Street Racing:

A Deadly Thrill or Constructive Hobby?

Appealing mainly to the 25 and under set, the fad lures participants with the high octane challenge of chancing death, gaining glory, and satisfying the need for speed. Winners gain celebrity status, bragging rights, and respect as their cars are praised, while the losers retreat to the garage to tweak their cars into high-performance condition.

At an enforcement free site, racers take their marks alongside one another at the start of a quarter mile length of pavement.  A flagger signals the the drivers, and they push pedals to metal, reaching speeds of up to 150 miles per hour.  Hundreds of spectators line the streets, causing the race to become a real social event.  Beyond the squeal of tires, other racing enthusiasts show off their most recent modifications and offer tips for better performance.  

Street racing has developed a dark subculture among participants.  The "forbidden fruit" appeal lures racers into the streets in the early morning hours when the threat of getting caught by the police is lowest.  Racers wake up these sleepy streets with revving engines and burning rubber as they  race death down a dangerous path.

Blinded by the glitz and glamour of the sport, racers disregard the real danger of street racing. Pushing souped-up Hondas, Fords, and Dodges far past their intended speed limits, the threat of accidents increases as the speedometer climbs.  Lacking the training of the silver screen professionals, young drivers attempt dangerous movie stunts and frequently fail fatally.  As a result the issue of legalization has arisen.  This multi-genre webpage examines the benefits, dangers,motivation and harsh realities of this extreme sport.

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Racers take their marks at the start of a quarter mile.