Old Brooklyn Airfield Becomes Hot Spot For Drag Racing, Reckless Driving
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A storied airfield in Brooklyn is once again a hot spot for drivers who love to go fast.
Floyd Bennett Field, a former airfield turned federal recreational area, appears to be a popular spot for drivers with a need for speed.
Brooklyn resident Gihan Yuger told CBS2's Cory James he's a former drag racer who would often put the pedal to the metal there.
"I did a lot of crazy things with my car. You know, it's adrenaline," he said.
A bad accident forced him to stop, so now, he sits on the sidelines, taking in the show.
"It's like YouTube in real life. You see the smoke," Yuger said.
After the smoke clears, all that's left are tire markings on the ground.
"It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, really," he said.
That was clear this past weekend when two cars crashed into each other, killing an 11-year-old and two teenagers and injuring four others.
The NYPD says reckless driving is believed to be a factor.
RELATED STORY: Police Say Reckless Driving May Have Been Factor In 2-Car Crash In Brooklyn That Killed 3, Including 11-Year-Old
It's something CBS2 saw Wednesday night. People were seen doing doughnuts as the sun set.
Police from the National Park Service eventually showed up to stop the dangerous behavior.
Two fishermen who didn't want to be identified say officers stepping in is a rare scene, though.
"I have the phone number in my phone. I call them all the time when I hear something, when I see something, I call them. Sometimes they come, sometimes they don't, you know, just ignore it," one man said.
"And if they do come, sometimes they'll take half hour, an hour," the other man said.
It's not just drivers putting themselves in danger. The airfield is a place for all kinds of activities, where kids ride their bikes and launch their remote-controlled planes.
"It's dangerous. We've been saying it for years that something's going to happen," one man said.
"I think they need to patrol it much more, and maybe confiscate some cars. That'll stop it," another man said.
The National Park Service was unable to do an interview, but a spokesperson says drag racing and reckless driving has not gone up since the pandemic and that the property is patrolled 24 hours a day.
