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HIGH POINT — A white Nissan 350Z — lowered so the fenders barely cleared the near-treadless tires — wheeled into a holding lot for confiscated vehicles at 10:55 p.m. Saturday. Ten minutes later, a silver Pontiac GTO rolled in, and a white Honda Civic after that.

Highway Patrol troopers planned to fill that lot with street racers Saturday night in what they hoped would be the largest illegal racing bust in state history. Officials had warrants to arrest 32 people and seize their vehicles.

By 12:30 a.m., authorities had arrested eight people and confiscated six cars. The operation was expected to continue into the early morning hours Sunday.

The troopers targeted illegal races on North Main Street in High Point and U.S. 311 in Guilford and Forsyth counties.

Lt. J.K. Stone said, “This is the largest one I’ve seen in North Carolina.” Stone has been involved with more than 100 undercover sting operations.

“Rebel Without A Cause” drag racing has given way to “The Fast and The Furious” racing. Drivers can reach speeds of 140 miles per hour in regular cars — Hondas, Nissans, Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros with slick tires, modified cooling systems and thrill-seeking drivers behind the wheel.

The suspects ranged from teenagers to adults in their 40s.

Spontaneous racing and pre-arranged racing are both misdemeanors that can be punished by revoked driving privileges, fines and jail time. But pre-arranged racing carries the harsher penalty of vehicle seizure.

Proving that races are pre-arranged takes more work by law enforcement, including the use of undercover officers, secret informants and hidden cameras. But officials with the Highway Patrol say it’s worth the effort because the instant seizure of the offending vehicle can save lives.

“You’re taking something that means a lot to them,” said Sgt. Rodney Robles, one of the coordinators of Saturday’s arrests. Those cars can have tens of thousands of dollars in modifications, he said.

“Plus, you’re taking their dangerous weapon away,” Robles said.

Originally planned as a six-week undercover operation, the sting collected enough information to charge 32 people on at least 130 racing-related offenses in half that time. Robles then decided to halt the operation and make the arrests three weeks early.

“It’s so bad here, we want to shut it down while we can,” Robles said. “We’re in the business of trying to save lives, not get stats.”

Robles hopes the wave of arrests will discourage other racers, keeping the street safer through Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Contact Sonja Elmquist at 373-7090 or sonja.elmquist@news-record.com