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Street racing


Street racing is typically an unsanctioned and illegal form of auto racing that occurs on a public road. Modern street racing traces its roots back to Woodward Avenue, Michigan in the 1960s when the three main Detroit-based American car companies were producing high-powered performance cars. A private racing venue was not always available, and therefore the race would be held illegally on public roads. Though typically taking place in uncrowded highways on city outskirts or in the countryside, some races are held in industrial complexes. Street racing can either be spontaneous or well planned and coordinated. Well-coordinated races are planned in advance and often have people communicating via 2-way radio/citizens' band radio and using police scanners and GPS units to mark locations of local police hot spots. Opponents of street racing cite a lack of safety relative to sanctioned racing events, as well as legal repercussions arising from incidents, among street racing's drawbacks. The term street racing must not be confused with the legal and governed sport of drag racing; see terminology below.

The sport of drifting and tōge (also transcribed touge) racing primarily from Japan has led to its acceptance in other parts of the world. Tōge—Japanese for "mountain pass", because these races are held on mountain roads and passes—generally refers to racing, one car at a time or in a chase format, through mountain passes (the definition of which varies per locale and racing organization). Examples of such roads include Del Dios Highway in Escondido, California, Genting Sempah in Malaysia and Mount Haruna, on the island of Honshū, in Japan. However, street racing competition can lead to more people racing on a given road than would ordinarily be permitted (hence leading to the reputation of danger inherent). Touge races are typically run by drifting at the curves or turns. In the chase format, if the leading driver manages to pull away from the trailing one by the finish line, he is determined the winner. If the trailing racer manages to stay on his opponent's tail, he wins the race instead. In the second race, the trailing driver takes the front place and the winner is determined using the same method. This is referred as a "cat and mouse race."


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