L. A. Street Race 2 dead.

[diverdan]

Serious street race in Chatsworth gone bad. Big bucks cars race for substantial bets. These guys are serious and run a quick efficient program. I love the noise, the enthusiasm, the cars, and technology. It's run on wide no traffic streets, but it is totally illegal with inadequate safety. Just this week two have died. Another is in the hospital and the young driver's life is ruined. Police have his reportedly $100,000 Mustang impounded and he will certainly do time in prison if he is caught. His other option is a life on the run. Culpability runs beyond him and would extend to all actively involved.

We've lost a valued Porsche friend in a nearby canyon. Both accidents involved loss of control by the driver. How the 993 slid off the cliff, I don't know. The Mustang's brute power totally overcame big drag slicks resulting in a spin out shortly after launch, almost taking the Nissan GTR out. The driver of the 'stang was able to run away, but the pedestrians weren't so lucky and paid the ultimate price.

Were the vehicles unsafe? Obviously the Ford's power overwhelmed the tires and chassis when engaged in the race. The 993 was overdriven either by its adhesion or the driver's ability. I don't know.

What is our responsibility as drivers of high performance vehicles in regard to our equipment, ability, and venue? As a fan of spirited driving, compared to these two events, I am way far away from challenging the ultimate limits. But certainly spirited driving could be beyond legal and yet less dangerous than the average driver who is under the legal guidelines.

I feel the gravity of the incidents. Races and ego will happen............We can't stop it, but how do we moderate?

[Z-man]

If you can afford a $100k Mustang, you can afford to join a car club and take your car to the track. The street is no place for spirited driving, racing, drag racing...etc.

If you can afford a $100k Mustang, you can also afford to take lessons on how to drive. Yeah - young drivers are all EXPERT drivers and mad drifters blah blah blah - but in reality they are either lucky, or dead.

Granted, the track has its own dangers -- but there are significantly better precautions there - everyone is usually going the same way, there is safetly equipment (helmets, roll cages, fire marshals, ambulance...etc). So if something bad happens, the damage is minimized.

Bottom line: Street racing is for idiots with no brains and tiny balls.

Getting off my soapbox now...
-Z

[herr_oberst]

Not a soapbox at all Z, that's just common sense.

One problem is, cheap, easy to purchase horsepower in two wheel or four wheel form often supersedes that common sense. We're living in a golden age, better than the horsepower wars of the sixties and early seventies, but activities and consequences like this will bring this era to a close.....

[wdfifteen]

In the early 70s the cost of insurance and in some cases the refusal to insure some car/driver combinations put a damper on things like this. Who the heck sells liability insurance to a kid with a $100k street racer? Do they really invest that kind of money in a car without insuring it?

[dlockhart]

Its a shame when fun stuff goes predictably bad.

In a related note:
The NHRA is not happy with street outlaws. Pulling licenses

NHRA Warns: Participate In


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[Ayles]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

In the early 70s the cost of insurance and in some cases the refusal to insure some car/driver combinations put a damper on things like this. Who the heck sells liability insurance to a kid with a $100k street racer? Do they really invest that kind of money in a car without insuring it?

They could be insuring a pony for all they know... 100k seems like a lot for a mustang, I'd like to see what kind of build got to that dollar figure.

The guy was 22, they typically aren't to savvy with insurance.

[crustychief]

Racing cars is like sex, all young men think they are great at it. It takes training and experience to get decent at it.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Ayles

The guy was 22, they typically aren't to savvy with insurance.

Well, it's California and I don't know how they do things out there.
Here in Ohio you are required to have liability insurance. If you get stopped or audited and don't have it, your license is revoked. The state does random mail audits and if you can't send in proof of insurance a warrant is issued for your arrest. I get audited about every other year, but then I have 7 vehicles registered.

[M.D. Holloway]

and all too often when you go at it with way to much energy you ultimately lose...slow and steady with a nice finish is always the best out come for the long haul, but showing off some power now and then gets things going in the proper direction...

wait, we were talking sex right?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Who the heck sells liability insurance to a kid with a $100k street racer? Do they really invest that kind of money in a car without insuring it?

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Well, it's California and I don't know how they do things out there.
Here in Ohio you are required to have liability insurance. If you get stopped or audited and don't have it, your license is revoked.

I think the point is that the guy probably had regular old insurance on a regular old mustang. When most folks modify a car, they don't tell their insurance company or try to get adjustments made. So the guy probably had insurance on a $20k or $40k or whatever mustang, not a mustang with $100k in mods.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by crustychief

Racing cars is like sex, all young men think they are great at it. It takes training and experience to get decent at it.

I thought you were going to say it's all over in the low 10s.

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by crustychief

Racing cars is like sex, all young men think they are great at it. It takes training and experience to get decent at it.

..and there's more to it than a single 10-second stroke.

[vash]

Isn't there a reality show about outlaw racing?

[juanbenae]

Originally Posted by vash

Isn't there a reality show about outlaw racing?

.

cliff, we are trying to get the band back together the weekend of march 14/15 in the paddock at sears point. hope you will consider bringing yir tambourine along & join in the music makin. JP on base, el presidente will be back on sax, trek the long slide trombone, me on drums, n racer rix layin down the rhymes. come get unplugged wit all us...

our old album cover from the BAP experience release of 07...

[creaturecat]

Originally Posted by vash

Isn't there a reality show about outlaw racing?

Street Outlaws. The roads are closed down, with the cooperation of the police.

[diverdan]

Two guys side by side in their stock 1956 356s pull up to the stop light in a 60 mph zone. The light goes green andthey spend the next 15 seconds red lining and shifting to just past 60mph. Brodrick Crawford 's 56 Buick lights them up and they are sighted for "Speed contest?" They were racing but WTF? They weren't pushing any safety limit. Pushing the safety limit seems to be the real crime committed in spirite driving and street racing. Whatdo you think?

[dennis in se pa]

Looking back......I was just as stupid at age 21. This could have happened to me or many people I know. It is sad though.

[Rick V]

Originally Posted by dennis in se pa

Looking back......I was just as stupid at age 21. This could have happened to me or many people I know. It is sad though.

Yup, I had the slow car with a 440 Mopar under the hood.

[sand_man]

Is this the story?:
Suspect in fatal Chatsworth street racing crash surrenders to LAPD - LA Times

[Oh Haha]

I raced on the street back in the Camaro days although not at this level. Mostly just friends with similar level cars for a few bucks a race.

We had a quarter mile marked off on a major divided highway which lessened the possibilities of anyone but the drivers being injured.

Racing down city streets with people lining either side is just stupid.

I like "Street Outlaws" but , as we know, they are NOT racing under the same conditions. They seem to have control over the crowds and racers to make it as safe as possible.

We have a big street racing scene in Flint(google or YT to see it) but it is much too dangerous for me. here is a pretty "underworld" tone to it.