The intricacies that are involved in turning a regular car into a Street Racer are many; and racers pour their souls into these magnificent machines. After seeing the Fast and the Furious many people have or wanted to become involved in street racing. They do not realize that this is a sport that takes knowledge, hard work, and nerve. Many of these racers have spent their lives under a car, learning the trade and improving upon it. As I have learned, this is not just a hobby; it is a way of life. This lifestyle does carry a price, racers face persecution from police and the general public.
They have their cars impounded and defaced by those who reject racing. Having a racer is not illegal, but some of the things people do with them are. This is what the general public does not understand. The IRA* is a legal racing circuit that embraces Street Racers. It gives the much-needed outlet to build magnificent cars and race them legally.
Police are not the only worry on a racers mind. Death, fraud, and theft are the dark side of this moon. Some racers lack legitimate funds for equipment, and they resort to theft and fraud. This is where the misconceptions of the general public resonate.
Yes there is crime; and laws are broken, but in everything there is a good and bad. So I warn anyone who pursues this life, enjoy the good, and be ready for the bad. What drives these racers to this lifestyle? They have an addiction to speed. The six-cylinder engine fuels this need for speed.
Some may think that their two hundred thousand dollar car is fast, with these engine modifications will have an Accord blowing the doors off a Ferrari. The six-cylinder engine has six pistons pumping in six cylinders; hence, the name. Fuel is injected and burned; causing gas compression (picture a shaken soda bottle). This compression forces the pistons up and down that move your car. With compression in the cylinder, the Turbo comes into play. If two balloons were filled with air, one half and the other full, which would go faster? This is the job of the Turbo.
Burning requires air, and when you introduce more air a fire is larger and hotter. It forces compressed air into the engine, letting it burn more air each time the pistons pump increasing boost**. There is a drawback to more air, more heat in the engine. Heat in the engine makes the air denser, causing a loss in compression. The Air Intake solves this problem.
It sucks in cold air and pumps it into the engine, making the air less dense and letting the turbo do its job. As you drive, air rushes past your car. It hits the front of your car and the intake, and this cold air is forced to the engine. As a combination, the turbo and intake greatly improve power and speed. I said earlier that the engine burns fuel and air to cause compression. With a high-burning gas injected into the engine, you gain instant horsepower***.
Nitrous Oxide is a gas that burns hotter and faster than regular fuel. When it is directly injected into the cylinder, it burns at a greater rate to the fuel, increasing speed greatly. Through a switch on the wheel, a driver engages a certain amount of NOS**** from a tank in his car. Through a nozzle, the driver decides how much gas he wants then the burst is pressed. With this high-powered gas, too much can literally burn so hot that it melts your engine.
These drivers take the risk of wanting too much speed and blowing their engine apart. A NOS boost can shake the welds off the engine and the driver out of the car; this is why its a blessing and a curse. If a driver wants to be safe in a high-speed car that has NOS and other modifications, they need protection. Also many gauges that tell them whats going on in their car.
Safety is a major concern for these racers, so they make a number of safety enhancing modifications. Racing seats have shoulder straps that hold
