Street Racing Scene

[Steve Shauger]

As they say back in the day the street racing scene was like the wild west. Every city and town had racing going on and meeting place to hang out and talk cars and talk racing. Not sure if I posted this previously but wanted to share. Every member has a story whether watching from the sidelines as a youngster or doing battle in the thick of the racing scene. In Philly there was front street, well this article is describes how it was around NYC. Share your experiences and pictures...

[seventyLs5]

Cool article, thanks for posting. I laughed that the author thought the car in the first picture was a 64 Grand Prix when it is actually a 66 GTO.

[chevyman0429]

Started going street racing when I was 8 years old with my father on french and or lynch road in Detroit Michigan. Good times right into my mid 20s until my kids came along and it was time to do so call grow up lol.

[FTC]

I was around the street racing scene here in Rhode Island in the mid to late 70s though the mid 80s during my teens and twenties.

The cruisin scene was huge in downtown Providence, (RI's capital) around Kennedy Plaza, also known as "the circle". There were a few light to light shows of power, but no racing there. It was there you would arrange a race and head to a long 1/4 mile, (including shut down area) spot called Harris Avenue. Also, some longer tests of speed ended up on I-295. This interstate today is a hustle and bustle highway of non-stop commuters, but back then it was a brand new highway to give people a choice to travel from northern to southern RI, instead of using the always busy I-95.

I-295 was so unused, you could stop on it with two racers lined up, another car with the guy who was going to start the race, and usually a few spectators cars. The race would be over before any other cars would even come down the highway.

Another cruisin spot was Reservoir Avenue in Cranston RI, and Plymouth Avenue in nearby Fall River MA.

[Pro Stock John]

My buddies and I streetraced 1991-2005 then the scene dried up, popo came down hard in a bunch of spots (Chicago area).

[66cayne]

1980-1985, Mpls. Mn., the HUB in Richfield, Mn. on the south side, a cruising spot where races were set up and Central Ave on the north side. Occasionally on the maintenance roads at the airport. I was running a 355 Z28 and was the first to use of nitrous in the area. Low 12 and high 11 second cars were competitive. We all were running slicks but no rollbars. A few hemis and 454 chevys were in the low 11s but they were not true street cars.

[AlteredChevy]

Originally Posted by Pro Stock John

My buddies and I streetraced 1991-2005 then the scene dried up, popo came down hard in a bunch of spots (Chicago area).

I've watched Pro Stock John make more than a few hits on the street! Mostly in the red Formula

[396 SS/RS]

I grew up on the west side in Charlotte and in the 70's and we raced in 3 different industrial complexes on the west side. Chesapeake Drive, Performance Road (aptly named), and Exchange Street.

[Pro Stock John]

Good times

[dykstra]

Originally Posted by Pro Stock John

My buddies and I streetraced 1991-2005 then the scene dried up, popo came down hard in a bunch of spots (Chicago area).

We used to go out to Sauk Trail after Dukes Drive-in around 11pm when the police would do their shift change.

Also, 103rd and Lemont Road were a hotspot for a while.

I believe I picked up the art of bullshitting or shall I say "negotiating" listening to racers argue over how many car length head starts or who gets the "leave/hit" or just a plain old fashion heads up race.

I wouldn't trade those days for all the Coors Light in Colorado.