Check Out The Dirty Underbelly Of Street Racing In Memphis

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Street racing is a sub-culture in the car hobby which is controversial, to say the least. Understandably, many gearheads think the practice makes us all look like little hooligans who don’t care not only about law and order but also the safety and wellbeing of others. This is why footage like this from 1320video can get some people really worked up.

See how this compares to underground street racing in Sweden.

Some will perceive this video as glorifying street racing. We can see why that would be. After all, it’s all portrayed quite dramatically and a lot of the cars in it are really cool. Plus it starts all Fast and Furious-like with a barbecue among friends at a house.

The reason we’re sharing the 1320 video isn’t for glamorization but instead to help everyone understand the underground culture of street racing. We’re not talking about some kids who decide to just start going at it on a busy road or even adults who are half drunk pushing their muscle cars through city streets at 2 am.

No, this is a highly organized, well-coordinated and thought out activity. You’ll see in the video these guys are actually pretty smart, especially since they don’t disclose all the details of how they elude law enforcement.

Street racing is addictive for many enthusiasts because it not only gives one a hit of adrenaline from going fast but adds the element of staying one step ahead of law enforcement. You can tell these guys to take it to the track and they’ll just blow you off. After all, as you’ll see in the included video, these street racers have expensive builds and obviously could afford track fees.

That said, we wonder if they can afford a big fat ticket, jail time, court costs, and to have their ride seized? Its’ a fair question, but we think the risk of that and other things happening adds to the excitement for the street racer crowd.

However, these street racers are smart enough to keep their activity in Memphis where the cops are busy with all sorts of violent crime. Were they to cross the river and race in West Memphis, they’d probably quickly be contending with Arkansas State Police and that wouldn’t end well.

So check out the video and see what you notice about this culture, aside from the illegal nature of what they’re doing. It’s an interesting peak into a world many don’t really see.

Images via 1320video/YouTube

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