Troopers chase street racers

Across the state, the Highway Patrol is targeting a high-speed menace that masquerades as sport.

The state Highway Patrol is cracking down on illegal street racing across North Carolina, from country roads around Rocky Mount to interstate roadways cutting across northern Wake County to a stretch of highway just outside High Point's city limits.

Troopers began serving arrest warrants on 72 people this weekend in the Triad, just months after they arrested 14 people in Raleigh for racing cars at high speeds on public roadways.

"Operation DRIFT," or "Don't Race In Front of Troopers," was the largest illegal street racing bust of its kind in state history, the troopers said, and more charges are possible. As of Sunday morning, troopers had seized 12 cars worth $5,000 to $150,000 and expected to confiscate 20 more.

Undercover troopers have spent long nights this year gathering evidence on illegal races, most recently on U.S. 311 near High Point. Speeds among the racers -- many of them older teens and young adults -- can reach 150 mph on open highways late at night, troopers say.

Misdemeanor charges filed for "speed competition" more than doubled statewide, from 499 in 1997 to 1,046 in 2006 before dropping to 799 in 2007. Charges issued for "prearranged speed competition," a more serious charge, have more than tripled in 10 years, from 51 in 1997 to 184 a year ago. Complete figures for 2008 are not yet available, but the state was on track to see 222 "prearranged speed competition" charges even before Saturday's operation.

Cruising the strip

In High Point, teens and young adults cruise constantly up and down North Main Street on Friday and Saturday nights. Highway Patrol Lt. Keith Stone and his troopers are also there, patrolling in undercover vehicles between the burger joints and parking lots and watching for signs a race is brewing.

Dozens of high-performance cars drive the strip: Dodge SRT-4's, Subaru Imprezas, BMW M3's, Mitsubishi Eclipses, even a Trailblazer SS, an SUV with a Corvette engine. Not everyone races, but many do, troopers say. Other cars follow in packs of roving spectators.

Two Mustangs muscle slowly past, exhausts thrumming. Stone watches in his mirror, then throws the old, dirty Ford Explorer he is driving into a U-turn and follows them north toward U.S. 311. The troopers write down license plates, getting a good look at the drivers as they pass the sports cars and head onto the highway.

Stone slows down as the troopers watch the racers stop on the U.S. 311 on-ramp. The race is over in seconds, a blur of headlights, then taillights, and the roar of engines.

Now ahead of the troopers, the drivers slow again for a "roller," a race where drivers match speeds in second or third gear, then accelerate.

"We're running 80 [mph], and they're pulling away from us," Sgt. Rodney Robles says.

'Operation Redline'

In a three-week sting operation in Raleigh this summer, undercover troopers spent hours on surveillance, following racers and spectators.

The groups met on Capital Boulevard, mostly on weekend nights in the Michaels or Best Buy parking lots. Someone would start bragging or flash a little cash, and the race was on. They would sometimes head to Interstates 540 and 440, said Beckley Vaughan, one of the troopers who conducted surveillance.

In one video shot by the patrol, a Toyota Supra and red Honda hatchback line up side-by-side on a side street near Triangle Town Center mall.

At a starter's signal, shrieking tires pour horsepower onto pavement.

They are unaware a state trooper is hiding in the bushes, videotaping the scene with a camcorder.

Troopers said the cars sometimes reached speeds estimated at 150 mph, while the spectators drove as fast as 120 mph to keep up.