Fort Worth Cruise

[Unicorn Jeff]

We'll start the Sonic off beach back in September once it fucking COOLs the FUCK DOWN. And I do agree they're a few nice cars at the Western Center meet, but I don't like being associated with all of the other fucking idiots there. Besides... at that time I'm already out at a bar,movie, or something other then a car meet.

[Brain]

We'll start the Sonic off beach back in September once it fucking COOLs the FUCK DOWN. And I do agree they're a few nice cars at the Western Center meet, but I don't like being associated with all of the other fucking idiots there. Besides... at that time I'm already out at a bar,movie, or something other then a car meet.

Well, I don't drink, so I don't do bars. Movies maybe once a year. Car meets and stuff like that is what is fun to me. It does suck that the idiots fuck it up for those of us who know how to act like grown ups.

[Mike]

I forgot about this article, lol

Posted on Sun, Aug. 07, 2005

STREET HEAT

Police struggle to put the brakes on illegal racing

By Caren M. Penland

Special to the Star-Telegram

FORT WORTH -- With the taillights of two American muscle cars shining red in their faces, dozens of teen-agers and college students line an industrial street in north Fort Worth, waiting for their buzz.

The teens meet in a parking lot at Western Center Boulevard and North Beach Street. This particular spot is called the "Starbucks meet-up," named for the coffee shop on the south corner.

During daytime hours it's a regular suburban strip center, where shoppers buy groceries at Albertsons or grab a burger at McDonald's.

But on weekend nights, starting after dusk, it becomes a makeshift pit row. The hot rods show up, trickling in slowly, music blaring. Within an hour, dozens of people are milling around, showing off their rides.

Saturday is the big night. A good turnout is more than 200 people.

This is their pregame, when they get geared up for race time.

"You want to know how to find a race?" Kevin asks. "Here's how it works: You wait here until you see at least 10 cars drive off real fast. Follow them and try to keep up. Good luck."

He laughs and high-fives a buddy.

Kevin sits on the hood of his silver 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse and brags about the races he's won. He and his buddy talk about Railhead Road, an industrial street where races used to take place four nights a week, which has been shut down by racing organizers, or "ringleaders." They call the location "Jailhead" and laugh about new racers who haven't heard that the spot has been busted.

Two teen-age girls sit in the back seat, windows open, giggling. They watch other cars pull into the parking lot. By 11 p.m. there are nearly 100 cars and twice that many people.

A Fort Worth police patrol car pulls up between groups of youths and announces that anyone without a Starbucks product in hand needs to get one or "get out." There's a mad dash to the coffee shop, and soon there is a line snaking out the side door. Nobody wants to get a citation for loitering.

The officer pulls out of the parking lot, promising to return within the hour. Teens know that he'll be back, likely with backup and ready to write tickets. It's 11:30 p.m., close enough to midnight -- when they like to race -- and many decide it's time to hit the streets.

Kevin looks up excitedly when he hears engines roaring to life. Smiling, he jumps into his car. He rolls down his window and says: "Don't worry, I won't become a statistic, I know what I'm doing," and follows a dozen other hot rods out of the parking lot, tires squealing.

Soon, they're on Loop 820, going 110 mph. Their taillights disappear around a bend and they're gone.

Walt Watkins, a neighborhood patrol officer who works in north Fort Worth, said it's tricky to keep up with the racers, who are more organized than many might believe. He said they have a complicated system that will quickly change if it is cracked.

"They're so fluid, so quick -- the days and times constantly change," he said. "They move across the area randomly."

Once a race is discovered, they scatter, sometimes driving across dirt fields, losing hubcaps, blowing tires and worse -- anything to escape.

"It's amazing," Watkins said. "If you act the fool, you get what's coming. They tear up their cars and it'll be more expensive to fix than just taking the medicine they've earned."

Just for show

By 1 a.m., the parking lot is not as active as two hours earlier. A dozen youths are still hanging out, the hoods of their hot rods propped open for viewing. They are not interested in trying to find the race.

"Just because you have a race car doesn't mean you race," said Chad Isbell, 22. "Some of us just hang out. We don't want to go to a club or do drugs or stupid racing."

Isbell, also known as "The Chad," is a regular at the Starbucks meet-up. He and about 20 others meet there to show their cars and talk mechanics. They discuss modifications, vendors, ideas. They've dumped thousands of dollars into their prized toys. Isbell has gone through 13 vehicles in six years, modifying them until he gets bored and sells or trades them to buy new ones. He estimates that he's put about $100,000 into his hot rods over the past six years.

"It adds up. I have a souped-up '96 Chevy Dually right now," said Isbell, a Cingular Wireless sales rep. "I did some drugs in high school, but when I got into cars, I didn't have time and money for that anymore. It really changed my life and got me to graduate from high school."

His shiny, growling vehicles often bring unwanted attention.

He said he'll often get pulled over on the highway, even if he's going the speed limit. He said it's so routine that he has the drill down.

"Put your hands on the wheel and don't freaking move until they tell you to or they'll think you're going for a weapon."

His friends share similar stories. They're sipping coffee, sitting in a circle of cars in the parking lot. They're not fighting or being rowdy, except for the occasional jibe about so-and-so's engine or exhaust system.

In fact, when other cars squeal around the corner, off to a race, they groan and shout after them to "chill out."

Jon "Milhouse" Carbonell, 20, said he doesn't race on the street, but acknowledges that he sometimes goofs off in deserted parking lots, doing what is called "drifting" -- similar to fishtailing, getting the car to gain momentum going sideways at a 45-degree angle.

Officer Ronny Desselles said it's unfortunate that people such as Carbonell and Isbell get caught up in the ongoing problem of dealing with racers.

But police have to respond to complaints made by business owners when the crowd gets too loud.

And some youths are not as innocent as they claim, he said.

Two years ago, the city tried to shut down the meet-up by posting no-loitering signs on every lamppost and at every entrance of the parking lot. Within a couple of months, only two of dozens remained.

For now, Hanlon said, not much will change in the way of policy.

Officers will continue to patrol known racing sites. They will arrest whichever youths they can catch in the chaos to escape.

"If it gets worse, and I mean really bad -- more teens acting reckless and getting killed -- then we might have to rethink what we're doing," he said. "But for now, I think we're doing pretty well."

That way, he said, some may listen and think about what they're doing, instead of scattering to nearby Haltom City or Saginaw, where he can't follow.

"It's a constant battle, like putting out fires all night long," he said. "And so long as there are cars, there will be street races. That'll never change."

PHOTOS BY SAM J. LEA, SPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM

[Grape]

behind motorola in 1996

fixed........

[Leah]

Sonic on beach in 2004!

fixed........

I was at both.

[Brain]

How about some current? Hopefully we can get something going!

[Junioropolous07]

I was at both.

Lolz beach was fun for quite a while, I remember first going as a freshman in high school. Lots of good times. Remember talking the cobra a few times..too many unwanted stares from the rice while pulling in with my group.

[SonicblueGT03]

Ya'll should have been around for "behind Miller Brewery" in the late 70's.

And I'd be down for a decent meet up, once it cools off a bit.

[GE]

Actually I have not posted this prior. Thanks for playing.

Someone else did, dumbass.

[4eyedwillie]

I remember behind Bell Helicopter in Hurst in the 80's....... I lived out there on the weekends.

[Brain]

Someone else did, dumbass.

lol. but it was irrelevant to the people i wanted to say hola to. i appreciate the kind words.