Dear Editor,
As a long-time drag racer (who actually participates in 1/4 & 1/8th mile races), I would like to weigh in on the issue.
The "racing" that takes place on Yankee Valley Boulevard isn't really drag racing – more like modified cars trying to "impress" or show off. I am sure that the people complaining did it when they were kids. Same principle, different era.
True drag racers know that there is nothing to prove on the streets of Airdrie (small fish, big pond). I do not condone street racing of any kind. Period. If you want to impress me, show me a time slip with your 60' times and your trap speeds. A car with a loud exhaust is nothing. Let's see your E.T.s.
Racing started when the second automobile came off the assembly line and will continue well into the future. Chances are, I will be trying to line up races in my wheelchair.
After attending a few of the open houses for the "race track" that was to be built around Airdrie and being told that "they don't want a drag strip," the future for racing in the area is bleak. This forces illegal racing and creates a nightmare for RCMP.
To "fix" the "drag racing" on Yankee Valley, speed bumps are definitely not the answer. Higher police presence? Possibly. But they are already stretched thin. I think it leaves it to maturity.
Jason Born
Bayside
