Drag Racing in Grand Teton National Park: A Reckless Adventure Ends in Arrests

Scenic locations like Grand Teton National Park host a surprisingly different scene—drag racing. Paired with breathtaking landscapes, people from around the world come to race high-end luxury cars down open stretches of road. This scene sounds like a car enthusiast’s dream come true—and it is. However, recent incidents involving high-end vehicles and law enforcement have revealed the growing trend and problems of hosting high-speed rally race events.

Rally events boost local economies, but there is the obvious problem with the law and environmental stewardship. Environmentalists argue that this behavior poses a risk to local wildlife, and driving like this is a sure way to kill Yellowstone's "bear population." Enforcing national park "no racing laws" is also nearly impossible. It seems that both "racing" and winter vacation go hand in hand.

The Incident: What Happened in Grand Teton National Park?

A recent drag racing event was an audible and visual manifestation of pure, unadulterated car porn. Sleek Lamborghinis shared the same road as the latest, most outrageous offerings from Maranello. A thoroughly non-traditional crowd, which included an eclectic mix of the local who's who—you know, real provincial “taste makers”—were most interested in two things: 1. how fast they could push their own sleds and, 2. how much everyone in mass was enjoying this. Nope, it wasn’t very silent. It was smoky, loud—screaming engines and the roar of those assembled drowned everything else around it…until the looming visuals and constant auditory threat became too much for local law enforcement officials who had, all night, been in situ and overhead.

Police impounded, between the time I was last on site and now, several other super and high-performance cars. From what I saw, this was not only about how many violations of local traffic laws they could stick on whoever was in the driver’s seat of each tow’ed vehicle (drivers were cuffed and arrested in many instances) but, to make an example of this group of racers to all those above-mentioned who would only be aware of what transpired after having been told about it. Think of it: there among these triple and quad digit retail $$ cars, were a couple half-mil $$ Porsche 911s, and a Kigore 2000 Supra. This was also about sending a clear message to this sector of Djakarta's youth: where does one draw the line to establish a moral, sane boundary call on the legality of these events in the future? This issue, in and of itself, is one that attempts to dissect, from every conceivable approach, the question of car culture and is much too broad to be steered through so easily (I will take a stab at this question, and from my own uniquely Canadian perspective, in another piece).

The Appeal of Drag Racing in Iconic Locations

Grand Teton National Park is a place of intense and dangerous beauty. It sets a stage with landscapes that drop jaws and leave mouths agape. It opens roads that drag racers in search of both thrill and beauty will find.

Racers need that scenic route, but so does the guy who loves both his Volkwagen R32 and Yosemite National Park. For a man of this double-love, he is part of a car culture that thrives right at the interesting point where outdoor camping/hiking culture intersects with motorsport culture.

Rally events (through which a city lives and dies on its "car game") pepper this discussion with the needed spice: the ogranic dimension, the "everyday man." It is "everyday people" who attend these car "cultural" event. They are your brothers and sisters who—beyond taking "the scene" out to beautiful, rural, "weekend" locations—own cars that they love to "run" on the "open" course out at the track.

The Impact of Reckless Driving on National Parks

Street racing in de-regularized “open” settings—national, state, and local parks—is unsafe and harmful to natural environments. This activity can quickly escalate in speed and noise, disrupting surrounding habitats. Most animals, especially those in a park, are adverse to change. Loud noises and fast-moving vehicles can force birds to leave their nests (with potential fatalities for young birds unable to fly yet, nest vulnerability to predators, overpopulation elsewhere, etc.). Other animals could—startled—simply go elsewhere. Or, a docile bug or grass-munching mammal, busy on the forest floor or in a tree, could unknowingly become an animal spectator of the event.

Law Enforcement's Role in Protecting National Parks

National parks’ law enforcement strategy is key in the fight against a myriad of illegal activities including poaching, vandalism, and drug use; requiring constant monitoring and roving patrols, regular contact with neighbors, partners, and gateway communities, and a significant amount of public education to cover their purposes, goals, and laws.

At the same time, law enforcement staff is typically small and tries to work smarter versus harder due their thin ranks. The constant hurdle is in the ease for lawbreakers to commit illicit crimes and blend in or wander off into millions of acres of wildlands; or drug offenders to hide amongst the 100,000-plus nearby park visitors at a busy park concert, event, or tour bus.

Alternatives to Drag Racing: Enjoying Outdoor Recreation Responsibly

The thrill of high-speed luxury cars or the draw of rugged outdoor escapes can be enjoyed responsibly. Sure, car companies and others host track days and driving events where wealthy individuals can play racer for a day. These country club 'races' foster a great sense of community. In reality, these events are closely associated with affluent car clubs—loose organizations of like-minded individuals.

You know what almost all affluent car club events have in common? Responsible driving practices and scenic routes. The drive and destination might be a golf course, winery, or the beautiful homes along Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. While fun, most of these events are aimed at the car enthusiast.

Such escapes might be a single, point-A-to-point-B drive. Other events are multi-day road trips—often involving days spent at national or state parks. They are built largely as educational opportunities in conservation areas. We're talking very responsible guided tours to special places. Most are neat, eco-friendly reasons to gather that might involve multi-day drives.

Low-skill enthusiasts can enjoy mapping that curious long cut in, around, and through your region's favorite local park. Few would refuse an afternoon spent in (often slow) show-pace driving. Much of these events focus on a route's worth-it, must-see general appeal. At times, rally events feel more like car-club gatherings or guided tours.

The world's twistiest roads are guided tours of some of the world's greatest trees. You're giving the playful squirrel in the canopy above a reason to shine. The view to the end you love, cliffs, or sticking out among these very large trees, look down upon. For the oncoming guide to avoid.

Never drink and drive. But the historic, pre-prohibition distillery directions others not yet among you want to drive to interesting (or unusual) places. Is that it seems breathtakingly beautiful or a guided tour of the funny/charming/start taxi ride, you know it is. Wasteland is.

Dog; that's right, the following-hunting-bunny style—hunting beagle, hunting, and we released the hunting chase informed.

Worth

Defending brunch conclusion of your haunts.

National parks aren't just beautiful; they’re vital parts of our ecosystem that need to be protected. We need to be very cognizant of the impact we’re making while visiting them. Think of it this way, as a good friend of mine once put it: If everyone eats a little lunch, there will be crumbs.

A FEW CRUMBS HERE, A FEW CRUMBS THERE…

…And basically, you don’t want to make crumbs. Stick to the obvious trails. Take your trash with you. Lastly, leave your staging lights at home.

Which brings us to an issue I want to hear your thoughts on.

SELLING TICKETS TO A DRAG RACE IN THE NATIONAL PARKS??……..

…..COME ON. Sounds interesting but let’s not do that at all. The environment will appreciate it. Besides, you don’t need more mufflers. Please keep our mufflers, car bodies, setups, and baffles on the car this time of year. Rule #1 = Please remember to stunt quiet. Thank you, and stand up where need be!