Drag racers do doughnuts, light fires on Lower Wacker Drive; Chicago Police say no reports filed

CHICAGO (CBS) — In a wild night on Chicago’s Lower Wacker Drive, dozens of people turned out for a fiery drag race. That turnout came despite lawmakers’ efforts to crack down on that activity. 

Drag racing on Lower Wacker Drive is an ongoing problem, and there was another incident early Sunday morning. It was all caught on POD camera video. 

Around 2 a.m. a crowd of 100 people and dozens of cars gathered there. At least one person can be seen with what looks like a gun. 

In the video people in the crowd get inside a circle of what looks like fuel on the ground. Someone lights it on fire, and it goes up in flames. One by one people start jumping out of that horrifying ring. Some people stay in the rings as they appear to record on their cell phones through the flames while a car does doughnuts on the outside. 

They Chicago Police Department said they don’t know details and no reports were filed. The Chicago Fire Department said no one was hurt but did not have many details either. 

Gas canisters were still on the ground Sunday more than 12 hours later. 

Nearby signs that say “no cruising” give Chicago Police the opportunity to penalize the people who drag race there. Even with the threat of a misdemeanor and thousands of dollars in fines, drag racing continues to be a problem. 

A new law sitting on Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk would fine street races $250 and charge them with a misdemeanor for a first offense. Then $500 and felony charges if they do it again.