Twin Cities Police Cracking Down On Illegal Drag Racing

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Plans to drag race through Minneapolis and St. Paul are hitting speed bumps this summer.

Friday and Saturday nights, hundreds of people gather to watch the dangerous and illegal street racing down different Twin Cities streets.

Now, cops are cracking down. It's been a problem for years, and social media is making it easy to find the finish line.

They brag about their speeds and huge crowds and post their plans on Facebook.

"We can find out who's involved, where they're going to be," Lt. John Delmonico of the Minneapolis Police Department said.

Police are watching those posts and have a plan of their own.

"This summer we're taking some proactive steps," Delmonico said.

Last month, Minneapolis police put up concrete barriers on Spring Street, where skid marks line the road. New "No Trespassing" signs have also been put up in parking lots.

Drag racing through this industrial area dates back more than a decade.

Three years ago a man was critically hurt after he lost control on Spring Street. Last fall a business owner was punched out when he asked a crowd to leave.

On nearby Kasota Avenue, a camera now rolls to capture the license plates of racers. Minneapolis is also dedicating extra patrols on the weekends to put on more pressure, all with the hope of finally curbing a dangerous sport.

"In a second's notice, someone can get hurt or killed," Delmonico said.

It's not just the drag racer who can get in trouble. Anyone watching also faces fines for standing on private property. St. Paul Police are also stepping up patrols.

On one recent Saturday night, St. Paul issued 65 citations and arrested six people involved in street races.