Young, Warner Introduce Legislation To Support Local Speedways

U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) today introduced the Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act of 2023, bipartisan legislation that would make permanent a tax classification on depreciating assets for motorsports entertainment facilities. The legislation would allow venues to more effectively plan improvements and make safety updates, bringing additional jobs and positive economic impacts to surrounding communities.

“Motorsports are engrained in Indiana’s history and culture and play a major role in our state’s economy,” said Senator Young. “This bill will make a simple fix to our tax code to give speedways the ability to make needed improvements, invest in safety, and enhance the spectator experience. I’m proud to support this bill on behalf of the Hoosier motorsports industry and race fans across Indiana.”

“The Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act is a simple fix to our tax code that will offer speedways the freedom to make long-term investments and upgrades to their facilities,” said Senator Warner. “I’m proud to introduce legislation that will improve driver safety, enhance fan experience, and support jobs in our racing communities.”

Since 2004, Congress has enacted temporary extensions to allow investments inside a motorsports entertainment complex to qualify for a seven-year recovery period for tax purposes. This accelerated depreciation provision was most recently extended in 2020 and is set to expire at the end of 2025. The current uncertainty over whether the provision will be renewed has hindered the ability of track owners to make informed, long-term investment decisions for facility improvements in the future. Should the provision expire, roughly one third of all motorsports assets would be reclassified under the 39-year depreciation period and two-thirds would fall under the 15-year period, putting racetracks at a serious disadvantage when compared to other sports and entertainment facilities. The Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act would make the seven-year depreciation schedule permanent for all eligible assets.

Companion bipartisan legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives in April. The Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act is supported by the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States (ACCUS), the umbrella organization of auto racing sanctioning bodies in the United States.

“Motorsports is a big economic engine in Indiana and the many racing facilities around the Hoosier state create and support thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of investment each year. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is proud to be the world’s largest sporting venue with nearly 235,000 permanent seats around our 2.5 mile, 114-year-old facility. Investing in our infrastructure and our customer experience is a constant emphasis and this legislation is beneficial to our planning and execution of projects and upgrades that our fans expect when the visit the Racing Capital of the World,” said Doug Boles, President, Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“The Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act impacts everyone at all levels of Indiana motorsports. And it treats everyone fairly. Regardless of the size of the racetrack, or the type of racing that fans enjoy there, we all need certainty to continue investing in improvements that help drive the local economy and improve the sport. Thanks to Senators Young and Warner for their leadership on this important Act,” said Reece O’Connor, President, Kokomo Speedway.

“As future investments in capital projects are considered here at Martinsville Speedway, this important legislation provides much needed certainty not only for our facility, but motorsports facilities around the country,” said Clay Campbell, President, Martinsville Speedway.

“The Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act will help protect jobs and investments in the motorsports industry. We appreciate Senator Warner and Senator Young’s leadership on this important issue,” said Lori Waran, President, Richmond Raceway.

“Motorsports entertainment complexes use the seven-year period afforded by the Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act to reinvest in their facilities and organizations to create jobs, make safety improvements, and enrich the surrounding economies, most of which are in rural areas like VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) is to Halifax and Pittsylvania Counties,” said Connie Nyholm, Owner & CEO, Virginia International Raceway. “As a result of our investment and year-round operations, VIR has already attracted eighteen businesses to its campus and over 600,000 visitors annually through its gates.”