INJURIES AND DEATHS. >> IF YOU LOOK OVER THAT BLACK MARKER ALL DOWN, OVER, OVER, RIGHT BEHIND ME. WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN DOING DONUTS IN THE STREET AND SPENDING OFF AND ALL THAT TIRE MARKS ON MEDGAR EVERS BOULEVARD REVEAL A PROBLEM IN JACKSON. >> AN ILLEGAL STREET RACING. >> THAT’S WHAT WE WILL BE CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE ONE OF OUR COMPANIES YEAR I ALMOST GOT HIT BY ONE OF THOSE CARS THAT WAS COMING FROM, UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING DOWN MEG EVERS. >> IT’S SOMETHING PASTOR ANDREW FRIDAY IN HIS CONGREGATION AT NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST SAY THEY’VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR MONTHS. >> AND IT WAS GOING SO FAST THAT THEY DIDN’T SEE IT, BUT THEY MISSED HIM. BUT HE WAS A DANGER STREET RACING IS NOT ONLY A DANGER TO THOSE AROUND, BUT ALSO A DISTRACTION TO THE CHURCH, SPECIFICALLY DURING NIGHT SERVICES. BENTON OFTEN WHY WE’RE HAVING SERVICES AND NOISE KIND OF. WE CAN, YOU KNOW, IRRITATES US OR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HINDERS OUR SERVICE A LITTLE BIT. >> PUTTING A STOP TO THIS ILLEGAL STREET SPORT IS ON THE JACKSON POLICE DEPARTMENT’S RADAR. >> RECENTLY, I’M WORKING WITH MY INTELLIGENCE UNIT TO FIND OUT WHO’S ORGANIZING THESE EVENTS, BECAUSE THESE EVENTS ARE, AGAIN, LAWLESS, RECKLESS. THEY’RE SHUTTING OFF ROADWAYS, STREETS IS IMPACTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR CITIZENS. >> ONE EXAMPLE OF THE IMPACT JANUARY 2021, WHEN TRAFFIC ON I-55 NEAR LAKELAND CAME TO A HALT BECAUSE SEVERAL DRIVERS WERE REVVING ENGINES DOING BURNOUTS AND PERFORMING DONUTS ON THE HIGHWAY. JPD IS PARTNERING WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES LIKE THE MISSISSIPPI HIGHWAY PATROL, CAPITOL POLICE AND THE HINDS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO CRACK DOWN ON THE PROBLEM. BUT IT’S STILL A CHALLENGE AS WE STRATEGICALLY APPROACH THESE AREAS AND LOCATIONS THAT THEY ARE AT. >> THEY RUN, THEY FLEE, CHIEF JOSEPH WADE SAYS. >> THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR CAN ALSO LEAD TO OTHER CRIMES. >> IT BREEDS OTHER THINGS DRUG ACTIVITY, GANG ACTIVITY, GAMBLING. THERE IS A SAFER ALTERNATIVE FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE ADRENALINE RUSH THAT COMES WITH RACING, DRAG RACING. >> THE JUNKYARD ONE SPEEDWAY IN CANTON DRAWS PEOPLE THERE FOR THE THRILL, INCLUDING MIKE BANKSTON. BANKSTON HAS BEEN AROUND RACING MOST OF HIS LIFE. THE MISSISSIPPI NATIVE RUNS THE BANKSTON BOYS RACING TEAM, WHICH COMPETES PROFESSIONALLY IN DRAG RACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. HE SAYS THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RACING ON A TRACK VERSUS THE STREET. THE SAFETY PARAMETERS BUILT AROUND YOU AND STREET RACING IS JUST NOT LIKE AT THE TRACK. >> YOU’VE GOT THE CONCRETE GUARDRAILS, YOU’VE GOT AMBULANCES, YOU’VE GOT JUST A WHOLE BUNCH OF VARIETY OF VARIETY OF STUFF THAT, UH, THAT’S JUST JUST A LOT BETTER THAN STREET RACING. >> AND EVEN THOUGH THERE IS STILL A RISK IN THE CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT, WRECKS COMING IN FOR STREET RACING IS VERY DETRIMENTAL ON OTHERS PEOPLE, OTHER PEOPLE’S PROPERTY AND YOURSELF. >> I KNOW SO MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILIES THAT HAVE LOST LOVED ONES ON THE STREET, AND PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN HURT, NOT JUST THEM, THE PEOPLE DRIVING, BUT THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET ALSO GOT HURT. TRISHA MOUSSY IS AN AWARD WINNING DRAG RACER. >> SHE SAYS THE SPORT IS ALL ABOUT FOCUS AND ENCOURAGES RACERS TO CHOOSE THEIR TRACKS WISELY. >> YOU WANT TO START RACING CARS, GO TO THE TRACK. THAT’S THE BEST PLACE TO BE, THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE. REALLY LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, PUSH EVERYBODY TO COME TO THE LOCAL TRACKS AND AND DUKE IT OUT THERE. >> THAT WILL GIVE COMMUNITIES A SENSE OF PEACE OR OTHERWISE. YOU’LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE REPERCUSSIONS THAT COME WITH ILLEGAL STREET RACING. >> BUT WE DON’T WANT TO JUST MOVE IT. WE WANT TO ERADICATE THIS ILLEGAL ACTIVITY HERE IN THE CITY O
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'It's a danger': Illegal street racing an issue for police, residents, drivers
Multimedia Journalist
Illegal street racing has become an issue for residents across the city of Jackson. Tire marks line Medgar Evers Boulevard, where illegal street racing frequently takes place. "We were concerned about it because one of our pedestrians almost got hit by one of those cars that was coming from MLK down Medgar Evers, and it was coming so fast that they didn’t see anything," Andrew Friday, pastor at New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ, said. "They missed him, but it’s a danger coming in and out of service."It has also become a distraction, as church members hear the commotion going on outside the church during their Sunday night service."Spinning off while we're having service — the noise kind of irritates us, kind of hinders our service a little bit," Friday said.Jackson leaders look to get tougher on illegal street racingJackson residents fed up with continuous illegal street racingDangerous driving, dirt bikes and ATVs caught on camera in downtown JacksonVideo of interstate rally gone viralJackson police Chief Joseph Wade said he's partnering with agencies like the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Capitol Police and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office to put the brakes on the problem."As we strategically approach these areas and locations that they are at, they run; they flee. They're lawless, and they're reckless, and they're moving around the city, and they're moving outside the city," Wade said. "We have to deal with it holistically. I'm working with my intelligence unit to find who's organizing these events because these events are, again, lawless, reckless. They're shutting down highways, roadways and streets. It's impacting the quality of life for our citizens."One example of the impact was in January 2021, when traffic on Interstate 55 near Lakeland Drive came to a stop because several drivers were revving engines, doing burnouts and performing doughnuts on the highway.Wade said this kind of behavior can also lead to other crimes taking place, which is why the issue is a top priority for the department."It breeds other things: drug activity, gang activity, gambling. When you're lawless, you're lawless. When you're reckless, you're reckless," Wade said. "We don't just want to move it; we want to eradicate this illegal activity here in the city of Jackson."There is a safer alternative for those who love the adrenaline rush that comes with racing: drag racing. The Junkyard Speedway in Canton draws people there for the thrill, including Mike Bankston, who has been around racing all his life. The Mississippi native runs the Bankston Boyz Racing Team, which competes professionally in drag races across the country. He said there is a big difference between racing on a track versus the street."The wrecks coming in, as far as street racing, is very detrimental on other people — other people’s property and yourself," Bankston said. "The safety perimeter is built around you. It's just not like at the track. You've got the concrete guardrails. You’ve just got a whole variety of stuff that’s better than street racing." Award-winning drag racer Tricia Musi said the sport is all about focus and encourages racers to choose their tracks wisely."If you want to start racing, go to the track. It's the best place to be; the safest place to be," Musi said. “I really like to push everybody to come out to the local tracks and duke it out there,” Bankston said.
JACKSON, Miss. —
Illegal street racing has become an issue for residents across the city of Jackson.
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Tire marks line Medgar Evers Boulevard, where illegal street racing frequently takes place.
"We were concerned about it because one of our pedestrians almost got hit by one of those cars that was coming from MLK down Medgar Evers, and it was coming so fast that they didn’t see anything," Andrew Friday, pastor at New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ, said. "They missed him, but it’s a danger coming in and out of service."
It has also become a distraction, as church members hear the commotion going on outside the church during their Sunday night service.
"Spinning off while we're having service — the noise kind of irritates us, kind of hinders our service a little bit," Friday said.
- Jackson leaders look to get tougher on illegal street racing
- Jackson residents fed up with continuous illegal street racing
- Dangerous driving, dirt bikes and ATVs caught on camera in downtown Jackson
- Video of interstate rally gone viral
Jackson police Chief Joseph Wade said he's partnering with agencies like the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Capitol Police and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office to put the brakes on the problem.
"As we strategically approach these areas and locations that they are at, they run; they flee. They're lawless, and they're reckless, and they're moving around the city, and they're moving outside the city," Wade said. "We have to deal with it holistically. I'm working with my intelligence unit to find who's organizing these events because these events are, again, lawless, reckless. They're shutting down highways, roadways and streets. It's impacting the quality of life for our citizens."
One example of the impact was in January 2021, when traffic on Interstate 55 near Lakeland Drive came to a stop because several drivers were revving engines, doing burnouts and performing doughnuts on the highway.
Wade said this kind of behavior can also lead to other crimes taking place, which is why the issue is a top priority for the department.
"It breeds other things: drug activity, gang activity, gambling. When you're lawless, you're lawless. When you're reckless, you're reckless," Wade said. "We don't just want to move it; we want to eradicate this illegal activity here in the city of Jackson."
There is a safer alternative for those who love the adrenaline rush that comes with racing: drag racing. The Junkyard Speedway in Canton draws people there for the thrill, including Mike Bankston, who has been around racing all his life. The Mississippi native runs the Bankston Boyz Racing Team, which competes professionally in drag races across the country. He said there is a big difference between racing on a track versus the street.
"The wrecks coming in, as far as street racing, is very detrimental on other people — other people’s property and yourself," Bankston said. "The safety perimeter is built around you. It's just not like at the track. You've got the concrete guardrails. You’ve just got a whole variety of stuff that’s better than street racing."
Award-winning drag racer Tricia Musi said the sport is all about focus and encourages racers to choose their tracks wisely.
"If you want to start racing, go to the track. It's the best place to be; the safest place to be," Musi said.
“I really like to push everybody to come out to the local tracks and duke it out there,” Bankston said.
