View Poll Results: Where do you race your car?
Street Race
29
16.48%
Track Race
25
14.20%
Track and Street Race
25
14.20%
I do not ever race and do not care what others do as long as its not around other people
33
18.75%
Street racing is just plain stupid
64
36.36%
Voters: 176. You may not vote on this poll
Poll: How many of you street race?
#41
Moderator
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I don't street race for obvious reasons. I can't track race because both of my Vettes are convertibles - or I would. I have been on the track in a Vette at Spring Mountain and VIR. It is a blast
#42
Race Director
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C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
I was just disappointed in the poll because it wouldn't accept more than one answer. I race at a track and I also think street racing is stupid.
I did it in the 50's and 60's when I was stupid, but thankfully my degree of stupidity has declined since then.
I also think the government's control over auto manufacturers starting heavily in the '70's changed attitudes about economy and safety to the point that racing what Detroit produced was no longer a thrill. That brought a lot of dragstrips to their knees and a large number of possible venues for legal racing disappeared.
With a re-emergence of a HP race starting around the turn of the century, the opportunity for the average Joe to race legally has diminished severely.
There have been 22 dragstrips in Arizona since 1954 and only 2 remain today. The one in the Phoenix area is only open once a month for the street driven cars, so many have turned to street racing. With a new push locally to crack down on racing the pressure in this pot is building.
http://www.dragtimes.com/blog/wild-w...-street-racing
http://www.12news.com/mb/news/local/...bust/410144432
I did it in the 50's and 60's when I was stupid, but thankfully my degree of stupidity has declined since then.
I also think the government's control over auto manufacturers starting heavily in the '70's changed attitudes about economy and safety to the point that racing what Detroit produced was no longer a thrill. That brought a lot of dragstrips to their knees and a large number of possible venues for legal racing disappeared.
With a re-emergence of a HP race starting around the turn of the century, the opportunity for the average Joe to race legally has diminished severely.
There have been 22 dragstrips in Arizona since 1954 and only 2 remain today. The one in the Phoenix area is only open once a month for the street driven cars, so many have turned to street racing. With a new push locally to crack down on racing the pressure in this pot is building.
http://www.dragtimes.com/blog/wild-w...-street-racing
http://www.12news.com/mb/news/local/...bust/410144432
#43
Team Owner
Growing up my whole life was about drag racing...street, track, drunk, I didn't care. Had the fastest car around for years, took on all comers after they went up through the chain of command. Once I got on the Fire Dept and now even more as a Captain, I have to lead by example....... Just have those sweet memories now.
#44
Le Mans Master
Street racing in Texas can be a tough deal. If you are racing someone and they lose control of their car and hit a pole and are killed. You can be charged with manslaughter. You may have been a hundred feet behind them and in no way influenced/caused the wreck. Doesn't matter. You were participating. So you are betting your freedom, not on your skill, but against the skill of the driver in the other car.
A couple of high school girls were killed locally last week when the driver of her new Porsche Macan lost control at approx. 90 and hit a tree. The only survivor has multiple broken bones, legs, pelvis, etc., and internal injuries as well as 2nd degree burns.
A couple of high school girls were killed locally last week when the driver of her new Porsche Macan lost control at approx. 90 and hit a tree. The only survivor has multiple broken bones, legs, pelvis, etc., and internal injuries as well as 2nd degree burns.
#45
Melting Slicks
When I was (much) younger, you could find me and my friends down on El Camino Real in Northern California most weekends where we did our share of street racing (from light to light). These days I keep my spirited driving to the interstate and mountain roads when traffic permits.
#46
Melting Slicks
Someone pulls up to me at a red light... The road is wide and open...hummm..it's a Boxster... or 911...I will stay up... or slightly ahead... engine to engine... power to power... American vs German... a little faster... up to 10 miles faster than the speed limit... then I will back down and glory in the Vette's victory.. And it's all over quickly.
USA....
USA....
#47
Melting Slicks
I remember back in the days of $.25/gallon gasoline cruising E. 14th Street in San Leandro, First and Second Streets in San Jose and ending up on El Camino as a night cap. When I saw American Graffiti the first time I almost cried. It was me at 18 years old. All my drag racing was either from light to light or at the old Fremont Drags. Lots of fun memories. I've run my '69 Mustang and my '00 Camaro at Sacramento Raceway since then and I will occasionally accommodate an aggressive individual at a stoplight. Oh, horrors!
Last edited by Welker1; 02-27-2017 at 02:18 PM.
#48
Race Director
Sounds like we cruised a lot of the streets; I remember going to the old Freemont Drags as well' Also have a lot of fond memories of the unofficial 'Annual Cruise Night' when the parking lots all up and down El Camino Real would fill up with all classes and types of vehicles from low riders to muscle cars to custom trucks and everything in between ... days long gone, but never forgotten
#49
Melting Slicks
Sounds like we cruised a lot of the streets; I remember going to the old Freemont Drags as well' Also have a lot of fond memories of the unofficial 'Annual Cruise Night' when the parking lots all up and down El Camino Real would fill up with all classes and types of vehicles from low riders to muscle cars to custom trucks and everything in between ... days long gone, but never forgotten
Last edited by RagTop69; 02-27-2017 at 02:34 PM.
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#50
Drifting
Member Since: Aug 2009
Location: South Fla
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St. Jude Donor '10, '17-'18-'19
LOL
I do admit I love STREET OUTLAWS but I got nothing to prove on the street. In FL they can confiscate your car if they catch you and lots of points. I REALLY don't need that + all the other possible negatives.
Besides you can't be the hero of the day if nobody's watching.
I do admit I love STREET OUTLAWS but I got nothing to prove on the street. In FL they can confiscate your car if they catch you and lots of points. I REALLY don't need that + all the other possible negatives.
Besides you can't be the hero of the day if nobody's watching.
Now I will "drive spirited" as required but I would not call it racing by any means.
#51
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Mar 2002
Location: Staten Island NY
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I think EVERYBODY here at one time or another paired off with another car at a stop light and floored the accelerator pedal.
I loved it, and its what made these cars what they are today.
But times change. Now you have kids in 500hp cars weaving in and out traffic chasing each other at the drop of a hat. That’s what they consider a race.
Cant say I ever did that…..
I loved it, and its what made these cars what they are today.
But times change. Now you have kids in 500hp cars weaving in and out traffic chasing each other at the drop of a hat. That’s what they consider a race.
Cant say I ever did that…..
#52
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2014
Location: Below the bottom of Berby Hollow, NYS
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I gotta share this. The first time I took my '69 Mustang to Sacramento Raceway I was confused about the Christmas tree and they had to explain it to me. Embarrassing. I couldn't imagine that I would have forgotten this nifty piece of equipment despite 40 years having elapsed since running at Fremont on Grudge Nights. A couple of months later I was watching a special on Don Garlits on Velocity TV and there were pictures of his early days. The light went on for me. There weren't Christmas trees back then. Only the flag man with his flag on the button between the two competitors. That made me feel very old.
He had the flag rolled up around the stick, would point it to each driver, then jump up in the air with the flag waving and they were off. There were no "buttons"
It was just three men and human interaction, nothing electrical (although the track did get "up to speed" and got an Xmas tree around 1970).
But towards the end of the night, when everybody was drunk and the fastest cars were eliminating, the hype in the grandstands of the flagman jumping up in the air was beyond description. We were all standing also.
When it was over, we all raced back to our favorite watering hole, about five miles away.
Ah, the good old days.
#53
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2014
Location: Below the bottom of Berby Hollow, NYS
Posts: 21,631
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I think EVERYBODY here at one time or another paired off with another car at a stop light and floored the accelerator pedal.
I loved it, and its what made these cars what they are today.
But times change. Now you have kids in 500hp cars weaving in and out traffic chasing each other at the drop of a hat. That’s what they consider a race.
Cant say I ever did that…..
I loved it, and its what made these cars what they are today.
But times change. Now you have kids in 500hp cars weaving in and out traffic chasing each other at the drop of a hat. That’s what they consider a race.
Cant say I ever did that…..
#54
Race Director
Most old timers who street raced in late 60s/early 70s could get away w/ it, wasn't nearly # of LEO as today.
Ka/laser etc didn't exist, cop had to 'pace' and because cop car light's on top were so large could see 'em from 2 miles away. 'Pacing' usually as not easy unless driver was blotto.
Today's LED 'visa-bars' render CCs nearly invisible, cop could rear-end you before you before you knew what happened.
Then, there're todays laws.
Caught racing & off come the jewels no questions asked, lawyer or not.
If not on a track, one takes an awful risk these days.
For the above reasons when/if I get-on my LS7 I'm always alone, and in the middle of BF Egypt.
Ka/laser etc didn't exist, cop had to 'pace' and because cop car light's on top were so large could see 'em from 2 miles away. 'Pacing' usually as not easy unless driver was blotto.
Today's LED 'visa-bars' render CCs nearly invisible, cop could rear-end you before you before you knew what happened.
Then, there're todays laws.
Caught racing & off come the jewels no questions asked, lawyer or not.
If not on a track, one takes an awful risk these days.
For the above reasons when/if I get-on my LS7 I'm always alone, and in the middle of BF Egypt.
#56
Le Mans Master
Have I ever done it? Lots of times when I was very young and very stupid. Topped out at just over 135 once in Kansas on skinny tires. I led from 75 up and won because both of us were too stupid to let off. But at the time I was dumber than the other guy.
#57
Racer
Never done any real street racing, per say. Someone pulls alongside and wants to race, yea...for a block or two. Back in the day, we would hit speeds in excess of say 50 or 60 mph. Out on the highway outside of town, maybe 70-80. Never have lined up side by side against another car and drag raced. Some spirited driving...absolutely, but I pick the time and place.
#58
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Growing up my whole life was about drag racing...street, track, drunk, I didn't care. Had the fastest car around for years, took on all comers after they went up through the chain of command. Once I got on the Fire Dept and now even more as a Captain, I have to lead by example....... Just have those sweet memories now.
__________________________
To me, this is just plain stupid and I would never participate. This was SCT Indy. Some drivers intelligently protested and did not run. It's a miracle that no one died.
This was in a warehouse area and the cops didn't show for hours. I think police around Indy are just happy its not on public roads or maybe didn't know. Hard to say.
Last edited by User Omega; 02-27-2017 at 07:02 PM.
#59
i honestly don't understand people who don't race...
I mean not wanting to street race is understandable, but not even at the track!?
why do you buy a corvette then? Just to look good?
How can you be a true car enthusiast if you don't even push your car to it's limits?
For normal people fine... but wtf? I can't FATHOM how you can buy a corvette and not want to race.
I mean not wanting to street race is understandable, but not even at the track!?
why do you buy a corvette then? Just to look good?
How can you be a true car enthusiast if you don't even push your car to it's limits?
For normal people fine... but wtf? I can't FATHOM how you can buy a corvette and not want to race.
#60
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
i honestly don't understand people who don't race...
I mean not wanting to street race is understandable, but not even at the track!?
why do you buy a corvette then? Just to look good?
How can you be a true car enthusiast if you don't even push your car to it's limits?
For normal people fine... but wtf? I can't FATHOM how you can buy a corvette and not want to race.
I mean not wanting to street race is understandable, but not even at the track!?
why do you buy a corvette then? Just to look good?
How can you be a true car enthusiast if you don't even push your car to it's limits?
For normal people fine... but wtf? I can't FATHOM how you can buy a corvette and not want to race.
Last edited by User Omega; 02-27-2017 at 09:06 PM.
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