Newcastle police have stepped up their fight against illegal drag racing, blocking access to known ‘hoon’ hotspots across the city.
Last night officers joined Roads and Maritime Services in locking down Kooragang Island, the Steel River Industrial Estate and Wharf Road at Nobbies Beach.
The move forms part of Operation Hammer, which aims to crackdown on dangerous driving.
“We will continue to deploy police to block access to the known street-racing strips and ‘burn out’ locations until these drivers realise they are not welcome here,” said Superintendent John Gralton.
“If we catch them breaking the law, they risk not only a substantial fine and possibly a criminal driving record, but potential deregistration of the vehicle.”
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I can understand why the police are doing what they are doing but the THE CAR CULTURE IN NEWCASTLE WILL NOT DIE i would like to suggest that Newcastle Police and Roads and Maritine give us somewhere that we can go and legally do it. I have a question what about the old airstrip at Raymond terrace on Newline Rd there is no homes around it . It is big enough for a drag strip and burn out pad even if you were to charge a entry fee im sure everyone from the Newcastle car seen would be happy to pay i no you will say what about Eastern Creek Drag strip but its not always open and there is nothing local . I am a huge car enthusiast an i no from personal experience that Newcastle car scene and calture will never die. From everyone i have spoken to if we have somewhere to go it would stop happining on the street and we park along Wharf Rd just to chat and talk cars All we Want is somewhere to go and enjoy our cars that we love so much some.
What a total waste of time resources. I have been a genuine car enthusiast for over 20 years, and this will do nothing. I applaud the NSW police for what they are trying to accomplish, but it’s simply not going to work this way. Some enthusiasts wished to help the police, but none of us heard a whisper, I was even interviewed the last time this hit the front page of the paper, still the police chase their tails with very little real results. There are ways that could work to stem the problem, but as I said, police and councils refuse to listen, hear and think about some proposals, let alone talk to enthusiast groups about this problem. Believe me, the real car enthusiasts of this entire country would love nothing better than to see these people all over the media for all the wrong reasons, and due to some poor journalism, makes us car enthusiasts a prime target…. Even though we are told we are not. We know that is not true at all.
its not going to stop me ill drive through the gates in a 4wd idegaf bring it on
I do not care what the police have to do to get these buffoons off of our streets. Doing burn outs in loud cars to “impress their mates”.
The police are only doing what is needed, I work nites at steel river and due to out of control inexperienced drivers that I have witnessed , I won’t park in the street because you can see the skid marks where a car has last control , spun around and and slammed into the gutter where people park there cars while at work. I have even watched a carload of kids trying to dodge attention in an old commodore by driving the back streets of mayfield west with 2 flat rear tyres from doing burnouts. But I suppose every person in our society must get out of their way as teens will always tell you we know nothing, but adults form car clubs and hire racing circuits etc to have fun on , that’s what enthusiasts true do.
So much more high profile than policing gangs of little thugs on the streets & in shopping centres. Far more profitable as well.
Please don’t call these gronks car enthusiast I’m a car enthusiast we take our cars ta shows
You call them gronks for enjoying and taking pride in their cars, that’s what a car enthusiast is. Maybe if there was a place in Newcastle where we could go, we would.
The police really should be looking to help find a solution to get these acts onto a skidpan & racetrack.
Just blocking off roads and making threats will just move everyone to another secluded area, all of it is just a waste of police time and resources.
OH NO not kooragang Island I used to take my hot worked HR Holden drag racing with the Tirana XUIs and Wilkies yellow Monaro. What days they were in the 70s.
answer to this maybe be funny to some but you like to be loud and fast then why not see if you can get the bottom area of raaf williamtown near masonite road and build a rival venue to eastern creek for both andra drags and off street legal drags and do it safe and legal
Police close the usual hoon sites. Hoons now race and skid in your street near your belongings and family.
“The real car enthusiasts”
– You mean your generation for car enthusiast.
– This generation the car scene is a lot more popular, with a lot more people getting involved and all you hear is the bad drives (what about the ones you don’t hear?
– people your age would think this idea of a burnout pad, drag strip and a little drift tack would be stupid, or unsucsessful… Why? It’s an amazing idea? It would EASILY keep 70% of hoons off the street.
These people are going to be constantly doing. The penalty isn’t going to change there opinion. So giving them a Enviroment to do it on without pedestrians. Other motorists, police and all the other hazards on a public road.
Is an amazing idea
These guys aren’t going to just quit doing it. They need a substitute for it. A free track or even a track with a small fee would be great.