James Dean All Over Again

The thrills of street racing just won't die, even if some of the drivers do

It's been 43 years since James Dean turned to his nemesis in Rebel Without a Cause, right before each got behind the wheel of his car in a race that would send one of them to the boneyard, and asked a simple question: "Why do we do this?"

"You have to do something," the lost soul replied.

Yes, you do, and if you live in Southern California's San Fernando Valley, a sort of national sanctuary for cars, the options have grown somewhat in 43 years. But the kids still race, and the cops still chase, and one side almost always wins.

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