Throughout history, people have challenged each other to determine who is fastest. In ancient rome they would compete on chariots in old stadiums. As centuries passed there have been other forms of racing. People have raced each other on carriages, boats, horses, bicycles, and simply on foot. Though, ever since the mid 20th century, it been all about the automobile. The automobile was invented in the late 19th and early 20th century, and had a range of purposes, but it wasn't until the late 1940's and early 1950's when racing them became a very popular and intriguing use. After the second world war, a lot of mechanics were coming back home from service. Things had slowed down, the fast pace of the war had gone away. Mechanics and other service men wanted something to do in their free time, something to keep them interested. No longer working on bombers, fighter planes, and tanks; the mechanics of our military turned to the automobile. At this time, there wasn't really a formal scene for racing. Nascar was only just beginning to get its start, and they came from bootleggers trying to outrun the law. There was a lot of distaste and distrust for people who raced cars. A lot of racing was associated with criminal activity. Not only did people have to keep from law enforcement, but they had to stay out of the public eye. People would assume you were a criminal if they saw you racing somebody. If you were going to race you had to be quick and you had to be smart. It was this kind of environment that started the underground street racing culture. The roadways during that time were not as expansive and diverse as they are today. Most if not all races were straight lines down the longest road they could find. The cars were big and they were heavy. Back then they made cars from metal and even though they were sturdy and well built, they weren't the easiest to control. Taking a lot of turns wasn't too popular during this time, and again a lot of