A 322-Foot Drag Strip Wants To Stop Illegal Street Racing In California

Gearheads who want to get their speed fix safely and responsibly will be pleased to know a new drag strip has been established just outside of Los Angeles, in the city of Perris.

Street Legal Dragway is somewhat unique, as it eschews the standard quarter-mile length for a considerably shorter 322 feet, or a quarter of a quarter-mile. As the country's first purpose-built 1/16-mile strip, Street Legal Dragway (as the name suggests) caters to road-legal cars exclusively.

While it sounds strange, the new establishment will cater to everyday gearheads with regular cars. More importantly, Street Legal Dragway endeavors to keep people from speeding on public roads and prevent further instances of illegal street racing and sideshows, which remain a nationwide problem.

The 322-foot strip is the brainchild of Andy Marocco, who has worked closely with the World Drag Racing Alliance (WDRA).

"The idea has been years in the making, and we are thrilled to receive support from the State of California and the Riverside County Sheriff to bring our vision to life. WDRA's recognition and sanctioning of our track are invaluable, providing guidance in running our race events successfully," commented Marocco.

The rules currently prohibit race cars or purpose-built dragsters from participating. All vehicles (cars and motorcycles) must be registered and insured, equipped with DOT radial tires and a working muffler, and driven onto the strip under their own steam. Currently, there's no space for trailers, and they're also not allowed in the pit lane.

Of course, all drivers must have a valid driver's license, and all vehicles must "be in a safe working order." While this sounds restrictive, Street Legal Dragway is trying to create a safe and fun environment for everyday Joes.

Some individuals have criticized the drag strip for its 322-foot distance, claiming the track is far too short and that there are no safety measures for runaway vehicles. According to Street Legal Dragway, it has a shutdown length of 670 feet.

However, we must remember that the establishment of any facility that caters to gearheads should be celebrated, especially as drag strips continue to disappear across the country. Based on the company's responses on social media, this is only the beginning. While street-legal machines will race on the 322-foot surface, there is a possibility that other classes of vehicles (such as vintage cars) will be catered to in the near future.

Perhaps the track will even be lengthened as it becomes more popular and money comes in. We look forward to seeing a healthy mix of high school hand-me-downs and performance cars like the Ford Mustang GT hit the track.

"Working with Andy on this endeavor is not just an acknowledgment of the illegal street racing problem - it's an actionable solution," said WDRA representative Jon O'Neal. He even suggested that we may see this concept pop up across the country.

"Street Legal Dragway's concept of a nationally recognized and sanctioned short-track format (330 ft) presents a scalable model that can be readily adopted across the country, making a significant impact in curbing illegal street racing. We believe this is a blueprint for others to follow."

A drag strip in Ohio also hopes to curb illegal street racing and reckless driving with a new 'high school class' aimed at speed-loving teenagers.

If you want to check out Street Legal Dragway, you won't have much longer to wait. The track is still under construction and will officially open on September 22, 2023.