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 926 to become law, a move that will preserve North Carolina’s vibrant motorsports community at a time in which it is threatened 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.
This story was originally published on October 1, 2025.
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