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Import Car Culture meets Crusher

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Posted by: Calabrio

Car culture meets car crusher as squeeze put on street racing

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 two teens didn't know each other but they shared a common grief standing near each other under the sweltering sun Wednesday. They both watched helplessly as the cars they had so meticulously souped up and tricked out were crushed and turned into metal pancakes as part of a crackdown on illegal street racing in Southern California.

"That's my heart, my dream," said a visibly upset 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."

Six vehicles were destroyed at an auto graveyard as local law enforcement ramped up enforcement against illegal street racing, which 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 ideal for racing. Nearly 1,000 people have been arrested for investigation of street racing activities over the past two years in San Bernardino County alone. That includes spectators as well as drivers.

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.

Although police said they have managed to reduce illegal racing and related fatal collisions, they are well aware 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 to make 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 plenty of time and effort working on his 1992 black Honda Civic. He was stopped in November by police in what Higbee described as an area where racers gather.

The 18-year-old mechanic said a vehicle identification sticker apparently fell off and without it, police suspected some of the parts were stolen. Maldonado stood several feet away from his car as it was pounded into a heap of metal.

Maldonado said he has taken the advice of police — by racing legally on one of several race courses around Southern California. For the money spent in fines and other penalties — on average about $5,000 for illegally modified cars — Higbee said street racers could compete about 250 times a year at a legitimate track.

"If you have to race, take it to a legal venue," Higbee said. "But as long as they keep racing illegally, we keep crushing their cars."

All three men who saw their vehicles destroyed accused the police of auto profiling. They said they target only Hondas and Acuras, hoping to find something. Maldonado said he's driven a 1989 Toyota Supra but never been stopped.

They also believe illegal street racing will continue to prosper across the region.

"It will never go away," Maldonado said. "If it's in your heart, you will continue to do it until you can't anymore."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...n132637D82.DTL
By GREG RISLING, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
(06-20) 16:06 PDT Rialto, Calif. (AP) --

Posted by: glanga

I love how the one kid and HIS MOTHER spent $10,000 on it. And the other's VIN sticker convenientely fell off when he started putting stolen parts on his car. And after that they'll probably still race again illegally.

Great article.

Posted by: MERIJONS97LSC

I can't shed a tear for these guys ....most of these street racers make money hand over fist..betting on the races. We had a place when I was young in1970 in Newark N.J. on Ave. P...They were muscle cars back then not rice burners.
but the idea was the same..GO FAST! and make money.
There was no honor among the racers..If you hit a wall and was sent to the hospital..They would stip your car in one hour!

Posted by: Eliot_Ness_Ls

This has been in every car forum I venture to so far.

Pretty pathetic that drunk drivers have a higher rate of killing people then the street racers that usually try to keeps things done late at night but yet drunk drivers get a suspension and go to some class that they give 2 s**ts about while not learning a damn thing cause they wanna go do it again.

Then you have kids that race, go to vo-tech t get a higher learning for the machines they build and love, put skin and bone into the cost and time spent just so they have them crushed for making a mistake that can be punished in other ways.

I by far don't promote racing on the streets no more since I grew up and had a child of my own but there are many other vehicular offenses that get the slap on the wrist treatment that actually do more harm.

I understand that some of the cars had parts that were stolen or not legit for use on US roads but still, wait till it spreads and the bad ass type of stereo typical cops start to profile people like some of us that desire to have a nice car and in the mix it sometimes happens to look fast.

Posted by: Iszi

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eliot_Ness_Ls

This has been in every car forum I venture to so far.

You noticed that, too?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eliot_Ness_Ls

I by far don't promote racing on the streets no more since I grew up and had a child of my own but there are many other vehicular offenses that get the slap on the wrist treatment that actually do more harm.

This is the first time I've seen someone bring this particular point up in all the forums where I've seen this discussion, but I must say I do strongly agree. The point we see made most often though, I don't see here yet (at least, not in this particular thread):

Why don't they just part out/sell the cars (or what's legit of them) to help offset the cost of having a team dedicated to busting street racers?

Posted by: billcu

I'd rather see the police return the stolen property to the people that it was stolen from.

If the police would spend as much time looking for car thiefs as they do setting up things like seat belt enforcement zones, maybe theft wouldn't a factor here.

Posted by: ONEBADMK8

Pieces of garbage, crush them all.

Posted by: Eliot_Ness_Ls

Quote:

Originally Posted by ONEBADMK8

Pieces of garbage, crush them all.

See thats the thing, they aren't going to just target what everyone likes to bash as ricers

. Your typical Chevel, Charger, Corvette or 68 Camaro can be tossed in the mix here as long as you are racing it on the streets.

I have read on another site that the Mayor of Toronto wants to smash anyones car speeding that looks like it can be a late night street racer as well be it Muscle car or Tuner car.

Posted by: Conti94

interesting article, but there are definately going to be issues.

Posted by: JoshMcMadMac

Quote:

"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."

I have to admit, that makes more sense to me. They would make a lot more money off of it, keep less garbage out of our already overflowing fills, and could return the stolen parts to the rightful owners. It's nice from an "example" sort of view, but in the greater scheme of things it's a pretty poor practice.

Posted by: MERIJONS97LSC

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshMcMadMac

I agree....But I think the reason they kept all the parts on the car,was for effect. seeing their ride being crushed as they drove it,as appossed to seeing an emty shell.

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