Evo Street Racers: Enforcement News: Prime Minister pledges to tackle street racing

Worsham, Burkart continue to spread anti-street racing message

Source: NHRA
Author: Bob Wilber
Date: April 26, 2004

The headlines scream from newspapers. The gruesome video accompanies television news reports. Throughout the NHRA United States, the problem of senseless and illegal street racing continues to vex police officers, teachers, and parents as young drivers show little concern for life, limb, or criminal records as they race on public streets, often with horrifying and tragic results. Del Worsham and Phil Burkart, drivers of the Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Funny Cars, have seen all they want to see of this awful story, and for more than two years they've been doing something about it.

After careful planning and with the team's full support, the "Race On The Track, Never On The Street" program made its official debut in early 2004. Presented to groups of specifically targeted teens prior to national events in CSK retail markets, and coordinated with local law enforcement officials, the grass roots program made a big splash upon its introduction when local papers and TV stations were quick to publicize the new effort. Now, even though the bright lights and the glamour of some of the media coverage has subsided, Worsham, Burkart, and their sponsors at CSK Auto, have continued to pursue the mission of the project.

As the two popular Funny Car drivers have gained experience in reaching out to the youngsters in their audience, their delivery has gotten sharper, their message has gotten clearer, and the effect seems more direct. A bit nervous and unsure of how to connect with these students back in 2004, both Worsham and Burkart now feel perfectly comfortable delivering their message, and the results seem obvious, if not tangible.

"Both of us were pretty nervous and intimidated when we started this program," Worsham said. "It wasn't all that long ago I was in high school and I know how tough it was for anyone to stand up in front of us and try to tell us what to do. Over the last two years, both Phil and I have become very comfortable talking to the kids, and we've learned what works and what doesn't. We've changed the program around a bit, found ways to keep their attention, and mostly we've just become much more relaxed about delivering our message.

"Kids are sharp and they can sense when you're not comfortable talking to them. When that happens, they tune you out. In 2004, it was pretty common for us to look out at the group and see a large percentage of them looking away, talking among the themselves, even being disrespectful. This year, the kids have been great and they've been very respectful. They listen, they make eye contact, and we can see them nodding when we're telling them how stupid it is to race on the street. I think we're a lot better at getting the point across now, and it just seems like we're connecting a lot better."

During a typical presentation, Team CSK will meet a group of between 50 and 75 students in the team's pitside hospitality area. Lunch will be served and immediately after the sit-down meal a local police officer will address the gathering. It's the police officer's job to deliver "the straight scoop" on what happens to drivers who are caught street racing.

"These guys are usually big, they're carrying a gun, they have eyes that look right through you, and they're a little bit intimidating, which certainly sets the table for us," Worsham said. "They look the kids right in the eye and tell them about all the legal fees, the loss of your license, the time you can spend in jail, and how you can ruin your life. They talk about how many calls they've gone on where kids have killed themselves or innocent people. They lay it out in black and white terms, and the kids listen.

When the officer is done, we shift gears a little and (Worsham Team Manager) Bob Wilber takes the microphone. He gives a short speech, like our warm-up act, and then he tells the kids all about Phil and me, our careers, and our backgrounds. He pumps them up a little about what they're right in the middle of at an NHRA event, and by the time he introduces us the kids are really ready to listen."

Burkart traditionally speaks first, and his delivery is based on his own personal experience. Growing up enamored with speed and high performance automobiles, Burkart spent his youth watching and helping his father customize street rods and race cars. He easily could have taken his "need for speed" to the street, but he chose to race "the right way" on the race track, launching his racing career at the tender age of 14.

"I grew up with a lot of kids who wanted to race on the street and the temptation was certainly there to join them," Burkart said. "Instead, my dad took me to the race track and I saw, very clearly, that racing on the track was the way to do it. I'm lucky to have someone in my life who steered me in the right direction, so if I can be that someone for one of these kids, then I'm obviously doing the right thing.

"I also tell the kids about careers in racing, making sure they look around in our pit so they see there are more than a dozen crew guys working, but only two drivers. You can see the light bulb go on over some of their heads when we talk about that. They love working on cars, and they see how many people make a great living doing something so fun. Seeing how the kids listen, and how we're reaching them more and more each time we do this, has been really gratifying. At the beginning, this was something we had to do and we really weren't sure of how effective we could be. Now I look forward to each presentation and I think we're doing some good."

Once Burkart has made his points, Worsham steps forward as the star of the show. The 21-time winner on the NHRA trail grew up with every opportunity to make bad decisions in his life, but like Burkart he had a father who pointed him toward the race track. Still, it was something away from the track, something that happened four years ago, that created the basis for Worsham's presentation.

"A little over four years ago, my twin girls were born," Worsham said. "Before then, I saw the news reports of all these kids crashing and killing themselves, but it was mostly just news to me, like all the bad stuff you see on TV. I was more or less immune to the fact these were real people. Then, once Kate and Maddy were born and I started to think about my wife Connie driving around with them in their child seats, maybe just on the way to the store or to Grandma's house, the reality of this stupid and dangerous street racing hit home.

"I tell the kids straight out I was one of them once. I had choices to make, and I'm glad I never street raced, but now they have choices to make and the three most precious people in the world to me are out there on the street with them. Maybe these teenagers are as bullet-proof as they think they are, but my family isn't. I just tell it to them straight, and let them know the track is the place to speed. Come on out to our NHRA tracks, which all have programs for street cars, and run the wheels off it. Run as fast as you want, work hard to go faster, just keep it off the street. My family is on the street and I don't want you racing near them."

The rationale "If we just reach one kid because of this, maybe save one life..." has been used for many good causes. In this case, Worsham and Burkart truly believe it, and work hard to make sure they're doing their part, one impressionable teenager at a time.