Yeap, this is big news out here right now!

Cars crushed in street racing crackdown
By GREG RISLING
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

Sergio Zavala, 18, looks over his yellow 1993 Honda after his car was crushed at Ecology Auto Parts in Rialto, Calif., Wednesday, June 20, 2007. Six vehicles were destroyed in front of their owners Wednesday at an auto graveyard as local law enforcement ramps up enforcement this summer after illegal street racing is suspected or responsible for 13 deaths in Southern California since March. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

RIALTO, Calif. -- Charles Hoang winced when the whoosh went out of the tires. Daniel Maldonado took pictures with a digital camera as glass exploded and rained down to the ground.
The cars the teens had so meticulously souped up and tricked out were crushed Wednesday as part of a crackdown on illegal street racing in Southern California.
"That's my heart, my dream," said Hoang, 18, of Chino, who was surrounded by friends as his 1998 Acura Integra was put into a compactor. "That's my girlfriend, the love of my life. The cops can crush my car, but they can't crush my memories."
Authorities destroyed six vehicles Wednesday at an auto graveyard, hoping would-be racers think again after looking at the mashed machines. Illegal street racing is responsible for or suspected in 13 deaths in Southern California since March.
The thrill-seeking, adrenaline-pumping activity is rampant in Riverside and San Bernardino counties east of Los Angeles where rows of tract homes line wide streets that attract racers.
Nearly 1,000 people - drivers and spectators - have been arrested for investigation of street racing activities over the past two years in San Bernardino County alone. Police need a court order to destroy the cars. They must prove that the serial or identification numbers on a vehicle or its parts are removed, altered or destroyed.
Police said they have managed to reduce illegal racing and related fatal collisions, but know the underground hobby still thrives.
"We are making a dent," said Ontario police Cpl. Jeff Higbee. "But it's summertime and ... we expect to see more activity."
Hoang said he was caught late last year racing his prized car, on which he spent at least $10,000 to get into top shape. The 350-horsepower engine topped out at 160 mph, Hoang said, swearing it could beat a Corvette or even a Ferrari.
When police popped open the hood, Hoang said, they found a stolen transmission. Hoang flashed a receipt for the transmission he bought from his father who runs an auto shop and doubted the item was hot.
"Everything on that car was practically brand new," Hoang said as he watched his car get moved to auto death row. "They should take out the stuff that matters, auction it off, and give the money to charity."
Because racers put heavy stress on their vehicles, they often burn out or blow up parts. Higbee said the need for the expensive parts has created a "theft mill" where additional cars - usually Hondas or Acuras - are stolen and stripped of the necessary replacements.
Most of the cars police examine are illegally modified. Sergio Zavala, 18, was pulled over in his 1993 yellow Honda Civic for a broken tail light in December. He had purchased a B-20 Vtech engine with a double-overhead cam a couple months before, and after a police investigation, was told it was stolen.
Zavala, who admits he's been involved in street racing, estimates he and his mother spent about $10,000 on improvements to his car.
After watching his Civic demolished, Zavala is left without a car as he plans to attend a fire academy in the fall.
"It's heartbreaking to see this," said Zavala, who graduated from high school last week. "This is where all my time and money went."
Maldonado also said he put

 

haha, thats what they get

keep it on the track if you wanna race

 

Hey YM, good to see you pop in.

 

lmao! lol

 

i'll be sure not to take on a ricer in the southern cali area then...

 

We're pretty liberal here. You have to have stolen parts before we crush your car.

 

I still don't beleive they should have been crushed. I'm personally not on the Ricer/Domestic debate at all - I like all cars that are turned into hot rods.

But how many people in the forum would like to see their car crushed if they had a stolen part on it they didn't know about. Maybe that supercharger or radio you bought off Ebay.... CRUNCH!!!

Can I also get a show of hands of people who have NEVER goosed it a bit, maybe did a little race with that Mustang at the light. Now thing about your Monte in the crusher for that little bit of fun.

I personally thought this was a sad sad day.

 

After thinking about this a bit more (and waiting for my boss to walk away), the reporter said that there where plenty of tracks to goto in the area. Unfortunately after checking with some on another forum about 10 of those tracks have closed down mainly do to noise complaints.

Geez theres a racetrack here, this looks like a nice place to live. 3 weeks later "HEY THIS IS TOO NOISY - CLOSE THE TRACK!!!"

Who would figure it would get noisy living near a race track.

 

There is still plenty of open bracket racing around here 04.

Even though San Bernadino might have closed some tracks we stil have Lyons and Pomona less than 30 miles away.

There is Perris and a couple of others 20 miles south from Rialto.

 

Here's the list I heard off the ClubGP thread. I live in WI so I have no clue, but the tracks seem pretty well closed to the public and only open for bracket racing and you pay for the season.



Carlsbad, CA - track closed over three years ago.

Terminal Island, Long Beach, CA - Was a highly used track by street racers in the Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Orange County areas. Gone probably 10 years ago. When this track was open we didn't have a street racing problem.

LACR, Palmdale, CA - Last race July 28, 2007. For $20 you could get in 20 or more passes a night during test and tune or street drag days. Elevation and surface sucked but it was a closer track. About 1.5 hours from anywhere in LA, Riverside, and San Bernadino.

Pomona, CA - They use to have street race nights open to the general public but no longer. Clubs can schedule stuff there but no open test and tune days. Rumor has it they stopped them because of problems with noise and their neighbors who suddenly become surprised that living by a racetrack can mean that you may hear some loud cars on occasion.

Fontana, CA - Cali Speedway. The new dragstrip already has two noise violation lawsuits against it and it just turned one year old. Close, good track, and decent elevation means that for the $50-$100 you pay to race you MIGHT get three runs in during the night but usually it's only about two. Yea, that's fun.

Irwindale, CA - 1/8th mile track which is also close and has good elevation but the fact that it's only half what most people care about the crowds aren't as bad as Fontana. However, rumor has it that it won't be there for long either. Reason? Noise complaints.

Qualcom Stadium, San Diego, CA - Every other month or so the city of San Diego sets up a 1/8th mile strip in the parking lot of Qualcom Stadium. Usually has a good turnout. While it is only an 1/8th mile, I applaud the city of San Diego for doing SOMETHING. We have Anaheim Stadium, the Colisium, Dodger Stadium, Honda Center, and many other sporting venues where the same could be done...but it isn't.

Fomoso, Bakersfield, CA - lower elevation track (600'. Terminal Island was 10', Carlsbad was 50', Fontana is 1500', and LACR is 2700'. Not sure about Pomona.) and great track prep but it's about 4 hours from anywhere in the LA area and during summer is hot as hell since it is the middle of the desert. (As is LACR)

After those tracks, it's either Las Vegas, NV (which is actually about the same distance as Famoso), or Firebird and Speedworld in AZ.

Irwindale, CA - 1/8th mile track that may be closing soon too.

Lets not forget norcal too:

Fremont, CA - Baylands Raceway - Great Track... Cool Bay Air, Below Sea level, out in the middle of nowhere.... oh wait, they built houses around it and all the new neighbors complained about noise so that’s gone now.

Sacramento, CA - SacRaceway - Hole in the wall track, FWD can’t do burnouts on anything but the weekend, not organized at all, hot, and guess what.. They are closing within a year or so for noise complaints.

Napa Valley, CA - Infineon Raceway - Good track, decent prep, organized, but since it’s a nice track its expensive, and they only do bracket racing, so you never get very many runs in unless your consistent