As Ohio’s Right to Race legislation advances to the state Senate this fall, lawmakers recently had the opportunity to experience firsthand exactly what they are being asked to protect. During the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, representatives from the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and Performance Racing Industry (PRI) welcomed Ohio legislators to immerse themselves in the sport, meet industry leaders, and witness the far-reaching impact motorsports has on communities across the state.
Tierra Hubbard, Director of Government Affairs for Racing at SEMA and PRI, explained how the visit wasn’t just about showcasing 300 mph+ race cars, but instead to demonstrate to lawmakers why there is such a strong need to protect the racetrack facilities that host these historic, important events. Throughout the weekend, legislators walked through the pits, met racers and business owners, and witnessed firsthand the thousands of fans who travel to Norwalk each year, filling hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, gas stations, and retail stores. Most importantly, they experienced the personal connections that make facilities like Summit Motorsports Park far more than just a racetrack. They saw firsthand how these venues bring people together, foster lifelong friendships, and create traditions that span generations.
“The goal was simple: to help lawmakers see what so many of us already know –motorsports is about so much more than racing,” Hubbard said. “When people hear ‘drag racing,’ they often picture two cars going down a racetrack. What they don’t see are the families who have been coming to Summit Motorsports Park for generations.”
House Bill 639, commonly known as the Right to Race bill, recently passed the Ohio House with overwhelming support and is expected to be considered by the Senate in September. The legislation is designed to protect historic motorsports facilities from nuisance lawsuits filed by individuals or developers who move near existing racetracks and later seek to restrict their lawful operations. According to Hubbard, seeing a racetrack in action provides lawmakers with a perspective that can’t be captured in a committee hearing.
“There’s a big difference between reading about a racetrack and experiencing one firsthand,” she said. “House Bill 639 is about protecting places like Summit Motorsports Park that have become woven into the fabric of their communities.”
As lawmakers toured the facility, Hubbard noticed something unexpected while walking alongside Bill Bader Jr., the owner of Summit Motorsports Park. Rather than focusing on racing, nearly every interaction between Bader Jr. and individuals centered on memories, traditions, family, and what the racetrack meant to people throughout their lives.
The experience also highlighted motorsports’ significant economic footprint in Ohio. Hubbard noted that racing contributes nearly $5 billion annually to the state’s economy while supporting more than 20,000 jobs, extending well beyond the racetrack itself.
“One of the biggest misconceptions about motorsports is that people think it’s only about the racetrack,” Hubbard said. “In reality, the racetrack is just one piece of a much larger ecosystem.”
That ecosystem includes manufacturers such as Summit Racing Equipment, Lincoln Electric, Mickey Thompson, and Goodyear, along with countless other suppliers, local businesses, hospitality partners, and skilled workers whose livelihoods depend on a healthy motorsports industry. The weekend also reinforced why SEMA and PRI continue inviting policymakers directly to racing events across the country.
“Bringing lawmakers out to a racetrack changes everything,” Hubbard said. “Once they spend time at a facility like Summit Motorsports Park, meet the families, talk with the racers, walk through the pits, and hear the stories from the people whose lives are connected to the sport, the conversation changes.”
Perhaps one of the most meaningful moments of the weekend took place while standing near the starting line with several Ohio lawmakers and NHRA racers. Hubbard witnessed a moment that captured perfectly what motorsports means to so many families. A young man in a wheelchair named Blake and his father came up to present Bader with a gift. Blake is unable to walk, but the moment he saw Bader, he lit up and the biggest smile came across his face, and it never left. He presented Bader with a beautifully handmade American flag sign with a bible verse incorporated into it. It also had a special message from Blake written on the back of it.
“You didn’t need words to understand what that moment meant to him,” Hubbard said.
Moments like the interaction between Bader and Blake are why inviting lawmakers to experience racing in person is so important. Rather than simply reading about them in emotionless agenda items or economic studies, they can experience the genuine human interactions that take place time and time again at these facilities.
“We were witnessing something much bigger. We were witnessing what the motorsports community looks like at its best: a community that welcomes people, values people, and makes people feel like they belong,” Hubbard said.
If the Ohio Senate approves House Bill 639 later this year, Ohio would become the fifth state to enact legislation protecting long-standing racetracks from nuisance lawsuits. It would reinforce the state’s commitment to preserving an industry that supports thousands of jobs, generates billions in economic activity, and serves as a cornerstone for communities across Ohio. More than that, it would send a message about the importance of protecting the people, traditions, and memories that occur at racetracks and ultimately makes these places of gathering irreplaceable.
This story was originally published on July 9, 2026. 
The post More Than A Racetrack: Ohio Lawmakers Witness The Community Behind Drag Racing first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
