Street Racing Scene

[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.