CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. — Daren Poole-Adams gets a rush when he’s behind the wheel of a vehicle.

 

What You Need To Know

  • Amateur racers are concerned about the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to the Clean Air Act that forbids tampering with the emissions controls 
  • Sen. Burr is the lead sponsor of a bipartisan bill that would block applying such a rule to amateur race car drivers​
  • The EPA says it has no intention of going after amateur racers

 

“I have since a little kid been a car nut,” Poole-Adams said.

He lives in Cleveland County, North Carolina and is an amateur racer. He races in a class called stock eliminator where he uses vehicles he’s modified to make them speed machines. But as he pursues his passion, he’s also watching his back.

“It’s scary to think what I’m doing is suddenly illegal and I can be fined for it,” Poole-Adams said.

Poole-Adams and other amateur racers are concerned about the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to enforce a provision of the Clean Air Act that forbids tampering with the emissions controls in EPA-certified vehicles.

The racers say that would strike at the heart of their hobby by preventing them from transforming their vehicles into race cars.

The EPA says it has no intention of going after amateur racers, only alterations that soup up everyday cars being used on the nation’s streets and highways. Still, lawmakers are getting involved anyway.

(R) Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina is the lead sponsor of a bipartisan bill that would block applying such a rule to amateur race car drivers.

“What we’re asking for…is to put a ruling in place that is common sense that modifying a factory company VIN numbered car into a race car should be exempt,” Poole-Adams said.

Poole-Adams said he does not believe racers like himself pose a threat to the environment.

“To say that I’m harming the environment and I’ve built maybe 10 gallons of gas ever in this car, there needs to be more dialogue in terms of what we can do for carbon footprint,” Poole-Adams said.