Illegal car racing has become popular among young motorists in
Beijing, causing serious concern about safety, the Beijing
Youth Daily reported yesterday.
The new development has been linked to gambling, sometimes
involving thousands of dollars for each race.
On Friday night, Beijing police broke up a group of enthusiasts
of around 50 young men and women near Yizhuang, a southern suburb,
who were planning a race, according to the report.
Their cars had apparently been customized specially for the
race.
Insiders claimed the enthusiasts are mostly drawn from four
categories:
So-called "haigui," a nickname given to Chinese returning from
overseas countries such as Britain, New Zealand, Australia and the
United States, where illegal racing is popular. They are thought to
be the pioneers of the new craze.
The second group contains high-earning company bosses, who like
driving fast as a form of relaxation.
There are also car-repair workers, who organize the races with
the aim of promoting their services.
Finally, there are race enthusiasts who have no opportunity to
participate in formal competitions.
The racers usually choose a square or a wide road as their
racetrack.
The vehicles involved in the illegal racing are usually sports
cars that have been refitted, such as Ferraris, Porsches and Audi
TTs.
Referring to the increasingly popular activity in Beijing, an
official from the Federation of Auto Sports of China warned it
might lead to accidents. He urged enthusiasts to race on formal
tracks after registering with his federation.
A professional racer in Beijing had a similar opinion.
"Generally, customizing cars at home will not meet professional
standards in terms of safety, which means the sport is very
dangerous," he was quoted by Beijing Youth Daily as
saying.
"If you like the sport, receive some training and get the proper
qualifications first."
(China Daily January 23, 2006)