Essay On Street Racing

Car Ethos Explains the Causes of Street Racing A Mark IV Toyota Supra and Chevy Camaro SS pull up at a red light on a lonesome stretch of flat road amongst a dimming blue sky; the drivers nod at one another, rev the engines, and jam the accelerator pedals. When two drivers try to outrace each other on public streets, automobile driving makes a turn into the illegal form of motor racing known as street racing. Several possible causes to this aggressive street driving include a recent release of movies that inspire racing by the desire to fulfill the adrenaline rush raging in young people, the overall convenience of street racing, and most importantly, a way for teenagers to achieve nobility status in a short a time. Media

First, a trip to the track takes longer than a street race, since the closest track in the southwest suburbs of Chicago is an hour away. Going to the track is a hassle versus the get set, ready, go drag race down the street. Simply, street racing is nearby and does not disturb anyone as the contest usually takes place in the dead of the night or in the wee hours of the morning. Secondly, legal racing at a circuit track costs hundreds of dollars. Drag strips are shorter, most commonly a quarter of a mile, than the longer circuit tracks, but the entrance fee is about twenty dollars, which adds up over repeated visits. On the other hand, street racing is free and in 20 seconds, a winner emerges from the duo. Lastly, racing at a track puts enormous stress on a car. By driving fast for extended periods on a track, consider the brakes and tires shot since both will need replacement from tracking over 200 miles per hour. In addition, launching a car from a dead stop at a track versus from a rolling start, as in street racing, is more difficult and can easily ruin the car. Although street racing is not as organized as track racing, impromptu racing has the advantages of availability, affordability, and economic