For What Its Worth

Street Racing, you are a better person for saying no.

Many of us old guys comment about street racing from our own hard experience or that of our friends. Old guys still feel the thrill and are strongly effected by the smells of burning rubber. We just know that self control leads to long term happiness over a lifetime.

We aren't grumpy, we just want people to be happy. Funerals, trials, jail visits and celebrating a new wheel chair are not happy events. Neither is living with hurting someone. If you think nothing will go wrong, your arrogance is murderous.

Take it to the track. Empty roads are not an alternative. My brother lived by one of those "empty roads". People knocked on the door for everything from crashing dads hot rod to the girl friend without a license drove the car into a ditch. The emergency numbers were on speed dial on his phone.

Fundamental problems on the street.

Who cleans it up when water, oil or dirt are on the road..nobody.
Who has even minimal fire and emergency equipment to assist you..nobody.
Who is going to stick around and help when something does go wrong and risk being arrested..nobody.
Who is watching to make sure some idiot in the crowd doesn't step in the way, throw something on the road to cover their bet etc...nobody.
Who checks to make sure minimal safety requirements are met...nobody.
Whose going to make sure the other guy doesn't beat you up and take your money once you get to that deserted stretch of road....nobody.
Who is going to think you are smart for racing a stranger who may be the biggest moron that ever walked on two feet...nobody.
Who is going to make you feel better when someone gets hurt..nobody.
Who is going to stand up for you in jail...nobody.
Nobody is the only one authorized to race on the street.

If you are still unclear on the concept and you think street racers are tough, you have never been on real race track. Don't believe me? Go to a road course. Get one of those old guys to run the course and then see if you can even get close to his time. Make him drive your car for the trial. (Don't be surprised if he deems your old beat up hot car unsafe). See if you can even get close to his time. Sit in the passenger seat while he drives the road course. If you are only 1/16th as tough as you think you are you wont be blowing chow by the 3rd lap. One racer in this part of the country can beat most people driving his mini van on the road course. With you and 3 or 4 of your friends in it.

Or build a car and go to a circle track.

Or try to compete on a drag strip pass after pass.

Oh and be careful about that old guy that says you got a real hot car. And you end up racing him after he somehow just barely beat a car you know is much slower than yours and you know it is easy money. And he somehow just barely wins over you. And the next guy 1 second faster, and the next 2 seconds faster and on. Your pride just got you hustled. Maybe the school of hard knocks may beat some sense into your head, if you can survive long enough to graduate.

Happy Motoring, VHubbard. May 2009

Last update Feb 2014

Back to the 66' Nova page