Street Racing

K, I know I'm post whoring, but.......
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I seriously can’t beieve what I just read. About half an hour ago, we high schoolers got our school newspaper that’s published by students, and in it was and article of teen drag racing on the street. Here’s some excerpts word for word.

The sky is enveloped with darkness, the atmosphere set with stifled excitement, anticipation, and anxiety. The sound of frenzied voices and revved engines blend together into an indistinguishable sound. “you know you can smoke this guy!” Someone shouts encouragenly. “5..4..3..2..1.” With the countdown signaled, the race begins. Since age 14, John smith (name changed for confidentiality) has attended and participated in street races around Washington. The overall thrill to drive faster than others, to take risks and to feel challenged appeals to many teenagers. For those reasons, like many other people, Smith eventually adopted the street racing life. The illegal street racing lifestyle includes racing almost every weekend. The racing occurs on public streets, and compromise od driving anywhere from a quarter mile to two. The races happen in kent, renton, and even in Redmond. The races last for a few seconds because the speed that the drivers use range from 150 mph to 190 mph. Most importantly, the street racing lifestyle is one of danger. According to Emily halevy of CWK network, “Some teens race for money, other’s do it for pride.” “Others simply participate for the adrenaline rush” said smith. Whatever the reason, the results of street racing are never predictable

“Street racing is pretty dangerous because interference with other cars is always likely. Even though we race usually after 12am when there are fewer cars, it’s not unlikely to still have cars around. When this happens, we have to be careful and dodge other cars.” Said smith

“According to NHRA, 40 out of 1,000 illegal street racing participants are injured”

According to CWK network, an estimated 3,500 teenagers will lose their lives in fatal car accidents per year

“I’ve seen cars that only weigh 1,000 pounds. If they were to have crashed, the drivers are pretty much dead on the spot,” Said Smith.

The stress that is created by the illegal racing is almost palable. Within a mere 10-13 seconds, the street racer’s life could change for the better or the worst.”

“I’m not afraid of crashing and dying,” said smtih “That’s the only way to win”’
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Holy crap. I hate it when people talk smack like this. I’m hunting down this john smith guy just so that I can kick the crap outta him. Seriously, he doesn’t race, he just saw the fast and the furious and thinks he knows a lot about cars. To hit 190 mph, you need a new sports transmission, which would cost around 5-6 grand. Not to mention the extra power need. This is such bullcrap. Within a mere 10-13 seconds? The only car on our lot than can run lower than 13 seconds ¼ mile is a 2001 GTI with a performance ECU chip. I’ve seen cars that only weigh 1,000 pounds? What bullcrap again. It’s people like this that ruin the entire scene for us.

  Godlaus

Where is this now? I think I'm going to just go to that area and annihilate all of those bullshit talking idiots.

  Nichol Bolas

The stupid children must die... 14 eh? Can you see over the steering wheel?? Can you reach the pedels you silly retarded fools!?!?

  Zenith

Thats funny... is the guy a white boy?

  CarEXPERT

^^foo. :thumbs:

  Low Impedance

just more examples of immature punks proving they are just walking vegetables......

  Inygknok

Darwinism at it's best my friends...the stupid ones will die and leave the smart ones behind...

Where do ppl get 1000 lb cars? Man even the old Mini's are that light...

Maybe they are driving around on these....this is about 500-500 lbs I think

http://www.openwheelers.co.nz/newmodel/images/Inside_Custom_Fleet_640.jpg

  NISSANSPDR

Yeah, but the atom is still fairly slow, only doing 5.6 in the 0-60 sprint. 1000 pounds? I knew when I read it that it was bullcrap, because engines alone weigh 600-1200 pounds.

  Godlaus

Those people really give good enthusiastic racers like me a ****in headache. They not only make us look bad but thye dont even know anything about cars. I bet half of those punks couldn't tell you what a camshaft is let alone figure out how to make the lightest cars in the world. It's a shame.

  VMJYogi

A thousan pound car would have to be made entirely out of carbon fiber and aluminum. Maybe. And when I was fourteen I wasn't even thinking about driving. And when I was old enough to drive I wasn't thinking about racing. I was thinking about not crashing when I'm going 25 mph. And what idiot would say shit about crashing and dying being the only way to win. That doesn't even make sense. :screwy:

  eclipso

Even then it wouldn't be light that light, engine would have to made out of titanium /:S

  Zenith

yeah, my school had an article like that in the school paper a while back, i thinking my Early junior or sophmore year. I was kinda ridiculous what they said. "its a coslty sport. a V8 conversion for the Civic can range up to 12K"
My thoughts were WTF???? They made it sound like a "lifestyle" wait...no they said it was a lifestyle. Sure cars are a lifestyle because hobbies tend to do that, but "street racing"? psssh....mentor cops are EVERYWHERE and will hand you your ass. That is way everyone goes to Thompson Dragway twice a week....

  Low Impedance

Despite the inaccuracies in the article, I have a better question:
Why aren't these people going to the track or dragstrip?

  Gothicaleigh

well if the only track is say more than an hour away, it is likely that no one will go to it.

  Low Impedance

Woah, as much as I agree with your position on this, your facts are wrong there.

My 5.0 in my RX7 weighed about 400 lbs, the Buick/Rover 3.5 liter aluminum V8 weighs 318 lbs. The average Civic B16 weighs in at 260 lbs. Even an all iron Ford 460 big block or Chevy 454 weighs in at 750 lbs. 1200lbs? Not hardly.

My MG Midget weighed 1300 lbs in stock form. I've seen SCCA versions with Ford V8s that still only weighed that much. This one that ran at the Grassroots Motorsports challenge weighed in at 1000 lbs and there was no carbon fiber on it...

http://evilallianceracing.com/ipw-web/gallery/albums/album32/137_3715.sized .jpg

http://evilallianceracing.com/ipw-web/gallery/albums/album32/139_3984.sized .jpg

Just didn't want to see you fighting non-facts with non-facts.

  ChrisV

ChrisV: Im confused about this still so when the GEAR RATIO is 2:1 the engine is spinning 6000rpm and the output transmission is spinning 3000rpm But this doesnt mean that the wheel is spinning 3000rpm right? Doesnt it lose more on the axles too?

  CarEXPERT

Yeah, it was a guess on my part, as i figured that about 1/3 of the weight of a car is in the engine, and if a car weighs 3000 pounds, then......yeah.

1000 pound MG!!!!!! Did it say 'hot wheels' on the bottom?

  Godlaus

Actually, it was recently in the Louisville news: a four yr. old boy took his parent's car and decided to drive to Blockbuster because, "I was bored", said the child. I have no idea how he reached the pedals.

And in reference to the article, not only is that article less than informative, it's written like crap. Also, they must have chosen quite a dumb person to interview. Quite a lot of street races take place on streets that have been illegally closed with stolen construction cones or barriers. Anyone seen True Life: I'm a Street Racer? At least those people are sortof smart about it. Anyone who'd just swerve around a pedestrian during a street race is just a plain f'ing idiot.

  Patrick

man that was the most idiotic (spelling?) article i have ever read. oh and just wondering, to race on a legall race track there in the US do you have to pay? because here in NZ we have to

  ahoo

He didn't reach the pedals, I heard that story, he put it in gear and let it coast the whole way. Then when he got back home ( because block buster was closed) he stopped by slamming into three cars.

  Zalight