Twin T66 turbochargers hissing, rubber burning, strobe lights flashing - these are the sights and sounds of the street racing and auto tuning culture. Commuters see these people speeding by with their obnoxious mufflers and wonder why anyone would want to deface a car, or why they must drive so fast and blast their music. The street racing phenomenon has existed since cars were invented, but has recently been invigorated by such movies as "The Fast and The Furious" and "The Last Race."
So exactly why do people spend up to $40,000 to customize their vehicles? Why do people need at least 400 - sometimes over 1,000 - horsepower under the hood? The answer is simple: speed and individuality.
Tuners (people who customize their cars) spend thousands of dollars to trick out their cars with anything from nitrous oxide systems (NOS) and extreme aerodynamic bumpers to seismic sound systems that can crack glass. Typically, sport compacts are used for these custom machines.
Racers try to make their cars as visually appealing as possible yet keep them blazing fast. For looks, some install aerodynamic body kits, large custom wheels, trick aluminum spoilers and neon accent lights.
Looks are one thing, but the main focus is speed. With a large assortment of aftermarket goods available, most tuners install high-flow (therefore loud) exhaust systems and cold-air induction systems that move denser air into the engine to produce more horsepower. More experienced racers install turbocharger, supercharger and nitrous setups in their vehicles. Turbochargers and superchargers work by compressing the air that comes into the engine, thereby creating "boost."
When this air is pressurized, the blast from combustion in the piston is intense, creating enormous power. Turbocharger systems do this by installing a turbine onto the exhaust manifold and using the exhaust fumes to spin the turbine as fast as 100,000 rotations per minute (rpm). A supercharger setup works essentially the same way, except that the turbine is driven by belts rather than exhaust fumes.
Nitrous setups can be the cheapest way to add power to an engine, but they are also the most dangerous and unpredictable. An NO2 system works by injecting nitrous oxide gas into the intake manifold. This gas is extremely cold and very flammable. When shot into an engine, the nitrous-air mixture makes the combustion of fuel in the piston much more complete, creating more power for the racer.
The question these days isn't how fast can you make your car, it's how much money do you want to spend? Any run-of-the-mill Honda Civic can be faster than exotic supercars, like Ferraris, through performance upgrades. These cars can blast from 0-60 miles per hour in about four seconds if tuned properly. Typical aftermarket turbo-charger and supercharger systems can cost well over $5,000, plus another thousand for proper installation and tuning.
Why put so much money into these cars? To show off and to race others. Amateurs do it for bragging rights, while professionals place high bets. Ultimately, street racing is about the love of speed. There are few rushes in the world that can rival it in terms of danger and excitement. Races can be organized in industrial parks or other places with few people. Drivers usually go to the races separately in the middle of the night to deter police suspicion.
Many vehicles show up at the meets. Although some race, others are just show cars, focused more on individuality and exterior and interior details than on speed. Lots of reckless and showy driving occurs. Drifting is a popular exhibition event where racers turn and lock their rear wheels using the parking brake at extremely high speeds. This spins the car into a drift - a slide. The rear slides in front during the turn. When the turn is complete, the racer releases the parking brake and the car gets back into position and drives away.
The smell of burning rubber and high-octane gasoline is intense. Racing typically lasts until the police stop it. It seems that cops should have more important jobs to do than impound cars and hand out tickets to suspected street racers. The fines and penalties are intense, yet there is still a desire to keep racing.
Street racers want to go faster and drive harder. Although it has roots in the United States, starting with kids pushing their dads' Model T's to the limit (about 30 m.p.h.) and continuing through the muscle car movement of the 1960s, the recent revival of street racing has lots of Japanese roots. Today's preferred street-racing cars are the Toyota Supra and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. When these cars arrived from Japan, so did the culture, which is typically more embraced by ethnic minorities. The next time you see one of these tricked-out autos driving around, hopefully you will have more of an understanding of what the auto tuning and street racing culture is all about.
Editor's Note: Customizing autos is one thing, but street racing, while glorified in pop culture, is illegal and dangerous. Speed can kill, so stick to the limit.
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