Suburban Street Racers Stay Just Ahead of Police

The Montrose Crossing shopping center parking lot in Rockville is a magnet for drivers of souped-up vehicles, street racers and appreciative spectators. (Photos Ricky Carioti -- The Washington Post)

The videotapes helped police win convictions, they said.

Prince George's police said they have videotaped races and then sent letters to both the car owner and the insurance company saying the car had been caught racing on tape. Some insurance companies canceled drivers' policies, Cpl. Michael Rose said.

Officers also have gone to race-gathering spots to write citations for anything they could find, including broken headlights. Police then entered those drivers' names into a database to track who was frequenting the racing spots.

"It shows them that you're watching," Rose said.

But racers and spectators such as Matt said most crackdowns don't last long. Racers will simply stay home for a couple of weeks or move from one spot to another to stay one step ahead of police.

About 2 a.m., after the racers spent 45 minutes squealing tires and fishtailing through tight circles in a Prince George's parking lot, police showed up in an unmarked white sedan with a loudspeaker.

"Move it out!" the officers shouted. "Let's roll!"

The two officers never got out of their car as the group roared away. Matt and his friends headed a few miles up the road to a gas station parking lot, another gathering place.

By 2:20 a.m., the driver of a red Dodge Neon had waited long enough. He revved his engine, shouting, "Let's do it here!"

It wasn't exactly a race, but it was better than nothing. Another car joined him in a 50-yard dash through the lot. Tires screeched. Smoke filled the air. Out of nowhere, a Maryland State Police cruiser pulled up, a trooper shouting at the drivers to leave the lot.

It was getting late, and Matt and his friends decided to call it a night. They would return another weekend, searching again for the next great race.