NY Times Articles

[Powell8]

I finally got around to last weekend's Times and found 3 articles that pretty much summed up our currrent state of affairs in the straight-line world. The Long Island section had piece on burnout contests and street racing (which they referred to as drag racing) and how the police are cracking down. Mention was made of NHRA and E-town as legal alternatives plus how there aren't any tracks left here and proposals are shot down. It ended with the police feeling that a track would not stop street racing. The second article featured a family where the father restores cars with his kids, one being a special needs child. It is a love of cars and family that comes through even though money is tight for them. The last article was in the Automotive section-there is a private race course being built on the grounds of the former Monticello Airport for the very rich; $100,000 initiation fee and $7500 per year membership. It is for road course cars and the track is $50 million to build. Not a single mention of neighbors complaining, rallies and petitions, zoning fights, noise concerns, politicians, etc. The facility even has a helicopter landing pad. Not sure what my point is here but I just felt like sharing how frustrating the whole situation is but there is still a passion for cars that can pull a family together. Happy Holidays!

[cowbay]

I saw thoses articles myself. I had to laugh. The mindset around the tri state region is that certain people with a lot of money are entitled to whatever they want. Unfortunately road racing is associated with the pretty people with alot of money. Some how road racing is viewed as a higher art form. Unfortunately drag racing is associated as being blue collar hill billy stuff, eventhough I know of plenty of white collar people that can buy and sell almost anyone that road race.
The police part makes me laugh because there are many programs on the west coast where they have race the police on the strip and they have reduced street racing. Of course you are never going to eliminate street racing but you can reduce. I never saw that attitute that well we are never going to stop all murders so why bother at all? The purpose is to control it.
The final part about family. I wish people would visit a track and see how many cars that are running were built together as a family. Just the group I go with I bring my godson and nephew, my brother has a car, another guy brings his two sons and etc. This whole image of being an outlaw has to stop. The answer is that we have to keep putting the word out and slowly someday it will change.

[Tmac]

Go figure rich kids getting what they want and the Times of all papers reporting it.What else is old.Did you guys catch Pinks yesterday they had two episodes referring to groups working together was law enforcement getting people off the streets and on to the tracks with great success.They ran across one problem though Irwindale raceway was closed (IRWINDALE)and they are now looking for money to build another track in the area.Sounds fimiliar.Maybe we are thinking too small,maybe we should become a national movement.Getting like minds together to preserve a true American sport being desimated by the greed of developers and the spoiled elite that do nothing for this country but suck the life out of it for personal gain.:violent1:

[Tmac]

No mention of the plumes of pollutants in the ground at Long Islands next instant getto.