As I�m driving along the local streets running some errands, I pass by many familiar faces and countless local shops. It�s pretty much a typical day. The radio is tuned to my favorite station (left undisclosed for fear of embarrassment from my fellow co-workers), which happens to be playing my favorite song. Suddenly, my moment of euphoria is disrupted by the vibrations of heavy bass. I glance in my rear-view mirror to see a hot red �98 Integra decked out with all the fixings. We�re talking 18" alloys, full body kit, Toyo tires�.the list just goes on. I kind of shrug it off because once you�ve seen one import car, you�ve seen them all. So now I ask myself, why do teenagers still thrive on this phenomenon known as import racing?

I understand that fixing up your ride is a hobby. Afterall, we each have our own unique hobbies and interests. But until now, none have become as attention-grabbing and widespread as import racing. I have many friends who work 9 to 5 jobs saving up each paycheck. For what, you might ask? Could it be for schooling? Going out? Vacation trip? No, the answer lies within your import shops and local wheel and tire centers. I have witnessed countless friends dishing out 3 to 4 thousand dollars to fix up their ride. In this, I use the term �fix up� loosely. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with the car. You stick the key in the ignition and it runs perfectly fine. I can�t speak for most of you out there, but to actually have your car start up is a blessing in itself. So this leads me the question, why the need to alter your car?

To really comprehend the mindset behind this pastime, I had to immerse myself in this sub-cultural society. So one evening, I joined up with a local racing crew at a pool hall. During our meeting, we had a very insightful discussion about their "passion" called import racing.

Through our lengthy conversation, I discovered aspects of the sport that really amazed me. Most of the guys I spoke with became involved through the influence of friends who were already active in the sport. They would go to import showoffs to get ideas and check out the latest line in parts and features to add on to their ride. Now as many of us know, a hobby such as this requires dedication, hard work, and most importantly, MONEY! So how do these guys finance such a pricey pastime? Like many of us, they, too, work their butts off to save up for parts. Other means of financing comes through government-funded agencies, which I will not directly disclose. I�ll leave that up to you to figure out.

Now, it was time to ask the big question. Do you do it for the women? This was pretty much a no brainer, but I was still dying to ask. In response, I received a few smirks and I pretty much knew their answer. Besides the obvious motive, most of the guys participate because it gives them a means to express their individuality. Similar to how an artist expresses himself through his paintings, these guys are no different; the medium isn�t a canvas but a car.

For everyone out there who is interested in getting involved in the sport, whatever the motive, be it for fun or for the chicks, I suggest checking out the next import show-off that rolls into town. And don�t forget to bring the camera guys! You�ll catch more on that film than just the cars, if you know what I mean.