A POLICE campaign to lure drag-racers off suburban streets and onto a legitimate raceway will be launched in Deer Park this weekend.
Racing enthusiasts will have the option of racing police legally as part of the new safety push.
Four specially-designed police drag cars have been built as part of Operation Drag Right, which aims to promote road and mechanical safety of vehicles.
“It’s really a three-pronged thing. The major target is to encourage drivers to come onto the track and to stop dragging on the streets,” Inspector Tim Peperkamp told Star last week.
“It’s also about being there in a non-confrontational environment to talk to people about the whole safety aspect of cars on the road.”
The operation was launched late last year.
There are currently five modified vehicles in the police ranks – painted in bright colours and fitted out in span lights, strobe lights and chequered stripes.
“We’ve got an early model VP Commodore with a 400 chev motor in it, we’ve got an AU Falcon ute with a 351 Cleveland in it as well as another Commodore and Falcon,” Insp Peperkamp said.
Inspector Peperkamp said the Insp are an enticement for young drivers to challenge police drivers legally, but also helped to break down barriers with young drivers and the boys in blue.
“We don’t have them pulled up on the side of the road giving them a ticket for something. It’s really an opportunity to talk to them about a lot of things that we wouldn’t normally talk about,” he said.
The cars will be on display at Brimbank Central in Centre Court on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 April.
Members of the Police Drag Racing Crew will be on site at selected times to talk to drivers.
Races are held most Friday nights at the Calder Park raceway.
