Evolution of Drag Racing
by SlowStang305

The crowd goes wild as a crimson red Honda Civic flies by a Ford Mustang on its way to the closing stages of the quarter mile. The Ford Mustang driver decelerates down realizing that there is no possible opportunity for a comeback. A lot of money was put on the line and now he has lost it all, as well as something more important, status and respect among the car enthusiast community. Competitions such as these take place on a daily basis without the knowledge of authorities attracting young adults to this extreme sport even with prior understanding of its dangers and consequences.

The roots of drag racing go as far back as the early 1900’s, when early produced models were put into strict competitions proving that one was evidently superior and faster then the other. One such battle took place between two Ford Model T’s in 1912. Racing has been a part of the American culture for many decades. Early races were held to see which vehicle had the highest top speed and would be able to out accelerate the other. The first official documented drag racing event occurred in 1949 in sunny Southern California. On an extended stretch of road about the size of a corn field, which stretched out for miles and was fenced on each side from external traffic a showdown had been brought up. What escalated from a mere battle turned into an enormous frenzy as people began placing money on racers who had the best odds of winning. Although that particular site had been used prior by street racers, this was the first time a race that was set up would take place and documented into history books. The first ‘pilots’ were Tom Cobbs and Fran Hernandez who worked day in and day out on getting their cars to put down massive amounts of horsepower to the ground by the use of aluminum drive shafts and huge rear tires.

Drag racing has been an increasing trend in the United States with drag racing reported on a daily basis in nearly every city. People between the ages of 16 and 25 are more likely to participate in a drag race then those in other age categories. For years, the only automobiles that participated in these tournaments were highly modified American street demons. As soon as the 1990’s rolled around, imported Japanese street cars which are recognized for their developed and electronically controlled engines became all the fuss. Any vehicle can be used to race but if a person is set on winning, a lot of money has to be dumped into their performance machine as well. Prices aren’t economical either. A standard supercharger, which is a belt driven rotating assembly good for virtually 120 extra horsepower, has an estimated selling price of nearly $4000. When you factor the cost of installation and other components this total figure can quickly rise. “Sales of products to customize cars amounted to more than $23 billion in 1999 — up 88 percent since 1991” (Drag Racing Junkies). Ed Carnecer has spent $80,000 on fixing up his car. He says he kicks himself when he thinks of other ways he could have spent the money he earns working for the State of California Insurance Department. But he's resigned to paying the price for his sport of choice: “What can you do?” he says. “This is my passion.”

It is a passion but like any other hobby drag racing comes with many consequences. The roads are never predictable and you can never know what the other driver is going to do. Many racers take precautions so nothing happens but nothing is ever 100 percent predictable. "We try to be as safe as possible," says a street racer who requests to remain anonymous. Going to deserted streets, deserted areas, racing at two or three o'clock in the morning — if possible, running on a highway where there just really is nobody. What racers fail to realize is that despite the fact that they may be skilled, the other driver may not be. Outside factors also come into play like spectators. People go to the streets because there are no safety rules enforced. Drivers don’t have any rules to abide by and bring what they have to each and every battle. If the racing was done at the track, each driver would need a full safety helmet, a roll cage, and pass all safety inspection rules to even be given permission to bring his car to the race track. At safety checks, the quantity of fuel in the car, its condition, and the condition of its tires are all taken into consideration. Many racers don’t have the funds to compete in a sport that is so demanding. On the street anything goes and each individual answers for themselves, unfortunately many don’t take the lives of others into consideration.

The sport of drag racing has fascinated people for many years. Other sports just don’t give you the neck snapping adrenaline rush that can be had by participating in a drag race. “It's always been a bigger thing - it does give a bit of an adrenalin rush ... it's just unfortunate that the conditions they operate under are often unsafe,” says Paul. Paul is a street racer who understands the strict requirements of competition. 'I think when you drive a car hard there is a certain element of danger, and there's always a risk but there's always that thrill of going fast,' he says. The thrill of living dangerously is what attracted Karen, a young racer from Durban to illegal drag racing. Five years ago it nearly cost her her life. Thrill does come at a price as experienced by racers across the country. You might be winning one second but your luck can change the next.

Drag racing is undeniably a sport that many have a passion for. It’s obviously not going anywhere and is here to stay. Drag racing has a rich background and the outlook looks bright for its undeniable participation. As long as there is an interest in experiencing an extreme adrenaline rush, there will continue to be drag racing across the nation for years to come.