Looking for street racers to interview

[utrocketman]

My name is David Sadler and I am a freelance writer. I am researching an article on street racing. I want to present all possible sides to this subject. The police side is not hard to come up with. Where I am having trouble is getting honest interviews from people that partake in street racing. There are all kinds of car enthusiast out there and I would be willing to bet that a large portion of them is street racers of some kind. Most likely the street racers are the majority. There are all kinds of statistics on street racing. I do not see how most could be accurate or of any value because the only statistics that get recorded are of those individuals that get caught or those that end up injured or killed. There are no records kept of all the street races that take place where no one is arrested, sited, or injured.
I believe a well-written article presenting the pros and cons of street racing is overdue. There are many sites that will ban you if you talk about street racing and most magazines will pretend it does not exist or put it down by making it sound like only dumb dangerous people street race.
I am a muscle car enthusiast and I know at least from my point of view I put the money and time into my car so I can beat the other guy, and do I dare say that most of my racing is on the street. I have never attended a semi organized street race and don’t even know if they exist other then in the movies.
I have tried a few local forums only to be criticized as someone trying to sell something or working for the police. I am neither trying to sell anything nor am I offering any kind of pay and I am certainly not a cop. I don’t need your name (unless you want it quoted) nor even where you live. I just want honest answers about street racing from the people that do it (there is a lot of us out there).
So if you would like to see your view in print (with or without your identity your choice) please contact me.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[Five Oh Brian]

Hi, David,

I'm old enough to have been part of a lot of street racing over the years. I'd be happy to talk to you about my experiences, but I'll tell you point blank that my street racing days are long over for a few key reasons. Therefor, I have no recent street racing adventures to tell you about, just lore from a simpler time when streets weren't so overcrowded and the police looked the other way unless it got out of hand.

I'm an advocate of racing at the track, and I'm fortunate to have two local dragstrips within a short drive when I get the urge to race. Plus, my car is way to fast to run safely on the streets with all the congestion in the metropolitan area I live in (Seattle).

However, I fully understand the urge to street race and don't believe street racers are criminals. I've been begging our local tracks to open more days out of the week and longer into the off season to accomodate racers who otherwise have nowhere to race except on the streets, but it's fallen on deaf ears. And, gee, they wonder why there's a street racing problem!

 

[klaw]

You seem to be starting with the premise that most car enthusiasts are street racers. I disagree. I believe that street racing will only lead to the end of the car hobby for the average guy. As street racing and related activities get more and more attention from politicians and other activists (environmental and otherwise), additional restrictions, scrutiny, cost, and legislation will be aimed at the car hobby in general. I can foresee a time when it will be against the law to make any performance modifications to a street-driven car. Performance modded cars will be off-road only. Then with the mod-hobby corraled, performance limits in the form of power to weight ratios etc will be mandated by legislation. If you think this is an over-reaction, take a look at the street racing laws in Ontario Canada.

 

[walter]

Fact of the matter is that street racing is downright irresponsible and dangerous. There are too many variables that factor in driving on the street for it to be a safe venue for an exercise of high speed finesse. That is why most disclaimers on videos, games, racing events stress the importance of keeping such behavior as drifting, drag racing, and rallying off the street and on a CONTROLLED CIRCUIT where you can be 99.9% sure that nothing will jump out of a blind corner or another lane.

The way society works is that there are rules which we must follow. We give up some personal freedoms in exchange for what is a margin of safety. This is necessary because not everyone is on the same level in terms of skill, ability and/or resources. going 130+ on a freeway is dangerous to yourself but especially to the 15 year old with a learner's permit, the soccer mom going grocery shopping, the tired commuter coming back from work etc. Fact is they did not choose to be involved in a race and this is not fair to them. That's why racetracks were built. Your risk, your responsibility, but everyone agrees to be there with some sense of sportsmanship.

That said I do believe people are pushed to street race by certain pressures and factors. Whether internal ones like showing off, lack of maturity and or peer pressure or external like a lack of accessibility to resources such as tracks, events and money to compete people usually have one reason or another to go at it.

 

[Five Oh Brian]

klaw, not that politicians and environmentalists care, but don't you wonder why people street race. Knowing why would help lead to solutions that work for both sides. Last time we tried something akin to "prohibition" in the USA it didn't turn out so well. Let's see, alcohol is bad, let's ban it and criminalize it. The effect? Black market, moonshine, circumventing the law, etc. The same is happening with racing. Let's see, street racing is bad, let's ban it and criminalize it. The effect? People go underground (figuratively), do it anyway, and probably jeopardize innocent people's safety by having to race in places they shouldn't. Why not find a solution instead of just simply saying "no."

Understanding that people want to race so badly that they'll risk life and limb tells me that accomodating them (us?) in a safer environment is key. More tracks should be open way more days & hours on a drive-in basis. Kind of like the "ring" in Germany (Nuhrbergring). This infamous circuit can be used by anyone most any day of the week by simply paying a couple dozen Euros per lap that you wish to drive. With the Autobahn becoming more and more restricted with fewer stretches without speed limits, the Ring is getting more heavily used as Germans (and likely Belgians, Dutch, and other neighbors) search for a way to get their "need for speed" satisfied.

 

[248a]

I've been involved in a couple "let's see who can reach 80mph faster" bouts on the road, and I have to say that street racing is completely idiotic.

This is coming from someone who is 22. The problem is not taking the car out to the backroad and lining them up with a friend like "back in the day". It's Mr.Racecar Driver (everything from an 89 civic to a brand new vette) that thinks rush hour or the neighborhood is the place to light them up. These guys can barely drive in the first place.

There's no guy making sure your car is safe to push to it's limits beforehand, there's no EMT standing by and everyone around you doesn't know what mindset you're at.

Nowadays there's absolutely no reason you should give anyone to street race. Freedom of speech is fine and dandy, and although it's no ones right to break laws and endanger others lives, people still will. I just hope you have the sense to not paint a picture of "it's us car guys against the cops" and let people think street racing is cool and okay.

 

[Five Oh Brian]

Fact of the matter is that street racing is downright irresponsible and dangerous.

Very true. I've been irresponsible and dangerous in my youth, so I've been there to understand why so many people will do it even though it is incredibly stupid. It took some really tragic events to finally wake me up. Paid huge fines, was levied steep insurance premiums (after being cancelled), saw people die, lost money to other racers when I lost, destroyed one of my Mustangs in a senseless stunt, nearly got hauled off to jail once, etc.

I'm older and wiser now. I'm married and have two teenagers. I have a great career. I have too much at stake to risk it nowadays, hence why I advocate for - and frequent - our local dragstrips.

However, I understand why people continue to street race even though they know it's idiotic. What I profess we need to do is give them an avenue to safely persue their need for speed.

I went to school in a rough neighborhood for awhile as a teen. Fights broke out hourly on campus. To get a handle on it, the school finally decided to host a boxing event periodically. Got a grudge against someone? No problem, sign up to meet them after school in a boxing ring with gloves on and a ref with dozens (sometimes hundreds) of fellow students cheering you on. Kick some @$$, but in a controlled environment. This helped reduced the violence on campus. Why can't we do the same with racing? Make the dragstrips more accessible more often to everyone. Make it easy to just show and run what you brung and get the racing off the streets as much as possible.

 

[248a]

However, I understand why people continue to street race even though they know it's idiotic. What I profess we need to do is give them an avenue to safely persue their need for speed.

I went to school in a rough neighborhood for awhile as a teen. Fights broke out hourly on campus. To get a handle on it, the school finally decided to host a boxing event periodically. Got a grudge against someone? No problem, sign up to meet them after school in a boxing ring with gloves on and a ref with dozens (sometimes hundreds) of fellow students cheering you on. Kick some @$$, but in a controlled environment. This helped reduced the violence on campus. Why can't we do the same with racing? Make the dragstrips more accessible more often to everyone. Make it easy to just show and run what you brung and get the racing off the streets as much as possible.

With as much road as we have out here in AZ, it really wouldn't hurt the city to sanction off parts of the road for a "run what you brung" night with some police and EMT. Our tracks are very far apart and it's $20 to run and $15 to watch at firebird raceway last time I went. I'm sure these budget minded racers can't bring themselves to drive their car way out there and do that. Heck the street racers by my house race literally next to a small airport they could probably use for street racing and bring some money there on certain nights.

 

[Five Oh Brian]

With as much road as we have out here in AZ, it really wouldn't hurt the city to sanction off parts of the road for a "run what you brung" night with some police and EMT.

I bet the city would say it's a waste of taxpayer money to use police and an EMT to supervise some sanctioned events, yet they'd be more than happy to spend 100 times that much to try to catch & arrest rogue street racers.

You're right that racing can be expensive. I flew to Chandler, AZ a few years back to race next door to Firebird Raceway at the Bonderaunt Performance School. Had a blast for 3 days tearin' it up on their medium and big tracks, as well as their autocross track. Too bad it cost over $4K for the adventure! That's why drag racing is so attractive: it's cheap and easy.

Open more tracks more often and they will come (and hopefully keep the racing off the streets).

 

[klaw]

5-O: I know why most people street race, the same reason they do all sorts of stupid things, they act first and think second. I also agree that more tracks should be built and opened up for more hours and longer seasons. Unfortunately, most politicians and activists also act first and think second. Calgary is a city of one million and our only motorsports venue (Race City Speedway) is on city-owned land. The city has been trying to break the facility's lease for the last few years, making maintenance (including safety maintenance) and upgrades unattractive to invest in. Last fall, the event promotor finally threw in the towel and it's doubtful we'll even have a track next year - at least a safe one with working lights etc. What does the city say they need the land back for? How about a storm water holding pond!

 

[Evilfox]

I partially agree with some of the above posters. It seems now adays absolutely everybody loves to straddle you for a street race if your car even looks fast. This isn't just the ricers I am talking about. People with too much bloody money are included in this too.

I live in California so in some areas there is certainly a more abundant amount of hot cars then in others. Lots of which are just people with money to spend and little driving ability. These people, along with teenagers that think they can drive are the reason for most of the heat. Don't get me wrong, plenty of teens can handle themselves in high horsepower cars but a lot don't know what they are getting themselves into.

There are places to run your cars and places you shouldn't. As mentioned above neighborhoods and rush hour traffic isn't where you should be doing it. I'll also add onto this and say racing in front of crowds isn't where you should be doing it. This is the type of street racing that the fuzz paints to the public which is why the car guys are getting such a bad rep.

That being said. I've street raced. I've done so for money for years. It's a personal rule that I don't do it around spectators and I am selective in who I choose to race and where it takes place. Regardless of if it is a friendly challenge straddle on the highway or something thats premeditated. I've never been caught in over half a decade of racing. I have lost a friend to it. Whom of which was pretty irresponsible with the act. Racing in front of crowds with anybody who was willing; Including people high as kites on who knows what.

There is a time and a place for everything. Responsibility is key to the whole thing. You don't need to race everyone who straddles you. A simple head shake is all it takes to discourage most would-be challengers.

 

[DarkFireGT]

Sorry, street racing discussion is not allowed as it's an illegal activity that endangers lives. If anyone wants to be interviewed by the OP, send him a PM.

Thanks!