is headed, and how aftermarket companies can adapt their products to be compliant. Watch on-demand.
SBN Live Chat featuring Shannon Welch
Stop worrying if you are good enough or smart enough, and focus instead on being valuable. During this Facebook live chat recording, Shannon Welch, former communications director at ULTRA4 Racing and founder of “Hey Shannon Quick Question,” shares lessons learned from her entrepreneurial journey that will help others gain the confidence they need to create value that will ultimately attract success. Watch on-demand.
YEN Live Chat featuring Jim Liaw
When co-founder of Formula DRIFT Jim Liaw introduced drifting to the United States in 2003, the sport was mostly unknown. In this Facebook live chat recording, Liaw shares how the premier United States drifting series came to be, what other motorsports events he’s helped organize and why he supports the RPM Act. Watch on-demand.
Join SEMA Monday, November 1, for a series of roundtables focused
on key international markets.
Exhibiting at the SEMA Show? Registration is now open for the International Happy Hour, where you can network with international buyers and global enthusiast media.
Want to meet with international buyers even before the Show opens? Join us on Monday, November 1, for four International Roundtables.
For a copy of the Roundtable schedule and other international programs and resources at the 2021 SEMA Show, including how to order a complimentary “We Export” sign, visit SEMA News.
For more information, contact Linda Spencer at lindas@sema.org.
SEMA advocates for the industry before regulatory agencies
since government officials have authority to regulate a broad
range of issues that may impact SEMA members and their
customers. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock.com
Most people involved in the automotive industry have heard of the RPM Act, SEMA’s federal legislation to ensure that street vehicles can be modified into dedicated race cars. However, many people aren’t aware that SEMA works to influence regulatory agencies as well as the legislative process.
While not as flashy as introducing a bill in Congress, much of SEMA’s advocacy efforts are on the regulatory front—protecting members and enthusiasts from bureaucratic overreach. Regulatory agencies frequently issue proposed rulemakings, and they have authority over a broad range of issues that could impact SEMA members. SEMA staff monitor the Federal Register (where federal rulemakings are published daily) to make sure that the automotive aftermarket’s concerns are taken into consideration before the rulemakings are finalized.
In the last few months alone, SEMA has submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Patent and Trade Office (PTO), and the California Energy Commission (CEC) on topics of importance to the specialty auto parts market, ranging from cybersecurity and ethanol-blended gasoline labels to tire standards.
Cybersecurity is an issue of growing concern for many industries, including the automotive aftermarket. SEMA submitted comments to NHTSA on its updated document, “Cybersecurity Best Practices for the Safety of Modern Vehicles.” SEMA is supportive of cybersecurity best practices for vehicles that maintain the legal right of vehicle owners to access data, hardware, and software in order to repair or modify their vehicles.
In its comments, SEMA cited the recent Massachusetts right-to-repair ballot initiative that passed in 2020, emphasizing consumers’ desire to legally modify and repair their vehicles how they see fit. SEMA recommended that the best practices document’s reference to “vehicle modification” be expanded to confirm the consumer’s right to modify their vehicles in addition to having them serviced. SEMA also recommended that NHTSA clarify that the document applies to all types of aftermarket parts, not just the referenced mobile phones or other digital devices.
SEMA noted that it is working with lawmakers, regulators and
industry partners to make sure customers always have a
chance to modify and customize their vehicles. Photo
courtesy: Shutterstock.com
Other issues of increasing interest for the automotive aftermarket are advance driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving systems (ADS). While NHTSA was focused on developing a framework for ADS safety, SEMA noted that automated driving relies on ADAS technology (cameras, radar, LIDAR, etc.) for features such as advanced braking and lane departure, so the two issues are commingled.
Within that context, SEMA’s comments focused on information availability to the automotive aftermarket in the coming years to ensure that vehicles can be independently serviced, repaired and modified as new ADS/ADAS-related technologies emerge. As the agency works with industry stakeholders to create a regulatory overlay for both topics, SEMA took the opportunity to proactively focus attention on the issue.
In comments to the EPA on its proposed rulemaking on E15 gas pump labels, SEMA pushed back on the EPA’s proposal to limit or remove the labeling requirement. Ethanol—especially in higher concentrations such as E15—can cause metal corrosion and dissolve certain plastics and rubbers in older automobiles that were not constructed with ethanol-resistant materials, or in certain specialty high-performance equipment.
SEMA expressed dismay that the EPA would suggest making the current label smaller in size and soften the warning language—or rescind the warning label altogether—since there are still millions of older vehicles and non-road vehicles for which ethanol poses a threat. SEMA argued that the label needs to be larger and have a stronger warning to prevent misfuelling.
Protecting SEMA members’ intellectual property rights and combatting counterfeit product sales is a top priority. SEMA submitted comments to the PTO in support of its proposal to develop a national consumer awareness campaign on combatting trafficking in counterfeit and pirated products. For example, current major sources of counterfeit products are internet consumer purchases that arrive in the United States via postal and overnight carriers rather than container ships.
SEMA noted that it is working with lawmakers, regulators, and industry partners to combat the problem. SEMA is a part of the National Association of Manufacturers’ anti-counterfeiting task force, which is seeking to enact legislation that would require e-commerce platforms to provide basic information about their identity and location and to compel the platforms to exert oversight over their sellers.
While this article focuses on federal issues, SEMA also monitors and advocates on behalf of the industry before state-level regulatory bodies. Most recently, SEMA provided comments on the replacement tire efficiency program being pursued by the CEC. SEMA worked with California lawmakers in 2003 to limit the scope of the Replacement Tire Efficiency Program (AB 844), which largely applies to mass-produced passenger and light-duty truck tires.
Other issues of increasing interest for the automotive
aftermarket are\ advance driver-assistance systems (ADAS)
and automated driving systems (ADS). Photo courtesy:
Shutterstock.com
Lawmakers provided an exemption from the program to five categories of tires, including tires with the same SKU, plant and year in volumes of 15,000 or less annually, along with several other categories. The exemptions apply to most specialty tires marketed by SEMA members.
In its comments, SEMA reinforced the idea that the program is a consumer awareness initiative and not a mechanism for removing consumer choice. SEMA also reminded regulators that consumers may desire to emphasize tire characteristics other than fuel efficiency for their driving needs when selecting a replacement tire, such as wet traction, handling or mileage.
While federal and state regulations aren’t a subject many people find riveting, bureaucrats sitting in office buildings in Washington, D.C., and in state capitals around the country can have enormous impact on issues relevant to the automotive aftermarket. Those positions usually aren’t elected but appointed, so they lack the level of accountability that can keep elected officials in check. However, SEMA members can rest easy knowing that their industry is being looked out for from incoming threats from regulatory agencies.
New Legislative Proposals Target Street Racing, Loud Vehicles
By Christian Robinson
Illegal street racing took off during the pandemic, sometimes
to deadly effect. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock.com
When the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in early 2020 and stay-at-home orders became the new normal, many Americans suddenly found themselves stuck at home with spare time on their hands. Often, that meant new hobbies or binging on classic TV shows. For gearheads across the country, it was a new opportunity to put in quality time on the project car that had been collecting dust in the garage. As a result, many manufacturers in the automotive specialty-equipment aftermarket experienced boom markets. Unfortunately, not all of the automotive trends to emerge from the pandemic were positive, especially when it came to state legislation.
The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic were uncharted territory for most Americans. Business as usual had been turned on its head by wide-ranging shutdown orders. Unless travel was “essential,” Americans were told to remain at home. As a result, roadways were eerily empty. While most people heeded instructions to limit their time spent out and about, others saw an opportunity to behave badly.
Illegal street racing took off during the pandemic, sometimes to deadly effect. In New York City, incidents of illegal racing increased 500% from 2019, while the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, handed out thousands of tickets during a crackdown last fall. In Arizona, Georgia and Oregon, innocent bystanders lost their lives after being struck by out-of-control racers. As a result, at least a dozen states have taken up measures to crack down on those who feel the need to turn public roadways into their own personal dragstrips.
While most states already have laws on the books making street racing illegal, the latest efforts sought to increase and expand the penalties, including substantially raising fines and jail time, seizing vehicles, and enforcement against all who were involved in the practice, even if they weren’t behind the wheel.
SEMA has long held that all racing should take place on the track and not on public roads. While none of 2021’s proposals to curb illegal street racing impact law-abiding enthusiasts, the association continues to monitor and track such legislation in all 50 states. To see if your state is considering new restrictions on street racing, please visit www.SEMAsan.com/legislation.
Bills targeting illegal street racing weren’t the only automotive trend emanating from state capitols this year as a result of COVID-19. Motor vehicle exhaust noise also found itself in the crosshairs.
For many workers across the country, the pandemic meant an unexpected shift to remote work. Office settings suddenly changed from cubicles to dining-room tables, with business being conducted on Zoom. Not only that, but people were forced to exercise in the great outdoors while gyms and fitness centers were closed. Additionally, an evening spent at a local eatery meant dining al fresco. As a result, people became far more aware of their surroundings and the noises that come with them, especially from cars and trucks.
So far in 2021, 11 states have introduced bills aiming to curb the amount of noise emitted from a vehicle’s muffler. While no two states’ means of achieving that goal have been identical, they all have one thing in common: They were requested by constituents upset by loud vehicles in their communities.
Some lawmakers had their own ideas in mind when it came to
regulating muffler noise. In New York, Nevada, Vermont and
Oregon, legislators proposed banning any modification to a
vehicle’s exhaust system that made it louder than when it left
the dealership. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock.com
In some instances, that presented an opportunity for SEMA to promote its model legislation, which sets a reasonable exhaust noise limit of 95 decibels when using an objective Society of Automotive Engineers test. Georgia, Maryland, Hawaii and Texas each opted to go that route, which sets the bar high enough to allow enthusiasts to enjoy their passion.
However, some lawmakers had their own ideas in mind when it came to regulating muffler noise. In New York, Nevada, Vermont and Oregon, legislators proposed banning any modification to a vehicle’s exhaust system that made it louder than when it left the dealership.
That approach is problematic for several reasons. For starters, it sets hundreds if not thousands of exhaust noise standards for police to enforce. For example, a midsize family sedan may emit 80 decibels of noise, while a high-performance sports car emits 95 decibels. It is unreasonable to expect law enforcement to know the factory noise level for thousands of makes and models.
Worse, the owner of the same sedan may install a new cat-back exhaust system made by a SEMA-member company that marginally increases the vehicle’s noise. If those states had their way, the modified grocery getter would be illegal while the louder stock sports car would pass muster. It simply defies logic.
Fortunately for SEMA-member companies and enthusiasts alike, SEMA’s Government Affairs staff has been successful thus far in killing or amending any onerous proposals before they become law. Why? SEMA’s position on exhaust noise is well established.
For decades, SEMA’s Government Affairs team has successfully worked to ensure that states enact reasonable muffler noise laws that are not burdensome to the industry while not creating a nuisance for local communities. Successfully enacted in states such as California, Maine and Montana, SEMA’s model bill sets one exhaust noise limit (95 decibels) and uses an objective test procedure (SAE J1492) to determine compliance. The more states that enact the bill, the easier it is to get others to do the same.
Has your home state enacted SEMA’s exhaust noise model bill? To learn more, contact Christian Robinson with SEMA Government Affairs at christianr@sema.org, or find out by visiting www.semasan.com/resources/exhaust-noise-laws-state.
Behind the Scenes With U.S. Representative Bill Posey
Florida Congressman Tells SEMA News About His Racing Experiences
By Eric Snyder
U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-FL) after a win at New Smyrna
Speedway.
How many members of Congress have sold more than 100 racetracks, raced professionally, and have fought to reform government at the local, state, and federal levels? If your answer was one, you guessed correctly. U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-FL) is one of a kind. He is a former racer, classic car owner, and has been one of SEMA’s strongest supporters since his days in the Florida State Legislature. When he’s not fighting to make the federal government more accountable and fiscally responsible, he’s working to advance policy solutions that benefit racers and automotive enthusiasts.
Rep. Posey serves as the House co-chair of the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus, a position he’s uniquely qualified for given that he’s owned more than 30 race cars. He enjoys driving his ’66 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu, ’57 Chevy stock tribute and ’30 Model A Ford Speedster when he’s back home in Florida. His daily driver is a ’15 Mustang GT. The Congressman is also an accomplished stock car racer, having received the Victory Lane Racing Association award for short track driver achievement in memory of Davey and Clifford Allison presented by Bobby and Judy Allison, Living Legends of Auto Racing, and other Hall of Fame awards.
Growing up in Southern California in the ’50s, the car culture was omnipresent. As a young boy, Rep. Posey started attending short track races with his father and riding his bike to watch older children race midgets. His family moved to the Space Coast of Florida, also known for its proximity to Daytona, when he was nine; his father accepted a position working on the Delta rocket. Rep. Posey witnessed the last Daytona race on the beach in 1958 and attended the next 10 Daytona 500s at the Super Speedway. By age 13, he started racing a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Rep. Posey purchased his first stock car at 15 and a ’54 Corvette when he was 16. He also raced a local businessman’s ’33 Ford with a fuel injected Hemi and a ’56 Chevy Gasser.
Former SEMA Chairman of the Board and member of the SEMA
Hall of Fame Doug Evans (left) and SEMA President and CEO
Chris Kersting (right) present Rep. Posey with an award at the
2017 SEMA Washington Rally.
By his senior year at Cocoa High School, Rep. Posey purchased Mercury Astronaut Gus Grissom’s ’63 fuel-injected Corvette. Of course, he raced that too. After graduating from Brevard Community College with an Associate of Arts degree in 1969, he worked as an inspector for McDonnell Douglas on the third stage of the Saturn V Apollo rocket at the Kennedy Space Center but was laid off shortly after the Moon landing. While this period of transition ended his work in aerospace, it was the start of his career in real estate, including the buying and selling of racetracks.
At the age of 21 he was primarily racing at the Eau Gallie Speedway in Melbourne, Florida. When the track closed, Rep. Posey then formed the Mid-Florida Racing Association Inc. which bought, renovated and operated the speedway. Two years later he wrote the first book ever published about race promoting.
Rep. Posey heard the call to public service in 1974 when he was recruited to join the Rockledge Planning Commission. He was elected to the Rockledge City Council in 1976, serving for 10 years.
While Rep. Posey took a 12-year break from racing after the birth of his first child, he couldn’t keep away from the track and started to race again in the ’80s, primarily at Orlando Speedworld and New Smyrna Speedway.
He founded Posey & Co. Realtors and served as a Director of the Florida Association of Realtors and President of the Space Coast Association of Realtors. Continuing his ties to the motorsports industry, he established the National Racetrack Clearinghouse, which listed and sold racetracks in 35 states.
In 1992, Rep. Posey was elected to the Florida House of Representatives where he served for eight years before being elected to the Florida Senate in 2000. Despite his burgeoning political career, Posey continued to race late-models as a state lawmaker and began competing in classic race cars on dirt and asphalt in 2001.
SEMA started working with Rep. Posey when he was serving in the Florida Senate, where he was a charter member of SEMA’s State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus and sponsored SEMA-model legislation in 2007 to amend the vehicle titling and registration classification for street rods and create a new classification for custom vehicles. In 2008, he introduced legislation to provide an exemption from the commercial motor-carrier regulations for vehicles that occasionally transport personal property to a motorsports facility. Both bills were enacted into law. He also led the successful effort to reform Florida’s insurance laws to increase competition and lower rates and oversaw reforms to lower the cost of workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, and automobile insurance laws.
Congressman Posey competes at Eau Gallie Speedway in
Melbourne, Florida, in his ’56 Ford.
When former U.S. Representative Dave Weldon announced his retirement from Congress in 2008, Posey once again heard the call to serve. He won a three-way primary for the U.S. House of Representatives and went on to handily win the general election. Rep. Posey currently represents the 8th Congressional District, which encompasses all of Brevard and Indian River Counties, and a portion of east Orange County.
Rep. Posey continues to be an excellent friend to automotive enthusiasts, racing, and the specialty automotive aftermarket in Washington. He was an original sponsor of the Low-Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act, which streamlined the requirements associated with producing replica vehicles. Rep. Posey worked closely with the White House and the U.S. Department of Transportation to advocate for completing the replica car rule in the final days of the Trump Administration. He is also an enthusiastic supporter of the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act (RPM Act), serving as an original cosponsor of the bill during each session that it’s been introduced. As an accomplished racer, he is passionate about amending federal law to clarify the right to convert a street vehicle into a race car.
The Congressman is also a fierce advocate for reining in federal deficit spending and reducing government regulations. Rep. Posey serves on the Financial Services Committee and its two subcommittees on Consumer Protection & Financial Institutions and Housing, Community Development & Insurance. He is also a member of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology and its subcommittee on Space & Aeronautics.
Now, let’s go behind the scenes and hear directly from Congressman Posey.
SEMA News: What sparked your interest in cars and racing?
Bill Posey: It started when I was just a child. We lived in Encino, California, and my dad took me to what were then known as jalopy races at tracks in Culver City, Saugus, and other places around Los Angeles. I loved it, and we had a great time together.
I also used to ride my bicycle to watch the kids race midgets at a public park there that was about a mile or two away. It was exciting stuff. My one lifetime achievement that went unfulfilled is that I never had a quarter midget. Our family just couldn’t afford it. They were luxury items back in those days.
SN: Which classes of racing did you compete in?
BP: I started in the early model class at Eau Gallie Speedway. I raced there, on and off, from 16 until I was 21. I had a number of different cars, including a ’51 Ford, ’55 Chevy, two Hudson Hornets, and then a ’56 Ford, which was my best one, and I finally learned how to make these things work. Back in those days, a lot of performance products were homemade, including downdraft intake manifolds and headers.
I remember when I bought a cam for my ’56 Ford. It was a Crane cam. And if you go back to 1969, Harvey Crane was answering the phone. I told him what I wanted, referencing the lift and duration that the other guys were saying they were running, and Mr. Crane said, “I think you’re over-camming that thing for what you have in it. Send me your old cam, and I’ll regrind it for you.” Instead of charging $60 for new cam, he reground my cam for $25. And this was Harvey Crane!
Rep. Posey prepares to drive a ’30 Ford Speedster in the annual
North Turn Legends Beach parade at Ponce Inlet, Florida.
SN: What motivated you to become a racetrack owner?
BP: I wanted to race, and Eau Gallie Speedway was closed. The next closest track is probably 60 mi. away. The previous owner of Eau Gallie Speedway was just behind on his payments, and I just got laid off from the Apollo rocket program. I worked as an inspector on the rocket. Not long after we got a man on the moon, they laid us off because we already had the next three rockets pretty much ready to go. At that time, I was wondering if I could make a living in racing.
I blew up the engine on my car the last night the racetrack operated before it closed. The owner was in foreclosure, so I cut a deal with him and quickly formed a company. I was only 21 years old at the time.
I put together a business plan and ran the numbers for what I thought it should look like for six months. A buddy and I each put up $10,000, and I went to the owner of the racetrack. I said, “Listen, in 30 days you’re evicted from this place and you’ll have nothing. If you agree to put in your equity, we’ll each own a third of it. Let me go renegotiate this mortgage. I think we can pay it down with $10,000 and then have $10,000 to make some improvements.” He was impressed enough with the business plan that he agreed to it.
I owned the racetrack for about a year and turned it around. I promulgated a new set of rules that made sense. I had the first tire rule that I ever heard of in the country in 1969. Nobody else had tire rules anyone would want to have.
SN: How many tracks were you involved in buying and selling?
BP: In more than 40 years, maybe 100.
SN: What inspired you to run for office?
BP: I never saw myself involved in politics. I was in real estate and sold a friend a building lot, but the owner couldn’t get a permit to build his house because the city never dedicated the street. The city manager told me it’s the city’s fault, the developer did nothing wrong. It’s just a box they didn’t check, and he needed to check it before he could issue more permits. But one guy on the city council gave me a rash of baloney three times. I kept my mouth shut until after the thing was approved, and I shot back a wise comment to him. When I left city hall, a bunch of people followed me downstairs and said “it’s about time somebody stood up to that bully. You need to run for office.”
A friend of mine worked for Boeing and was on the council. He got a job promotion and moved to Seattle, so there was a vacancy and people encouraged me to run for it. I just started my real estate company, so my attention wasn’t on running for office. The day before the qualifying deadline, when I came home from work my wife Katie told me that, “three more people called today encouraging me to run.” So, we prayed about it. At the time I was thinking along the lines of, “if you want me to do that, you’re going to have to show me a way to do this that’s not going to be too expensive or too time-consuming.” Then I walked into the den and started opening the mail, and there’s a letter with no return address. Inside was a wanted poster for William J. Posey, like they put on the post office wall.
So, I decided to run. I drew up a poster with WANTED at the top. Under that it said “For Better Ideas” followed by my photograph and “REWARD.” The reward was my ideas about how to make government more efficient. I went down the next day to Village Printing and paid $100 to print up about 300 posters and filed for office on the last day. I came in middle of the pack, but I only had about 10 days to campaign before the special election.
A college political science teacher won, and I told him that he would always have my support if he did what he promised. After getting sworn in down at city hall, he gave some remarks and said, “It’s a good thing people didn’t elect Bill Posey blah, blah, blah.” He kept egging me on to run. So, a year later, at age 26, I spent $400 and unseated the political science professor. I served three terms. I promised my wife I would never run again. I was off for seven years, and they were the best seven years of making money, selling real estate, selling racetracks, racing cars, having a good life. I’ve been working as an elected official ever since.
Congressman Posey celebrates a 1982 super late-model victory
at Orlando Speedworld.
SN: Why is the RPM Act so important to the future of motorsports?
BP: Well, if you don’t get interested in politics, you’re probably going to be out of business. That’s the bottom line. We know that our government tends to overregulate, including the automotive field. They also tend to be dishonest about it, as evidenced by the threat the RPM Act was initiated to defeat. They tried to sneak in rules saying you can never remove any pollution control devices even if it’s not for the street. I keep up to date on the bills introduced, but I don’t have a chance to read all the rules and regulations. Most people don’t know that rules are enforceable as laws, and rules are made by unelected bureaucrats. The Federal Register was 1 to 5 in. thick!
One of my big three goals in the Florida Legislature was to change the state’s Administrative Procedures Act, which I did. It took me eight years to do it. One of my goals was to change that up here, so that they couldn’t make laws they weren’t authorized to do. The EPA wasn’t authorized by any legislation to write a rule declaring it illegal to convert a motor vehicle into a race car, but they did anyway. Had it not been for SEMA, it would have been implemented. I didn’t catch it, nobody else caught it, because we don’t read the rules. The only thing we do about a bad rule, is to pass legislation to counteract it. It’s purely a matter of freedom. The omnipresent defenders of the nonexistent problems of the people never sleep!
SN: What can motorsports industry members do to better protect the future of racing? What can they do to make an impact?
BP: Get engaged. There are so many things on peoples’ plates right now between the pandemic, the border crisis, and the economic crisis. They don’t worry about automotive issues until they go to a car show or racetrack on a Saturday. It’s hard to keep it front and center.
If you’re worried about the defense of your industry, follow the SEMA Action Network (SAN). People need daily reminders, such as a decals on the back of their vehicle—maybe a sticker that says, “I vote motorsports rights!”
People need to understand. Performance automotive enthusiasts can’t sit on their hands hoping to be the last sheep eaten. Because surely, they will be eaten if they don’t take action and stop this craziness.
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