POLICE AND DRAG STRIP TEAM UP TO TAME ILLEGAL STREET RACING

IRWINDALE DRAGSTRIP AND IRWINDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT
TEAM UP TO TAME ILLEGAL AND DANGEROUS STREET RACING.
ALL SGV VALLEY POLICE AGENCIES ARE INVITED TO JOIN PROGRAM


Irwindale Dragstrip is very pleased to become a partner with the Irwindale Police Department and its chief, Joe De Ladurantey, in a new program aimed at reducing the incidence of illegal street racing.  We are also very pleased that our Chief has chosen to put this program before your membership for consideration as independent participating agencies representing the San Gabriel Valley. 

This program is designed to redirect illegal street racers to the safe and supervised weekly racing programs at Irwindale Dragstrip through the use of specially-produced “Speeding Tickets” which may be issued to drivers at the discretion of any law enforcement agency using the system.  

These sequentially-numbered, triplicate “tickets” will allow the person who receives one a day of racing at our facility at no cost to them.  They were not designed nor are they promoted as alternatives to the issuing of a traffic citation where it is deserved.  They are suggested to be issued when a warning is given or even issued as a preemptive gesture when an officer encounters potential illegal street racers.  (“Here, why don't you give this a try … Instead of me having to write you a ticket or worse.”)

Irwindale Dragstrip is under the sanction and the very strict safety rules of the National Hot Rod Association, which is located in Glendora.  As many of you know the “NHRA” was founded some 50 years ago to address illegal street racing with controlled, organized events which stress safety along with the opportunity for close, exciting motorsports competition.  Each car that races at Irwindale is given a multi-point safety check and new drivers are provided with instructions on safe racing procedures at the 'strip. 

In the short time that our 1/8-mile NHRA Street Legal track has been open we have garnered a reputation as a great place to race and a fun place for friends to gather to enjoy watching the action.  We believe that this atmosphere, once sampled, will be a very attractive to many young drivers who now race illegally and who put themselves - and others - in jeopardy of loosing their license or much worse. 

Our professional Dragstrip operations team is lead by Gene Bergstrom, a drag racing professional with over 20 years of experiance with the NHRA. We were very fortunate to gain Gene services for our drag strip, his leadership and expertise have already made Irwindale a nationally-respected facility.

We offer this program not as the total answer to the very serious problem of illegal street racing, but as one more tool for local law enforcement to have in its arsenal.  The three-part system is designed to report back to each issuing agency giving that agency important data for their records and reports back to their city officials. 

It goes without saying that members of the media and all participating law enforcement agencies are very cordially invited to visit events at Irwindale Dragstrip on a regular basis, to acquire direct, on-the-spot feedback for themselves. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Doug Stokes (626) 358-1100 x 206


THANKS!