SEMA AND PRI APPLAUD NEW N.C. LAW PROTECTING RACETRACKS FROM NIMBYS

SEMA AND PRI APPLAUD NEW N.C. LAW PROTECTING RACETRACKS FROM NIMBYS

-- HB 926's "Protect the Right to Race" provision will help sustain state's $3.82 billion motorsports industry --

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Oct. 1, 2025) --The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), along with its Performance Racing Industry (PRI) subsidiary, is celebrating an announcement that North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein will allow House Bill 926to become law, a move that will preserve North Carolina's vibrant motorsports community at a time in which it is threated by unreasonable, NIMBY-generated nuisance complaints.

• The bill includes the "Protect the Right to Race" provision, introduced and shepherded by Rep. Allen Chesser, which insulates motorsports racetracks from so-called "nuisance" actions made by surrounding property owners who arrived after a motorsports facility had legally established development rights and received all necessary permits and approvals to begin construction and operate.

"Few places in the U.S. capture the spirit of motorsports like North Carolina, and Gov. Josh Stein has cemented his legacy as a champion of racing by allowing HB 926 to become law," said Michael Good, president of Performance Racing Industry. "Too often our vibrant motorsports community finds itself playing defense against opportunistic residents and developers who see racetracks as ripe for exploitation, rather than appreciating and respecting the positive benefits such facilities offer to the surrounding community. SEMA and PRI thank Rep. Allen Chesser, who affirmed his race fan bonafides by standing up for local tracks and the enthusiasts who enjoy them and helping push these protections into the final stretch."

BACKGROUND
Motorsports in the U.S. has a $69 billion annual economic impact.

• In North Carolina, that annual output is $3.82 billion, including nearly 20,000 jobs, paying over $1.35 billion in wages, and contributing more than $477 million in taxes.

Many racetracks are locally owned small businesses that operate with limited resources, but nonetheless provide the surrounding community with affordable, family-friendly entertainment. Local tracks foster the next generation of racers and enthusiasts, and spark engineering innovations that serve as the foundation for our nation's automotive aftermarket industry.

ABOUT SEMA
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) serves as a leading voice for the worldwide car culture, representing over 7,000 member companies that create, buy, sell, and use specialty-automotive parts that make vehicles more unique, attractive, convenient, safer, fun, and even like new again. Business member benefits include product development resources, market research, networking, education, legislative advocacy and more. The Association organizes the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev., and actively supports the career and business opportunities that the aftermarket generates. The industry contributes nearly $337 billion in economic impact to the U.S. economy, supports 1.3 million jobs nationally, and generates $52.3 billion in parts sales annually. For more information, visit https://www.sema.org.

ABOUT PERFORMANCE RACING INDUSTRY
Performance Racing Industry fuels the passion for motorsports by building, promoting, and protecting the worldwide racing community. PRI supports the interests of racers, enthusiasts, builders, tracks, sanctioning bodies and businesses through legislative action and advocacy, its monthly business magazine Performance Racing Industry, and the world's premier motorsports trade show, the PRI Trade Show. PRI also supports businesses by providing market research, education and best practices in motorsports business and racing technology. For more information, visit PerformanceRacing.com.

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