There are no official racetracks in Columbia. The closest ones are in Rogersville, Missouri; Topeka, Kansas; and Madison, Illinois. Columbia native and NASCAR pro Carl Edwards tried to open one here, but it fell through. Qualls says an official track in Columbia would be a great way to stop people from taking to the streets. Even at the family-friendly annual meeting with dogs and toddlers present, police made a brief appearance. “They’re already here,” a member behind me said half-jokingly. The cops left immediately after a quick drive around, only to reappear a few hours later. They left again after realizing that nothing illegal was happening. The whole thing felt like a family auto show, not a sketchy racing event. After voicing my interest in seeing some illicit racing at my last Wednesday night meeting, a younger member explained that I was looking in the wrong place. Serious racing, he explains, happens in bigger cities such as St. Louis and Kansas City. CCC, he says, was just for people who do hands-on work under the hood to get together and talk shop.
“I HOPE YOU HAVE THICK SKIN AND LIKE SHENANIGANS”
BY THE NUMBERS: CAR OWNERSHIP How Americans are becoming less tethered to their four wheels
IN 1983, 69% OF 17-YEAR-OLDS HAD A DRIVER’S LICENSE, BY 2008, THAT DECREASED TO 50%
N AMES OF FAC EB OOK U SERS CH A N G ED TO IN ITIA LS FOR PRIVAC Y
NM (NEW MEMBER): THANKS FOR ACCEPTING ME! HERE’S MY 2006 [MUSTANG] GT MILD BOLT ONS.
PM: WHAT’S YOUR CROWD COUNT? NM: WORKING ON A 47 DEATH TOLL BR: WELCOME. I HOPE YOU HAVE THICK SKIN AND LIKE SHENANIGANS!
Every time a mechanic suggests I get something done to my car, I usually end up calling my dad or a handy friend to make sure I’m not getting taken for a ride. In other words, I don’t fit CCC’s one criteria for membership: liking cars. Luckily for me, they let me through the gates of the Facebook group, which is an inside look into the automotive banter that reads more like hieroglyphics than English to me. One common inside joke, for instance, is that Ford Mustang drivers, due to a relationship between the car’s brutish torque curve and unrefined traction management tendencies, often lose control of their vehicles during spirited driving and crash into onlookers. The digital terrain can quickly become harsh and personal. New members aren’t always welcomed warmly on the Facebook page. One new member posted a picture of a white BMW. Another member commented “Great...
30% DROP IN NEW CAR PURCHASES FROM 2007 TO 2011 AMONG PEOPLE AGES 18-34
B E H I N D - T H E - W H E E L L OO K AT A T Y P I C A L C O MO C A R C U LT U R E FAC E B O O K T H R E A D
JM: CAN THIS THING EVEN SPIN A TIRE?! NM: BETTER THAN YOUR 3 TON CHEV JM: WE MIGHT HAVE TO SEE ABOUT THAT! LOL
another bmw guy,” while another member commented “Dude rolling in a 335? Why not just go ahead and have your dick cut off.” In August, Qualls had about $3,000 worth of car tools stolen from his garage. I think that’s more money than my car would get right now on the open market. Take into consideration how important these tools are
33% OF DRIVERS WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 30 IN 1983, AND 22% OF DRIVERS WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 30 IN 2011 IN THE FIRST YEAR ELIGIBILITY, 44% OF PEOPLE WILL GET THEIR LICENSE
54% OF PEOPLE GET THEIR LICENSE BY THE AGE OF 18 FROM 2004 TO 2011, THE NUMBER OF ANNUAL MILES DRIVEN BY AN AVERAGE AMERICAN DROPPED 6%
to a car enthusiast, and the loss becomes even more devastating. However, CoMo Car Culture came through for Qualls. Despite the bad rap around car fanatics and the mental picture of drag racing, burnouts, Tokyo drifting, Monster Energy and Vin Diesel, CCC really does foster a sense of community. The group organized a fundraiser in September at Cosmopolitan Park to help Qualls get back some of the money for his tools. In total, they raised $800. “We’re a tight-knit group of people,” Elbert says. “Everybody knows each other, and we’re all willing to help each other out.” Members of the group put together a toy drive for Rainbow House Emergency Shelter in Columbia last December. The group hosted a Thanksgiving food drive at Albert Oakland Park on Nov. 6 and collected 551 pounds of food for the Central Missouri Food Bank. Qualls delivered the food himself. CoMo Car Culture shouldn’t be mistaken for a charity, but the admins have a mission beyond the testosterone-ridden cliché that comes to mind within car culture. A general belief in the group is that the amount of money you put into your car isn’t the point. Members are more impressed by passion and hard work than disposable income. “A $500 car can still be a good car if it gets you from Point A to Point B,” says Shelby Guy, a CCC member for the past two years. The group will continue to meet, word of mouth will continue to spread and new members will continue to join. Lem, Qualls and the other admins will groom new moderators to police the group, both online and in person. They will try to keep it fun, safe and centered around the simple passion for cars. And they will continue to deal with punks. Before I left the showcase that Sunday, a member stepped on the gas hard enough to burn out. His wheels spun in place before he accelerated out of the parking lot, leaving behind a trail of skid marks on the pavement. Remaining members groaned and shook their heads. “That’s how you get kicked out.”
16- TO 34-YEAROLDS DROVE 23% FEWER MILES ON AVERAGE FROM 2001 TO 2009. THOSE OVER 65 WILL MAKE UP 20% OF AMERICAN DRIVERS BY 2025
12.01.16
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BABY BOOMERS (AGES 55-65) ARE 15 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO PURCHASE A NEW CAR THAN MILLENNIALS (AGES 18-24)
VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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