Sec. 14-164a. (Formerly Sec. 29-143). Motor vehicle racing.
Sec. 14-164a. (Formerly Sec. 29-143). Motor vehicle racing. (a) No person shall
operate a motor vehicle in any race, contest or demonstration of speed or skill with a
motor vehicle as a public exhibition except in accordance with the provisions of this
section. Such race or exhibition may be conducted at any reasonable hour of any week
day or after twelve o'clock noon on any Sunday. The legislative body of the city, borough
or town in which the race or exhibition will be held may issue a permit allowing a start
time prior to twelve o'clock noon on any Sunday, provided no such race or exhibition
shall take place contrary to the provisions of any city, borough or town ordinances. The
person conducting such race or exhibition shall provide for first-aid and medical supplies
and equipment, including ambulances, and the attendance of doctors or other persons
qualified to give emergency medical aid, police and fire protection, and such other
requirements as will eliminate any unusual hazard to participants in such race or exhibition or to the spectators. Smoking or carrying a lighted smoking implement shall be
prohibited in any area where fuel is stored or transferred. Each facility, other than a
motor cross racing facility, where racing is conducted shall contain restricted areas
which shall be posted with notice that only persons with the appropriate credentials may
be admitted to such restricted areas. Areas of the facility subject to this requirement
shall include, but need not be limited to, the pit area and pit lane, track, media area or
areas and any other area that is unprotected from participating vehicles.
(b) No minor under the age of sixteen years may participate in motor cross racing,
except that a minor thirteen years of age or older may participate in such racing with
the written permission of the minor's parents or legal guardian. If weather or track
conditions are such as to make such race or exhibition unusually hazardous, the person
conducting such race or exhibition shall cancel or postpone the same or may require the
use of tires of a type manufactured for such adverse conditions. No person shall conduct
or participate in any motor vehicle race or contest or demonstration of speed or skill in
any motor vehicle on the ice of any body of water. The provisions of this section shall
not apply to a motor vehicle with a motor of no more than three horsepower or a go-cart-type vehicle with a motor of no more than twelve horsepower, when operated on
a track of one-eighth of a mile or less in length. Preliminary preparations and practice
runs, performed after eleven o'clock in the forenoon, on the date designated in the permit
and prior to cancellation or postponement, shall not be construed to constitute a race or
exhibition within the meaning of this section. No preliminary preparations or practice
runs shall be performed before twelve o'clock noon on Sunday. For the purposes of this
subsection, "motor cross racing" means motorcycle racing on a dirt track by participants
operating motorcycles designed and manufactured exclusively for off-road use and powered by an engine having a capacity of not more than five hundred cubic centimeters
piston displacement.
(c) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall adopt regulations, in accordance
with chapter 54, concerning mandatory safety equipment for vehicles that participate
in any race or exhibition conducted in accordance with the provisions of this section.
Such regulations shall require any equipment necessary for the protection of drivers.
(d) Any person participating in or conducting any motor vehicle race or exhibition
contrary to the provisions of this section shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars
or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
(1949 Rev., S. 3727; 1953, 1955, S. 2020d; 1957, P.A. 213, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 359; 1963, P.A. 432; 1971, P.A. 384; P.A.
73-672, S. 1, 2; P.A. 75-404, S. 1, 2; P.A. 84-254, S. 50, 62; P.A. 85-298, S. 1, 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-13, S. 13, 21;
P.A. 94-189, S. 27, 34; P.A. 98-182, S. 3, 22; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 84, 131; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 37; P.A.
04-199, S. 11; P.A. 05-218, S. 41.)
History: 1961 act added regulation of tires; 1963 act added provision re preliminary preparations and practice runs;
1971 act increased application fee from $20 to $35; P.A. 73-672 replaced commissioner of state police with commissioner
of motor vehicles and substituted "other person" for "state police officer"; Sec. 29-143 transferred to Sec. 14-164a in 1975;
P.A. 75-404 increased application fee to $50 and allowed racing to take place after noon on Sunday rather than after two
o'clock; P.A. 84-254 amended Subsec. (a) to periodically increase the fee from $50 to $177 as of July 1, 1993; P.A. 85-298 amended Subsec. (a) to define "motor cross racing" and to permit a minor 13 years of age or older to participate in
such racing with written permission; June Sp. Sess. 91-13 deleted obsolete fee increases in Subsec. (a), inserted new Subsec.
(b) to require the commissioner to assign an inspector to each race or exhibition, charge a fee for the services of the inspector
and made technical changes, relettering former Subsec. (b) as (c); P.A. 94-189 amended Subsec. (a) to exclude go-cart
type vehicles with a motor of no more than 12 horsepower, when operated on a track of one-eighth of a mile or less in
length from provisions of section, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 98-182 amended Subsec. (a) by adding a provision allowing
a start time prior to twelve o'clock noon on any Sunday with the approval of the local legislative body, effective July 1,
1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 decreased application fee to $75 and made technical changes for purposes of gender
neutrality, effective July 1, 2001; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3 eliminated former Subsec. (b) re assignment of inspector to
motor vehicle race or exhibition and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as new Subsec. (b), making a technical change therein,
effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 04-199 amended Subsec. (a) to delete provisions re permit obtained from Commissioner of
Motor Vehicles, to delete provision re permissive regulations by commissioner as to conditions for race or exhibition, to
require person conducting race or exhibition to provide medical and other safety protections, to provide restricted areas
to which only persons with appropriate credentials shall be admitted and to prohibit smoking in any area where fuel is
stored or transferred, designated portion of existing Subsec. (a) as new Subsec. (b) and amended same to require person
conducting race or exhibition to cancel or postpone race or exhibition due to hazardous conditions or to require use of tires
manufactured for adverse conditions, added Subsec. (c) requiring commissioner to adopt regulations re safety equipment
and redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (d), effective June 3, 2004; P.A. 05-218 amended Subsec. (a) by adding
"other than a motor cross racing facility" and making a technical change, effective July 1, 2005.