Street RacingThe intricacies involved in transforming an ordinary car into a "street racer" are many; and riders pour their souls into these magnificent machines. After seeing "Fast and Furious", many people wanted or wanted to get involved in street racing. They don't realize that it's a sport that requires knowledge, hard work and courage. Many of these racers have spent their lives under a car, learning the craft and perfecting it. As I learned, it’s not just a hobby; it's a way of life. This lifestyle comes at a price: runners are persecuted by the police and the general public. Their cars are seized and damaged by those who reject the race. Having a runner isn't illegal, but some things people do with them are. This is what the general public does not understand. The IRA* is a legal racing circuit that welcomes Street Racers. This provides the much-needed outlet to build magnificent cars and race them legally. Police aren't the only concern on riders' minds. Death, fraud and theft are the dark side of this moon. Some runners lack legitimate funds to purchase equipment and resort to theft and fraud. This is where the general public's misconceptions resonate. Yes, there is crime; and the laws are violated, but in everything there is good and bad. I therefore warn all who pursue this life, to enjoy the good and be ready for the evil. What drives these runners to this lifestyle? They have an addiction to speed. The six-cylinder engine fuels this “need for speed.” Some may think their two hundred thousand dollar car is fast, and with these engine modifications an Accord will blow the doors off a Ferrari. The six-cylinder engine has six pistons pumping into six cylinders; hence its name. The fuel is injected and burned; causing the gas to compress (imagine a soda bottle being shaken). This compression forces the pistons up and down which move your car. With the compression in the cylinder, the Turbo kicks in. If two balloons were filled with air, one half and the other full, which one would go faster? That's the Turbo's job. Combustion requires air, and when you introduce more air, the fire is bigger and hotter. It forces compressed air into the engine, allowing it to burn more air each time the pistons pump increasing thrust**. There is a downside to more air, more heat in the engine. The heat in the engine causes the air to slow down d...... middle of paper ......d, that's how the spoiler helps. To add more thrust to the rear of the car, the angle and height of the spoiler are increased. That's why some normal cars have little spoiler for show and racers use them for performance. There is one problem with adding all these parts to a car, weight. Like I said, riders have adapted to this problem. They've made their cars lighter by using carbon fiber parts**.4 They're strong and half as light as metal, so drivers can add these parts and not be dragged down...literally. A warning to those reading this, make no mistake. drawn into the dark side of racing. Running in the streets is dangerous. If you upgrade a car like this, it should only be driven on a legal track. A ten-second rush is not worth killing yourself or others. Work hard and be fair. If you do this, you will always win. I hope I helped anyone curious who wanted to know how people make these runners. I wanted to dispel stereotypes about runners »..” 5