Fellow Drag Racers,
I need help with a program I am working on. I am a police officer that works with high school kids. I had an idea to get kids and cops together, and to mix in drag racing. Kids in our area (like most of the country) street race in growing numbers. We have certain areas where the races occur. Kids have been killed and officers injured getting in to stop fights that have developed amongst racers and in the crowd. Our department has quite a few guys into cars, and a hand full that race our cars regularly. I proposed a program to use our Vocational school to teach kids about cars, help make modifications to their cars, and hopefully get them to the track at least a few times. Some nights I would invite local guys with exceptional cars to bring them in and tell the kids how the cars were restored or built, and let the kids see the caliber of cars the wouldn't get close to usually. My goal is to get local sponsors to donate enough money to rent the track for the day. On that day kids could race cops, and each other. We would invite sponsors to bring their cars for the day too. The chief has said we might bring an old cruiser and run that until it pops. It should be cool, and get kids and cops to interact on a different level. We can stress safety and teach the kids that there is a affordable alternative to the streets. Most kids won't even consider going to the track. Also I hope the kids will see V-8 rear wheel drive differently when they run their rice cars go toe to toe with them. We do have some kids who drive V-8's but most are FWD enthusiast. The propgram has been approved based on my proposal. What I need is someone to help me out with a title or name for the program. I was going to call it "Beat The Heat", but that name is copywritten, and to use it you have to follow their entire program. It isn't a bad program, but we don't have the coin to do what they ask (They require a fully marked race car with all outside lights and accessories. We will be running our own cars which is fine we run them anyway). Does anyone have any ideas for a name? I would really appreciate the help. Thanks in advance.

 

I would first call Cliff at New England Dragway and ask his advice on setting up a program. Perhaps the track might go for a first time only ticket for the kids and let the officers run for free. If you pull a kid over give him a one time ticket for the track. It might help raise attendance and awareness at the same time. I'd love to go up with you guys and run some of the street racers.

Contact info for NED is here: http://www.newenglanddragway.com

 

http://www.bluelineracing.com
http://www.supercops.net

These are 2 that I know of. The biggest problem we have locally is that none of the schools will allow a drag racing course where the students build and race a drag car. We already have a street legal night on Friday nights where anyone can come and race their street or drag cars but we have no "high school drags". The local school board just won't allow such a program.

Before you ask at the track, check into the local school boards. The tracks usually have no problems getting a program like that running since it's just more income for them. If the schools won't allow such a program then it's an uphill battle to get a program like that running.

 

Thanks for the advice both of you. First:
I would first call Cliff at New England Dragway and ask his advice on setting up a program.
We are going to use Lebanon Valley instead of NH because it is closest to us in our part of MA.
Second thing:
Before you ask at the track, check into the local school boards.
We have all the local approval worked out. My chief ran it by our MAYOR and Superintendant Of Schools. The Mayor is an Atty. and he says we can have parents sign waivers to cover the liability issues. The Super owns several cool cars (57 vette, 56 Chevy truck, & some Honda two seater like a Miata) and is on way on board. He will probably run with us. So those issues are set. The track will be asked to tech all cars that run, and we will probably check them also to weed out the obvious cars which can't go (no overflow bottles, bad tires, ball joints whatever), and since many kids don't have dads, or dads who are handy, we will help get them up to speed safety wise.
Third:
Thanks for the two tips, I will check them both out.

Keep the ideas coming I knew you guys would help out.

 

Tnthub wrote:

I'd love to go up with you guys and run some of the street racers.

Reply:
I will let you know when we go. Our goal is to be racing by next spring. I see that you are from Maine. My in-laws have a place in Bridgeton, and another in Oxford. We were there for the 4th of July and were going to go to the Oxford speedway but thought it was only a circle track. Maybe I will see you there at some point.
Thanks again.

 

Might want to try www.streetsmartsusa.org
They might be helpfull.

 

The Edmonton Police Department has a Drag Racing program....you may want to contact the Constable in charge just to see how they run their program. Just a thought.......

Good luck with the program

 

First of all, . Mad props. It's great to see an officer actually out there trying to make a serious difference and I believe you really will with a successful program such as this, and I commend and respect you for that, greatly. As for a title for the program?

- ... uhh i'll get back to you on this one... however i would private message JasonD (admin) and ask him to "sticky" this in the Lounge. You will have LOTS more luck... and i think jason would be willing to help you out!

Good luck! i used ( look in sig) to go to lebanon... hopefully i'll be able to work my way up there to check it out, i too have always wondered what those crown vic interceptor motors ran

 

mmmm roadcourse

i've always wondered if i could outrun one of the locals

 

The previous management at Oxford Dragway used to have "High School Day" and area schools attend with teachers and a few parents. A few of the points racers would provide a clinic on bracket racing and serve as coaches. It was fun for all.

 

Id like to smoke a few cops from cali at the track

 

I have said this before and still stand by it. The best way to stop streetracing is to have the track open on friday and saturday nights. That is when kids are driving around looking for something to do. If the track were open late they could go spend a good portion of the night there and then go to the bars. or........us "of age" people could go to the bars.