Obama’s environmental agenda now includes targeting over 40 Alabama racetracks

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In addition to liberal elitists and Hollywood snobs, racing enthusiasts have a powerful new nemesis: The Obama administration.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a regulation to prohibit conversion of vehicles originally designed for on-road use into race cars. The regulation would also make the sale of certain products for use on such vehicles illegal. The proposed regulation was contained within a non-related proposed regulation entitled “Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles—Phase 2.”

The regulation would impact all vehicle types, including the sports cars, sedans and hatch-backs commonly converted for use at the track. While the Clean Air Act prohibits certain modifications to motor vehicles, it is clear that vehicles built or modified for racing, and not used on the streets, are not the “motor vehicles” that Congress intended to regulate.

“This prohibition would include even those vehicles used solely at the track and never again used on public roads,” according to the Specialty Equipment Market Association, which represents parts makers that supply the do-it-yourself racer circuit. The group represents a $36 billion market that include 6,633 member-companies.

Alabama has over 40 racetracks open to amateur racers that would be affected by the EPA’s regulation. Modified vehicles that run on the state’s many asphalt and dirt ovals, drag strips, and road courses could be taken out of commission.

The U.S. Senate and House have passed separate bills to roll back the proposed regulations. Both the House and Senate bills seek to ensure that converting street vehicles to race cars used exclusively in competition does not violate the Clean Air Act. The bill would have to be signed into law by President Obama.