The EPA wants to take away our right to racecar!

[Penguin]

If you want race car then start with a tube frame.

 

Then you can install an engine that burns anthracite coal dust and baby seal fat if you want to.

[NSFW]

Except that when tube-frame race cars are the entire market for race engines, those engines, and any of their parts, are going to cost a fortune.

 

Even the small Subaru aftermarket has huge volume as compared to dedicated race cars, and it's what makes performance parts affordable.

 

It's not the end of the world though. We'll still have racing, and track days, the cars just won't have power mods. Not that I am even remotely fond of this idea, mind you. But it if happens, it happens.

[ehsnils]

There will always be those that figures out how to do power mods and get away with it.

 

However when we look at what engines put out today stock and what they did put out 40 years ago stock then we see that the power per volume has increased quite a bit. It wasn't impossible to tune an NA engine to double the output 40 years ago. Today the same effort may yield a 20 to 30% increase in power because the manufacturers have been competing to offer more power to the users. Those 20 to 30% usually are due to emissions limits that the manufacturer has to follow but the tuner don't have to care about.

 

But what really matters for those that do take their car to the track now and then is suspension, brakes and aerodynamics. Many more races are won in the corners than on the straights. As long as we are permitted to tinker with them it's not a big deal. The suspension and brakes offered by the manufacturers are often compromises between comfort, cost and performance.

[Penguin]

Except that when tube-frame race cars are the entire market for race engines, those engines, and any of their parts, are going to cost a fortune.

 

Even the small Subaru aftermarket has huge volume as compared to dedicated race cars, and it's what makes performance parts affordable.

 

It's not the end of the world though. We'll still have racing, and track days, the cars just won't have power mods. Not that I am even remotely fond of this idea, mind you. But it if happens, it happens.

 

It's not that horrible. Depends on what kind of racing you want to do. Some spec series like your various dirt circle track types don't require super fancy race motors. Now I realize we're still talking about a big investment here, but there are ways to get into racing with non emissions compliant cars.

 

For the rest of the amateur racing world, I'd expect the tech inspections to mandate street legal classes to meet their EPA emissions requirements. As long as the playing field is level.

 

I think we'll still have an aftermarket but more like Europe where tuners have to sell parts approved for function like TUV compliant parts etc. It's going to be more expensive, on the plus side the parts, and tunes will also probably work better.

 

Plus you don't have to defeat your emissions gear to make good power, if you're shooting for such a high power figure that you need to gut your cats then you probably should have started with a more powerful cat to begin with. 8f you are doing this to an already powerful car, it probably means you have some $$$...just buy an actual race car at that point.

[ESP Dyno]

Bump for signing a petition for a good cause to keep motorsports going. Better than sitting around HOPING it will work out once passed.

[ESP Dyno]

Some progress on this one...

 

https://www.sema.org/sema-enews/2016/08/progress-update-opposing-epa-proposal-to-prohibit-race-car-conversions?utm_source=ET&utm_medium=email&utm_content=50800723&utm_campaign=eNews

[ESP Dyno]

Update!

 

There is new legislature in the works on this! SEMA has issued a link that allows you to send an email to support legislature to protect auto racing in the US. Here is more info. If anyone has a minute, just fill out the form and click send. It automatically selects your local rep and does all the work for you

 

Congress Introduces Bill to Ensure that Motor Vehicles May Be Modified Into Racecars

U.S. Reps. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Bill Posey (R-FL) and Lee Zeldin (R-NY) have introduced the bipartisan “Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2016” (RPM Act), which makes clear that it has always been legal to modify a street vehicle into a racecar used exclusively at the track. The practice was unquestioned until last year when the EPA proposed a new regulation which would make this activity illegal. SEMA supports the RPM Act and urges you to do so as well.

Ask Your Local Member of Congress to Support the RPM Act

Click on the link below to write your local member of Congress asking for their support of the RPM Act!

SUPPORT RPM

[xt2005bonbon]

Update!

 

There is new legislature in the works on this! SEMA has issued a link that allows you to send an email to support legislature to protect auto racing in the US. Here is more info. If anyone has a minute, just fill out the form and click send. It automatically selects your local rep and does all the work for you

 

Congress Introduces Bill to Ensure that Motor Vehicles May Be Modified Into Racecars

U.S. Reps. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Bill Posey (R-FL) and Lee Zeldin (R-NY) have introduced the bipartisan “Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2016” (RPM Act), which makes clear that it has always been legal to modify a street vehicle into a racecar used exclusively at the track. The practice was unquestioned until last year when the EPA proposed a new regulation which would make this activity illegal. SEMA supports the RPM Act and urges you to do so as well.

Ask Your Local Member of Congress to Support the RPM Act

Click on the link below to write your local member of Congress asking for their support of the RPM Act!

SUPPORT RPM

 

Not a U.S. citizen (just yet), so no can do .