Proof That The EPA Has No Idea What They're Doing

EPA says your racecar is probably already illegal

A clarification that doesn't do much to clear the air.

According to this statement, it's already against the law to perform any modifications to a vehicle that result in the tampering or removal of emissions control systems, even for competition. In other words, if you have removed a catalytic converter from your racecar, you're already afoul of the rules. Conversely, if your vehicle is old enough that it didn't come with emissions control equipment in the first place, you're seemingly free and clear.

Further, the EPA claims that the new wording of its regulations only seeks to differentiate nonroad vehicles from "motor vehicles." Two nonroad vehicles specifically mentioned by the EPA include dirt bikes and snowmobiles. Any vehicle that was sold with a certificate of conformity that allows them to be used on public roads, however, are "motor vehicles" and therefore must have all their emissions controls intact. And that's regardless of whether or not the motor vehicle in question will ever actually be used on public roads.

Put another way, according to the EPA's statement, a reflash of your car's engine control unit would be illegal (it doesn't matter if it's gasoline or diesel) if it alters the car's emissions, even if you never drive that car on the street. The same would be true of a number of common modifications for cars used in competition, which would include drag racing, drifting or LeMons.

(AutoBlog.com)