Four people were arrested Tuesday after drag racing "multiple high-end luxury sports cars" in Grand Teton National Park, authorities say.
Automotive writer Aaron Turpen told Cowboy State Daily the national park’s curved roads are an irrational place for drag racing, since people with the means to buy luxury cars can hop over to Utah and pay to use a race track rather than risk obliterating a black bear with a carbon fiber car body.
Grand Teton National Park’s Wednesday statement on the incident did not say what makes or models the luxury cars were, nor who was arrested or how fast they were driving.
The park did not respond to a series of follow-up questions.
“Imagine what would happen to a Lamborghini if it hit a black bear?” said Turpen.
The Lamborghini with its carbon fiber husk would be totaled, and the bear would likely die, he said. Even if the repairs went perfectly, the Lambo’s resale value would plummet.
“I do not understand the thought process, because you’re talking about huge liabilities” as well, said Turpen. “Every tree you hit with your car, that’s one count of destruction of national property.”
Within the federal government’s criminal statutes is a law against injuring “any property of the United States.” The penalty is no more than 10 years in prison if the damage exceeds $1,000, or up to a year in jail if the damage doesn’t.
Lucky for a hypothetical drag-racing tree-killer, the park’s signature quaking Aspens are each only worth about $20-$200, according to treefluent.com.
Would Be An Ugly Showdown
But nearby states like Montana and Utah have drag racing strips for paid use, Turpen said. That makes the Grand Teton road rally even more of a head-scratcher.
“The (park’s) roads aren’t straight,” he said. “They’re not as well maintained as like a U.S. highway or a heavily trafficked road. Then you’re going to have animal traffic and no control over any of that stuff.”
Lamborghinis tend to boast top speeds of more than 200 mph, said Turpen. Supercars can hit the 300s but they may be governed before that point since such speeds require a specialty tire, he said.
Cross that with an elk (top speed 45 mph) or a speed goat (aka pronghorn that top out at about 60 mph) and you’ve got one ugly collision.
What the conscience and the mind’s eye can’t shed, insurance probably won’t either.
“I can’t imagine what insurance does to you over that,” said Turpen.
A Dozen Rangers Converge
Grand Teton National Park’s statement says park rangers responded at about 5 p.m. Tuesday to reports of multiple high-end luxury sports cars drag racing down both lanes of the Teton Park Road “and creating a variety of hazardous driving conditions for other visitors.”
Visitors, park employees and wildlife all use that road, the statement says.
Park rangers found the racers and conducted traffic stops at several locations in the park, leading to four people being arrested.
Twelve rangers were involved in the operation. Two cars were impounded, the statement says.
"This kind of behavior is unsafe, irresponsible and completely unacceptable in a national park," said Grand Teton Superintendent Chip Jenkins in the statement. "It puts visitors, staff, and wildlife at serious risk."
With an investigation ongoing, “further charges may be pending,” the statement concludes.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
