Reno Street Racing - 16 cited by Reno Police 08/29/16

[GreenMachine]

http://www.ktvn.com/category/170899/video-landing-page?clipId=12695110&autostart=true

Cited for spectating the street racing and they (assuming those cited) suggested the city build facilities where they can do these activities safely and legally.  I suppose, that's what trackdays are for, since there's going to be an insurance element.  And for safety, if you're going to travel at race speeds, trackdays have corner workers and emergency services specifically for those kinds of needs.

Not as convenient or as free as racing on semi-deserted industrial parkway roads or on west McCarran 7:00PM - 2:00AM I'm sure.

I have to say, Victor Hernandez is a polite sounding spokesperson who did very well to articulate the views for his group.

[dub]

I wonder how many of those street racers and/or spectators ever did a trackday out at RFR when it was still operating? My guess is precisely zero.

However, the news story didn't make the distinction, but I'm pretty sure the speed contest that was going on was drag racing. These street stunters don't care about going around corners fast. If they cared to actually do that safely and legally they could buzz down I-80 to Sacramento Raceway Park, or out into the desert to Top Gun Raceway in Fallon. But again, I'm guessing the number of these guys interested in putting in that effort is exactly zero.

Building a drag racing facility in Reno isn't a bad idea. I'm sure Reno is a big enough population center that it would see regular use from the hot rod guys and some motorcyclists. But as you pointed out, still not as cheap or convenient as just doing what you want to do on a semi-deserted industrial parkway.

[slmoto]

Sadly to say, I used to be part of this kind of thing when I was in high school, cars not bikes but same idea. Never raced myself but spend many very late weekend nights/mornings hanging out and spectating. From my experience a track would do little to solve this, the only effective thing would be for the police to constantly crack down and do it now before it grows. When we went there would easily be a hundred or more cars driving around to the common spots bouncing from city to city to evade the police so suppressing it now while it's small would be the right thing to do.

There was even a drag night at Sears Point at the time that I believe was only $5 to enter. My friends would run there every once in a while but it was not the same. You're looking at an hour drive each way and then still you have all the formalities of a organization. Same would probably go here, you can't build it in town because people would complain about the noise and it's also unlikely that it'd operate at late night hours when the kind of people that are doing this want to hang out.

This kind of thing has little to do with racing and is more about hanging out. Every once in a while you'd get some serious guys but mostly it's just people hanging out bs'ing and an occasional drag race. Imagine the kind of environment you get at bike night at PJ's with the added entertainment of an occasional race.

However, while a track may not solve this problem it probably would get good use from all the hot rods and bikers in town but how to make money at it to keep the doors open is a whole different story.

[Blunder]

Redding, CA, has a 1/4 mile strip that has numerous "test n tune" nights during the summer. IIRC it's like $10 and you get all the timing slips from an offishel NHRA clock that you can run in a night. Still doesn't stop the illegal street racing.

[RedLeader]

Just my 1¢, but I also dont think adding a drag strip to the Reno area would help much. It might convince a few people to go there, but really I think its more about the fun of the "street racing". Its more of a thrill to do it illegally; its more dangerous, its against the rules, you never know whats going to happen. Its just a bunch of friends getting together somewhere and racing their bikes against each other. I dont think they would experience the same thrills and feeling if it were an organized event.

[Vegasrider]

Las Vegas Motor Speedway would open up their drag strip one Friday each month.  $10 with a valid driver's license and insurance, vehicle had to be street legal.  Unlimited runs.  Huge turnouts, 3-4000 people watch in the grandstand, you have a track announcer and you also receive a time slip for yourself and the guy you raced against. 

Other dragstrips have similar events, sometimes you can even race against the police. 

[RedLeader]

Las Vegas Motor Speedway would open up their drag strip one Friday each month.  $10 with a valid driver's license and insurance, vehicle had to be street legal.  Unlimited runs.  Huge turnouts, 3-4000 people watch in the grandstand, you have a track announcer and you also receive a time slip for yourself and the guy you raced against. 

Other dragstrips have similar events, sometimes you can even race against the police.

Was there still illegal street racing in Vegas though?

[cobra23]

Street racing has been going on since the first of us decided one was faster than the other. I think there will always be street racing. I also think it is unsafe.

Its a big party and there are no medics there. Wish they would go to the track and try that.

[Vegasrider]

Never heard of any street racing while I lived in Vegas, nothing organized like the one here a few weeks ago, but I'm sure there were isolated one on one somewhere.  Yeah the track was nice, actual medic's on site, clean up crew in the event your engine spewed oil, etc.