If you’ve ever heard of the TX2K event, then you know of the hoards of people it attracts from all over the country looking for something to prove with their 1,000-plus horsepower missiles. Everything from twin-turbo C6 Corvettes to Supras with obscene amounts of power, hit the track in search of drag racing supremacy and internet fame. It’s an awesome event and there’s endless amounts of automotive artwork to behold.
As a result, it brings hundreds, if not thousands, of would-be street racers from everywhere you can imagine to the streets of Houston looking to race for casual fun, a few extra bucks or to settle a score with a rival as a sort of “after-party” event every night. As street racing is at its peak in Houston during the weekend of the event, it’s still an issue for police and unassuming citizens who actually use the public roads to get where they need to go, otherwise.
Speaking from personal experience as your author actually resides in Houston, it’s more than a problem during TX2K. It’s an epidemic during the normal, everyday waking hours of life. It’s apparently gotten so out of control, that the police are now taking drastic measures, such as using unmarked and semi-unmarked Camaros and Corvettes to catch people in the act. You can call it borderline entrapment if you want and I’d probably agree with you, but I’m not surprised that it’s happening.
Here’s a “ghost cop car” Camaro with reflective body identification. Houston police also utilize this treatment on Crown Vics and Impalas, too. We’ve also seen completely unmarked vehicles like these in the area pull people over.
We ran across this video on YouTube this evening and it literally hit home for us. In the beginning of the clip, there’s a trio of C6 Corvettes running three-wide on one of the “feeder roads” that run parallel along the highway (a typical arrangement in Houston).
As soon as they put the hammer down, the two cops in the C7 cruiser chase after the lead car. Afterwards, there’s an interview with Officer O’Leary and Officer Ambreas, relating to the local area news team on what they’re doing and elaborating on how significant the local unsanctioned racing scene is.
So no matter where you live, play it safe, keep it legal and keep it at the track. The insane court costs, ticket fines, infractions on your driving record and the inevitable bump in your insurance rates just isn’t worth it. Neither is potentially taking somebody’s life.
Remember these two guys? Yup, that was in the Houston area.
Rick Seitz is the owner and founder of GMEFI Magazine, and has a true love and passion for all vehicles. When he isn’t tuning, testing, or competing with the brand’s current crop of project vehicles, he’s busy tinkering and planning the next modifications for his own cars.
