South Bay : Seeking to Steer Youths Straight--as Race Car Mechanics
The Hawthorne Police Department wants teen-agers in the South Bay to know there’s a better way to have a good time than using drugs or alcohol.
How about working on a modified 1984 Ford Mustang with a 460 engine?
Officers are using the high-powered lure of drag racing to help youths find better ways to use their time. Instead of getting drunk and racing through the streets, risking injury or death, the police hope the lure of working with race cars on a closed track will keep teens on the right side of the road.
“We’re using the cars as carrots,” said Officer Robert Musulin, who is coordinating the program. “The excitement kids get out of seeing these cars run beats any high. We’re trying to hook them into something positive.”
Musulin said three drag-racing cars, the Mustang, a Camaro and a Nova, will tour area schools this fall. The cars will race on the weekends at Brotherhood Raceway on Terminal Island.
Because of liability, teen-agers will not drive the cars, but they will be able to work on the engines and assist as members of pit crews.
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