Street racing kills innocent people every year.

On May 12, Jose Hernandez was sentenced to 23-years-to-life in prison for killing 60-year-old Barbara Blair in October 2007. Hernandez was drinking and plowed into Blair's car at 90 mph while street racing.

Kern County Supervisor Ray Watson, along with a team of other officials, is working to get racing off the streets and into a controlled environment. The group tried to get permission to open up a track at Button Willow Airport. Even though the airport is unincorporated and hasn't been used in decades, the pilots association denied the request.

"We're going to be driving all over the countryside to see what we can find," said Watson.

A street racer who spoke on condition that he only be identified as "Wayne" said street racing is in his blood. He said the group of racers he races with are safe. They do not race on busy streets and never drink alcohol while they are racing. Wayne considers it a sport and said the only difference between illegal street racing and drag racing on a track is the location and the composition of the special tires racers on tracks use.

Numerous illegal street racers in Kern County say the activity gets a "bad rap" because of movies like "The Fast and the Furious." Racers here said real street racing is not like what is shown in the movies, and they are upset that it has come under so much fire.

The future of street racing in Kern County is unknown. Will a track get built where racers can go and not put the public in danger? Or will they continue racing on public streets?