Illegal Street /drag racing TV reporting

[FED 387]

Channel 2 CBS chicago news reporter ANN STATE just reported on the 10 pm 7/16 news about a drag race on a local street and people were killed/hurt--Please send an email to the station/Anne to correctly report the facts about an illegal activity---Bombard them with Emails please---Thanx Dick Ullrich Comp 387

[76 RACER]

FED...
Maybe a post on www.chitownracing.com may help. Take the time to read some of the moronic things that take place there. Its a wonder there arent more killed racing the streets in your area......

[FED 387]

I received a very nice reply shortly after the broadcast from Anne saying that she will pass my complaint along to her bosses. She went on to state that the police reported it to the news services as "drag racing" ---I have sent a email to the local Chief of Police to either meet with him o to explain the error of classifying this incident as drag racing and not as a "illegal high speed race" on the public hiway----We shall see..Will look at that site tonite when I get home from work--I'm sure it will be interesting nothing can surprise me anymore===

[bobby]

Had that problem in Houston. Every time the news would report it as drag racing, I would write the station or paper. Never got one reply, but at least for now it's illegal street racing. don't know if I made a difference or how many people wrote, but it sure did feel good.

[Myron Piatek]

A lot of major and local news sources paid attention last year (?) after a lot of us emailed them about the incident in Maryland where several people were killed by a car that I believe wasn't even involved in the street race but came up behind the crowd at high speed. Several internet and local headlines were changed afterwards. But apparently not everyone took notice or remembered! It. It will be an ongoing effort to educate more of them.

[Don Fardie]

We just had a similar incident up here last night in Ashland Mass, where Channel 5 of Boston reported the tragedy of a teenager dying as a result of Drag Racing. I wrote Channel 5 AGAIN in explaining the difference between the two and the negative publicity they give our sport of Drag racing when they categorize us with Illegal Street Racing. I’m hoping someday they will wise up and realize all they’re doing is hindering any efforts local tracks are doing in trying to get sponsorship to fund programs to get these kids off the street.

[Chris DeGidio]

I can assure all of you that by contacting the station or paper and POLITELY correcting their mistake,plus giving them a link to NHRA/IHRA will make a difference.But it has to be a combined effort from all of us.

It's up to us,the racers, to educate the general public when matters like these happen.Race tracks are lost over this type of reporting.

[Todd Bailey]

Keep writing the newspaper until they change their reporting. I did that with the Houston Chronicle until they reported it as street racing. Sadly, there were two young men killed last night here in Houston and the Chronicle reported it as street racing. Maybe they got the point.

[Bobby DiDomenico]

Also remember the reporters use information from the state in their stories,and if the ticketed offense is called "drag racing" that is the term they use.

For you folks in Chicago, it is how Canadians feel when sports reporters call the Blackhawks a "Hockey" team.

[FED 387]

Bobby--Until they got rid of BILL cheapo Wirtz and his other son fired the one that had taken over ---The new guy is spending some $$$$$ advertising buying players and lo and behold actually putting the games on TV--It still ain't hockey but they are working up on it a little---But back to the subject at hand the local paper now called it "street racing" and the police charged them with "drag racing" so now it is time to get the tracks (about 6-8) in Illinois alone plus Indiana-wisconsin-Iowa along with NHRA/IHRA to put the pressure on the legislators to change the wording of the law from drag to Street----Comp 387