As you have heard from this bully pulpit many times over the past 15 or so years, I want you to let us know how we’re doing. Engine Builder exists so our readers (engine builders, remanufacturers and machine shops) and advertisers have a business tool that promotes the success of both.
Communication is both simpler and more complex than it was when I got started in this business, of course. Back then, if readers had a complaint or a suggestion, they had two choices: write a letter or pick up the phone and speak with us live.
Today, I can be reached by phone, email, text, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, fax, mail and probably 12 other ways…and I encourage you to use any and all of these ways to alert me to a business opportunity you’ve experienced, a market topic we’ve missed or any way we can help you deal with customers, suppliers, employees and competitors in a professional and profitable way.
You know who else you may need to deal with? Legislators. The elected officials of our country who are tasked with balancing their agendas against ours. Paul Van Woensel, president of Engine & Performance Warehouse in Denver, sent me a letter the other day that needs to be shared with our whole industry. Here, in its entirety, is Paul’s plea to we the people.
Amateur racing is a proud American tradition and an important part of many lives in Colorado. However, the future of racing is threatened. That’s why I recently joined dozens of other members of the racing community and industry at the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s (SEMA) Washington, DC rally.
Despite a recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision to withdraw a troubling rule on racing, the agency maintains that it has the authority to regulate street vehicles modified exclusively for the track and the businesses that make those products. Without congressional intervention, it remains unclear if the racing community and racing parts manufacturers are at risk of enforcement. As an industry, we aren’t willing to live with this doubt and uncertainty. I urge Sens. Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner and Rep. Diana DeGette to support and pass the bipartisan Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act, which clarifies the Clean Air Act to explain that it has always been legal to modify a street vehicle into a racecar used exclusively at the track. Senator Gardner has recently signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill. The bill gives the public and racecar industry much-needed certainty regarding how the law is applied.
Racers are all in this together. We must continue to demand that our lawmakers support the RPM Act and the future of amateur U.S. motorsports. Write your lawmakers by visiting:
www.sema.org/RPMAct.
Paul Van Woensel
President
Engine & Performance Warehouse
Thanks for the reminder, Paul, that we are ALL in this together. We can realize significant success if we act in the best interest of all. Not sure how to contact your representative? Check out https://www.congress.gov/members for contact information.
Then, once you’re reached out to your local congressperson, I will suggest that – for just a minute – you put aside your altruism to act in your OWN best interest. As a reader of Engine Builder, you’ve no doubt become aware of the Performance Engine Builder of The Year Contest over the past four years. You’ve read stories of our winners and runners up and perhaps thought, “Heck, I could do that.”
Yes. Yes, you can. And you should.
Entering the contest will take just minutes, and we’ll select finalists in the Performance, Vintage and Diesel engine building categories. All of the information about the contest and the entry form can be found at TopEngineBuilders.com.
Take a few minutes right now to help your industry AND yourself and I think you’ll find it a morning well-spent.
