For most of us, the adrenaline rush that comes from watching Vin Diesel speed away in a souped-up Honda Civic coupe is enough to satisfy our appetite for high speed. But for many, street racing is more than a Hollywood thriller; it’s a way of life. Whether you’re a full-fledged street-racing junkie or a first-time car owner jumping into the aftermarket scene, there are a few things you should know.
High-Speed Hobby
Many young drivers admit to being stopped at a red light and feeling the urge, maybe for just a second, to stomp on the gas pedal and see if their car can outrun the other driver’s in the adjacent lane. But if you happen to end up next to Eddie Thurman, a 22-year-old bamboo grower from South Jersey, New Jersey, don’t underestimate his Kia sedan. It boasts a reported 438 horsepower thanks to the aftermarket turbo kit he installed.
Sometimes Thurman and his friends go to the nearby track, but they prefer street racing because the track charges a fee and doesn’t let drivers choose who they race. Plus, many drivers crave the adrenaline rush they get from racing on the street.
“Seventeen-year-old kids with fast cars who don’t know how to drive them: They make it dangerous, but out here in the country it’s pretty safe. Now, in Philadelphia, they just hold up traffic to race. They just start racing on any road. They don’t care if there’s traffic…. That’s dangerous.”
Fast and Fatal in Southern California
Sergeant Skip Showalter has seen the tragedy and loss of life caused by street racers. He leads the Riverside, California, police department’s fight against street racing and has helped develop programs to educate the public about its real dangers.
“I remember one week when seven fatalities in the Southern California area were related to street racing. Unfortunately, it’s gaining popularity,” says Showalter.
According to Showalter, racetracks offer a legal and safe alternative to street racing. However, he concedes that recent track closings and limited hours make it difficult to move racers off the streets and onto the track. Sometimes, though, “they just use that as an excuse,” says Showalter. “We still catch people out on the streets that go to the track regularly…. Part of the appeal for them seems to be the street itself, the adrenaline rush.”
Aftermarket Anarchy
Vehicle modifications are at the center of the street racing controversy and are a major factor in its potential dangers. Unfortunately, what new drivers don’t realize is that vehicles are manufactured from the tires up for certain purposes. As Alessandro Argentino, a member of street-racing-enthusiast Facebook group “Street Warriors,” points out, “The reason sports cars and high-class exotics cost so much is not just because of the engine, it’s also that they have the suspension, brakes and steering to be able to handle 200 mph without losing control.”
Argentino has seen what can happen when amateur drivers fail to take that into account. “The idiot took his traction control off his IS 300 and lost control and put the back of the car into the guardrail,” Argentino says of one of his friends. “For some reason he thought the traction control was making his car slower, when in fact his car was just not as powerful as the one he was racing against.”
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