1/8/04

It's All In The Name

received pretty good response to last month's column about "fast street car racing," which reinforces DRO's hunch that this form of drag racing deserves more attention.

I did receive one e-mail, though, from Shep/Professor Ginz, that said, "From your article: 'I mean, even the most basic car has to have 20 grand or more wrapped up in it, not to mention the tow vehicle, trailer, and tools.' If these are supposed to be fastest STREET cars they would not need the tow vehicle or trailer. This is a dumb class."

Well, Prof, you're missing the point -- though on the other hand, you do bring up a good point. I never meant to suggest these cars are street-driven vehicles, but the moniker does give rise to confusion. I was referring to all those 10-wide and muscle car-based classes -- revealing your "dumb class" remark as an obvious misunderstanding -- or as another reader put it, "...6 second outlaw street cars to 13.0 second index style cars."

Is this a street car? Not in my opinion, but what should it be called? (Ian Tocher photo)

Still, like you, I'm not really comfortable with the "street car racing" label, but for lack of a better term, that's what I went with. And can you blame me? With the resurrection of the National Street Car Association this year, my linguistic choice is even officially sanctioned.

That doesn't make it right, though. Just confusing. It's just another one of those little things that make drag racing difficult to explain to the average non-fan. "Yes, I know he got there first, but he ran faster than his dial, so...," "No that's a Super Stock, those other ones were Stock, and the ones before that...," "He launches, then slows down, then takes off again because he wants to run his index... oh, never mind!"

I also don't like referring to any race cars as street cars for the same reason that I don't like reading the term "drag racing" in a newspaper where illegal street racing is involved. It reinforces a negative stereotype of racing to the uninformed. Shep/Professor Ginz and I might understand the difference (or maybe one of us doesn't), but Sam and Suzy Suburbia may read or hear about "street car racing" at the local track and visions of Vin Diesel and the rest of his fast and furious friends dance through their heads. It's an image and term that drag racing just doesn't need.

Type "street car racing" into your favorite search engine and one of the earliest hits you get will be a link to an analysis of nationwide fatal accidents involving people racing on the streets. Again, it's a matter of public perception and perhaps may help account for the typically dismal spectator turnouts at most "fast street car" races. The phrase connotes negative images and certainly doesn't suggest the professionalism these cars and drivers routinely deliver.

So what to call them instead? I don't know, but surely there must be a better way to describe the competition these impressive racecars wage than "fast street car racing." It just sounds clumsy, not to mention redundant. Personally, I prefer "muscle car racing" since it clearly refers to something even laymen can relate to and infers no connection to illegal street racing. It's still not very good, though.

Maybe you have a better idea, or you think I'm crazy for even ranting about a few little words. Either way, let me know at tocher@dragracingonline.com and maybe, like the good professor, you'll share this space with me. Thanks, Prof!

Race safe,

tocher@dragracingonline.com