News-Record.com

Saturday's No. 2 editorial.

Street drag racing is fine if the speeding cars stay on the movie screen. But it’s a different story if they’re rocketing toward the family minivan at 120 mph on a dimly lit two-lane road.

The sentencing last week of three Triad men for prearranged drag racing on U.S. 311 in Forsyth County conjures up visions of rowdy speed epics that for years have filled theater seats.

But it also comes just months after an illegal drag race in Maryland turned deadly when another car plowed into and killed eight spectators gathered at night on a darkened highway.

For generations, street drag racing — spontaneous or prearranged — has been a part of the nation’s car-crazy culture. And Hollywood has done its dubious part by glamorizing it with sagas like “Rebel Without a Cause” and “The Fast and the Furious.” Along with movies and a host of video games, the Internet now is loaded with clips of illegal and impromptu races.

The March incident in Forsyth County easily could have ended in tragedy. A deputy sheriff said the onrushing racers narrowly missed a car with two elderly occupants that had slipped through a racers’ dragnet to shut down the road.

As part of a plea-bargain, three participants received license suspensions and steep fines. Two had their tricked-out cars confiscated. Had they tried to flee, jail time would have been likely.
One of the vehicles will be used as a mobile warning to other would-be racers. A good idea, but timely tips from the public would be even more helpful. Races don’t happen in a vacuum. Often, hundreds of noisy spectators plan to show up in the wee hours.

An even better idea is moving the racers and their cars from street to track. Race-sanctioning groups regularly hold events for modified vehicles.

Going fast isn’t the issue. Finding a safe place to do it is.