Double AA club Podcast
Double AA club Podcast
EP: 79 A Journey Through High-Stakes Street Racing and the Fast & Furious Legacy
Ever wondered what it’s like to be in the thick of a high-stakes street race with the cops hot on your trail? Join us as we recount a pulse-pounding experience where not even law enforcement could halt the adrenaline-fueled action. We take a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reflecting on the days of evading the flashing lights and sirens, and contrasting them with today’s slightly slower pace. You’ll also hear about the magnetic influence of the "Fast and Furious" franchise, especially how the legendary NYC street racer Rafael Aceves inspired the first film and left a lasting legacy within the Dominican community and beyond.
We also dive into the heart of the racing scene, spotlighting influential figures like Rafael Estevez and the DRT racing team, and remembering the late Robert Maps. Get the scoop on major events such as the World Cup Finals at Maryland International Raceway and Honda Day, and what it’s like to cover these electrifying gatherings as media. Our guest shares his humble journey from a behind-the-scenes enthusiast to a recognized voice in the racing community, emphasizing the importance of giving back and representing the everyday racer. This episode is a celebration of the diverse and inclusive world of street racing, filled with stories that will leave you motivated and appreciative of this vibrant community.
You are listening to the Double A Club and this is your host, ny Boom, and my co-host, big Daz. We'll be talking about trending topics in healthcare and basically, just as a disclaimer just to let the listeners know that this is just basically on our opinions and speculations and I hope you guys enjoy the show. Let's start off and kick off with our first topic.
Speaker 2:Shit. I think the last time it happened was, if I'm correct, like I think, in March. We were at a street race and a few of my boys were racing and, you know, the cop. The cop literally hopped out his car with a shotgun and he walked up to my boy's car and he was like turn the fucking car off. And my boy, what the fuck? Yeah, they still ran the fucking race. Like, yeah, they still ran the fucking race. Like they still ran the race with the cop there and everything. Like, oh, no way, yeah, man, the shit, the shit happens, you know, still to this day.
Speaker 2:So you know it's funny that you know, every now and then, um, I fly a lot for work, so I have time to like reflect on on a lot of past experiences, experiences and shit like that. Um, and I'll just have these moments where I just sit back and like think, like yo, we really really was wild and like wild, um, but even now, you know, I look at my life now and, um, the only thing that that changes I run slower. You know, I run back to the car slower. That's the one thing that I've noticed. You know, like, back then, shit, I saw a cop.
Speaker 2:I was through the window in the car, like now I'm like like you know, my back hurts a little bit, but that's like the true, the true, the true difference of back then and now. But niggas are still running from the cops, you know. You know, like I said, street racing will never die. I'm glad to be a part of it. I'm glad that I've been accepted into the scene by so many people. I'm glad that so many people do show me love when they see me at the track or the street races. I'm very grateful for the opportunity that I've had to cross paths with so many people in this soon, and I wouldn't be shit, honestly, if it wasn't for the people that showed me love back.
Speaker 3:so so when so when I'm movies like Fast and Furious come out, does that that piss you off? Or is it like oh, pretty accurate, and I'm just talking about like the first two movies, not anything after that, because there's no way we know that cars ain't going to the fucking movies.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that's it After number two, like they got, they stretched it out a little bit too far, but based on one and old. So one was special to me in my own way because I don't know if you know, but if you look really into the history of number one, right faster fears. The original one, the, the main character was based off of a legendary New York City street racer, dominican dude, rafael Aceves right?
Speaker 3:No, I didn't know that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so if you do your research on that, if you ever look up D, as in David R, as in Robert T, as in Thomas D-R-T racing right, d, as in David R, as in Robert T, as in Thomas DRT Racing right, rafi was like this legendary street racer that we all looked up to at the time growing up, and I mean he made a name for himself to the point where you know, they got in touch with him and they kind of got the idea of the movie based off of what was going on in his world and in the New York City racing scene, street racing scene, um, so one played a significant role in the way we looked at street racing, was it? You know, true to form? No, you know, obviously Hollywood and the way they got a. You know like special effects and all that shit and some of it, like some of the races like felt like they were driving for like three miles. You know Like the cars never ran out of gas and things like that. No, they never did. What the fuck bro, right? So you know the special effects and the goofiness of it. Um, didn't mean shit, uh, to me, um, but the story behind how that movie uh was developed and originated. That was the true significance of what that meant to me personally. Right, and I'm sure, like now you know that the stories out there, uh, in social media, all that, like, people have learned but that's one, that's another person who never got his due flowers for that whole Fast and Furious scene even being created.
Speaker 2:You know, like there's a whole genre of Fast and furious racers that came strictly out of those movies. Those first two movies, right, people that have never raced a day in their life or even thought about racing ever a day in their life went out to see that movie and automatically left the theater being a racer, Right, yeah, and it all started. That all originated because of this one legendary street racer, you know, and I'm Dominican, so I looked up to him as him being Dominican yeah, I am and I looked at him as being, you know, like, wow, like this dude, like we knew of him, you know, in the streets, you know he was the fastest dude in the streets at the time, so to see his life and you know, get depicted in a certain way in that movie and it transformed into, you know now that, like what Fast and Furious is? Like 25 or some shit like that.
Speaker 3:I think they're filming 12 and 13 right now. Right, right, it's like, it's like, but people still watch it.
Speaker 2:Right, people still watch it. And just to think that that all started because of a legendary street racer from New York city, uh, from a lot of the areas that I grew up in, um, and seeing that transform into what it is now like, uh, wanting to play the significant, you know, had a significant impact in the scene. Uh, to me it was just, you know, about the cars. I didn't really care about the storyline and shit like that because it was kind of goofy. Um, but the whole aspect of it and what uh of it and what that movie, what the first one really started, it's dope.
Speaker 3:It's dope to see that that's a great story. I didn't know. I thought one and two was pretty good stories and they were as realistic as they can depict it. You know what I'm saying, but I didn't know that it was based on a real Street racer. So thank you for Educating us, because I did not have a clue about that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, if you look it up I mean, it's all you know, public information Now. But if you look up DRT racing, if you look up Rafael Estevez, and you look up, yeah, if you look up the history on that um and how that all that all came to be, you know, and where they got the idea from um, you know that that's that's, you know, that's verifiable facts right there, cool so question what is one of these fastest cars you've ever seen on the track?
Speaker 3:ah, that's a good call fastest on the streets.
Speaker 2:I want to say right now, my guys disturbing the streets, dts, grinchy Poe and the whole team shout out to them those are some of the fastest dudes that I know right now. You got my homie Lowe. They got civics, they got civics How's the civics? But they're some of the fastest street racers, real street racers, right, real street racers that I know. My boy Lowe's down in Maryland, him and his racing team, he has a pretty fast car. You know you got guys down in Florida like Cesar. You got pops down in like HG Pops down in the Miami area. Those guys are super fast on the streets. Growing up there was just a whole bunch. You know, like there was a lot of fast cars back then, um, and now they're even faster. But you know you got the high boost guys. You know, like I said, pharaoh, he was one of the fastest street cars that I've ever saw. Um, and now on the track, you know he's still fast. You know, rest in peace.
Speaker 2:Robert maps, that that's a name that's like huge in Florida, you know, but he's even bigger, a legend in New York. And um, but Robert maps, you know he was, he had a fast car, um, rest in peace to him. You know he was legendary, uh, true street racer right there, uh, who took it to the track. You know he took it to the tracking. You know, unfortunately he passed away a few years ago. But, um, you know, they, these guys that you know, I ain't shit in the scope of their world. You know, like, who they are to the scene and the impact they've made. Um, you know, like I said, I could only tell the story from my eyes and from the knowledge that I have, you know, for being in the scene for so long. But you know, there's been a lot of fast cars. Well, there's been a lot of fast cars. You know, right now there's a lot of fast cars, street and track.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, so is there any race that kind of like, just like that you witnessed and it was like, wow, this is a fucking race.
Speaker 2:World Cup Finals is an event that takes place in Maryland beginning of November every year. World Cup, okay, world Cup Finals. It takes place at Maryland International Raceway, right, and this is like the Super Bowl of the import racing scene and the domestic racing scene. So it's imports versus domestic. Yeah, it's imports versus domestic, muscle versus, you know, japanese European, you know whatever, you know Japanese European, you know whatever, um, but it is the Superbowl every year and I mean this is a pilgrimage. I've been going. This is going to be my sixth or seventh year now, Um attending this event.
Speaker 2:Uh, I try to make sure that I get media uh for for it every year and um rest in every year and um rest in peace to Chris Miller, who was one of the owners of that event. Uh, he just passed away this year, uh, but Chris, chris always looked me out with media and all that and make sure that you know I have front row seats for that event. Um, but that event, to me, is the epitome of what you consider, uh, the love for the sport. You know, um, you got other. You know you got other racing events like Honda day.
Speaker 2:Uh, that's, that's all right, that's cool. You know that. That's definitely for the sport. I love going to that and, um, you know, supporting my friends that are racing in that event. That's a dope event. It brings her. You know it's one of the largest Honda gatherings in the United States, or in the world, if you want to call it. That behind the day is pretty cool, but World Cup finals, to me, is truly representative of what the love for the sport is and and currently handle media for for a lot of these racist events yeah, I, I try to get uh media access, um to as many of them as I could.
Speaker 2:Um, you know, uh, politics wise, I've been blackballed from a few events. I won't name them, um, um, you know whatever, uh, you know it's just uh, uh, if I, if I could even take it there, people being just straight assholes. You know whatever, um, and it's you know whatever I won't. I won't get into that too much. I'll keep the podcast positive but, um, you know, I've only been like black labeled, I guess, from one. You know uh, company's events, uh, other than that man, everybody else shows me love and I have no problem getting in media and you know I'm out there usually with the other media guys and it's always love out there. Like, they're always helping me improve my game and uh, we always compliment each other. You know, uh, I look up to a lot of these media guys. You know whether you know they see it or not. Um, they, they help me keep me on my a game. You know, like, I always want to get better equipment or, uh, better angles, or you know I want a better resolution on my shots, uh, because I see the work that they do. You know, like, uh, autonomous imagery.
Speaker 2:He's from florida, he's from orlando um, huge shout out to him. He's uh, you know he's big in the racing scene as far as media. He does his thing. Uh, look up to him a lot. Uh, jr jr shots. Uh, he's from florida too, over on the tamp side, but he works for Nice Ones and you know he has been a huge, huge influence in my media life the past, like I want to say year, year and a half now. He changed a lot of the things I did and helped me out the Sauce Spot Dan. He's from New York, huge media company right there, but he played a very good part of me wanting to take that next step into the media world. And you know, definitely can't forget Nice Ones, julian O, everybody with Nice Ones, they, you know Julian has always been somebody that I looked up to and respected in the car scene. Uh, his partner oh, uh, he makes fucking crazy movies out of the racing footage. Uh, so guys like that, you know I've always looked up to him and they spark inspiration all the time. You know I am Todd Boogie. He's been strictly street racing coverage since as far back as I can remember and you know my relationship with Todd Boogie.
Speaker 2:I want to say, over the past like two years or a year has gotten a lot closer and I'm actually able to work next to somebody that I looked up to for so many years and I see his videos and he sees my videos and he shows me love and I show him love and just seeing the different styles that we have motivates me to like, damn, like this dude is really doing it. It's never competition to me, you know, I don't look, I don't look down on nobody. I'm not a follower, but I'm also not a hater either, you know. So I't look, I don't look down on nobody. I'm not a follower, uh, but I'm also not a hater either, you know. So I look at these guys and I'm like yo, their shit just kills my shit, um, but it motivates me to get out there and do better. You know better shit. So, uh, that that's been my journey in the media, in the media aspect of things, and I'm just like, I guess, if I'm infantile in the stage that I'm in compared to these other guys, but I love that.
Speaker 2:We every part about it, you know, from being at the street races or being at the track and cheering for my friends or supporting them. You know, before they get to the baseline usually that's where it stops, for a spectator is, right before the racers get to the. You know the racing line. You're not allowed past a certain point in the racetrack. Now, being media, you know I'm right next to the car while it's doing a burnout. I'm right next to the car while it's prepping or staging. You know, at the light, I'm right next to the car when that light turns green and they take off down the track. You know, and I get to salute my friends right before they go down the track. I get to do the sign of the cross before my friends go down the track and you always wish them the best, you always wish them to be safe. But that's been a true blessing about being in the media side.
Speaker 3:Nice, so your media is video and photography.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I started off with the photography. The past, like, I want to say like year I started taking or let's say the past, like 2018, 2019, I started taking the videos a little bit more serious. And 2021, 2019, I started taking the videos a little bit more serious. Um, and 2021, going into 2022, um, I took the videos like way more serious than that.
Speaker 2:You know, like, I really started investing time and even now, you know, I'm still a work in progress when it comes to the media, I mean, when it comes to the videos, like you know, like now I want to get more into the editing and making longer video cuts than I've been making. I've been exploring and playing with the Instagram reels. You know, and you know I get my little views and nothing like that, nothing crazy. You know, whatever, you know it humbles me, but I see the progress and I see the. You know it humbles me, but I see the progress and I see the. You know how I've developed from when I first started and now I want to go down a totally different road where I'm producing a longer video, I'm editing more, I'm more involved in the making of this storyline, you know like, so it's been cool, it's been a cool journey.
Speaker 3:So where can people see your, your media, like your videos and pictures? Like, do you have a website, do you send it to? Like magazines? Like, where can somebody see your work?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so you could Instagram at stayhumblehd. So stay humble. Harry Bravo, that's my Instagram handle. You can see it there. I also have another page at humble beginnings Inc. I MC, um, where I've posted up, you know, a lot of stuff, um, I share content with a few other media companies out there and I'm not going to put them out there, but, um, I do share a lot of content and you'll see them tagged on my pages and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:Um, I'm I'm a big video and picture hoarder. So right now I have probably about eight to 10 memory cards full, uh, dating back from like 2015 to now. Uh, memory cards, uh, of all these events that I've covered. Um, and in my phone I have 42,000 pictures and videos, mostly of all racing and, like, I have them all saved to my cloud, but mostly all racing, um, and I hoard them. I hoard them, I, I I release very little little um every now and then, you know, right after the event, I might, I might, you know, do a photo dump or whatever, um, but for the most part, I hoard a lot of my pictures and videos.
Speaker 2:And you know, I was having this conversation with a friend of mine the other day and I said yo, if I, if I ever pass away, if I ever die, god forbid um, make sure that you get all my content that I've saved and that I've stored over the years, uh and and do what you like with it.
Speaker 2:You know, tell the story through my eyes if you can. Uh, cause he was a, you know, he's a big media person, um, but you know, to me it's about the love of being out there. You know, like I'm not looking for the notoriety, I'm not looking to be like this extraordinary, you know, this photographer extraordinaire or this video guy extraordinaire. I'm just looking to be the guy that you know was able to capture a lot of his friends doing what they love and in that process I was doing what I love right? And if all that content eventually one day makes its way out to social media or to whatever platforms are available, at that time I hope the story just gets told properly as I saw it through my eyes yeah, I just hope that people can see it so they can be appreciate your, appreciate the race in itself and hopefully get influenced into the race in itself, whether they want to or just to be there just to watch.
Speaker 2:Right and like now, I see myself at times where I'm at you know the track or I'm at a street race and somebody will recognize me and be like, oh, the podcast, oh shit, or you know, I remember you from back then. Oh, yo, you took this picture and like, I've had people you know. Just recently I was at a Honda Day in Maryland and I met some dude who used to watch a podcast from back in the days, um, and he was like yo, he's, like I used to watch you every week and you guys used to go live. And here you are, like doing media, yo, that's so dope and I get that a lot, you know, um, but I'm a super humble dude, like in person, like I, I, you know I'm a Leo, so I have a natural cocky and arrogance to me, but for the most part I'm a very humble dude. You know I've been blessed to, you know, have a few second chances at life and I don't take that for granted. I try to show as much love back as I can through the camera and you know when, when I get, you know I'm, I'm on these travels and I meet people in different parts of the country and they start following me on social media, the one thing that they see is the story, right, uh, the story of how I'm putting these videos out, or I'm putting this content out, and they're like, oh shit, like you know, you know this guy. Like you know, wow, like you were so close to this car and that car, like you know who these people are and for the most part, I do know who these people are Every now and then I'll be like, nah, I don't know who the fuck that is.
Speaker 2:And they'll be like, yo, that's this guy, da-da-da-da, can you send me more pictures of his car? And I'll, like I've had a few racing companies like, hit me up. And like, yo, we love the pictures you take. Like, thank you. Like, can we pay you? And I'm like, nah, bro, I don't even want no money for this. Like, yeah, just take the pictures. I don't even watermark my pictures. I don't care, you know, I don't care enough to want to be seen as, like you know, wow, this photographer. Or yo, yo, this video guy, because there's so many people out there doing it way better than me. I play my part, I know my role and if I'm out there just supporting my friends and the love of being in this sport and this industry.
Speaker 3:That's enough for me, wow that's very notable, very humble of you and it was. You know it's great that you was able to give up your time for me and to join me and be interviewed on my podcast. I really appreciate you very much for this, thank you. It's not easy to to get people to do an interview or to talk about themselves. You know a lot of people can't talk about their stories for whatever reason, and you know I just want people to learn from other regular people. You know what I'm saying, that stop this celebrity shit of hey, they're doing this and being influenced by celebrities and stuff like that. No, we're normal people who have experienced similar things you've done and this is what their story is, and I'm happy, so happy, that you were able to tell your story and your life and racing and how you love and enjoy still enjoy it yeah, man, thank you, and thank you for the opportunity.
Speaker 2:I'll I'll be very honest with you. Um, I was always the dude behind the camera, behind the microphone, interviewing people and asking the questions, um, and I've never, I've never been in front of the microphone. As far as getting into view, um, I did have some reservations about tonight and I was like, damn man, do I really want to tell the story? You know whatever? Um, but listen, man, I'm getting older, uh, and the way I look at it is you never know, right, you never know what tomorrow brings. You never know what tonight brings. You never know if I'll be alive 10 minutes from now, if I'll be alive 10 years from now, um, and, like you said, this podcast, this episode, will live forever.
Speaker 2:So, um, what I want people to take away from this is that, listen, you know, there's a whole scene out there. Uh, there's a scene for young people, there's a scene for older people, there's a scene for women. There's a scene for young people, there's a scene for older people, there's a scene for women. There's a scene for every walk of life that you want to be. There's a spot for you in the racing world, right, if you're into it, if you get motivated by this podcast, if you get motivated by whatever I said, I hope it takes you as further in life as it's taken me. I hope that everybody that I mentioned in this episode truly recognizes the love that I have for them and what they've done for the scene. It's been great being able to share my story with you and thank you for the opportunity man, thank you, and I thank you for the opportunity.
Speaker 3:Man. No, thank you. Man, I wish you much success. Keep doing what you're doing, keep telling your story and know that your story was told by your voice. On this, podcast.
Speaker 2:Thank you very much, my brother, I appreciate everything.
Speaker 3:All right, man, you have a good one. I'll speak to you soon, you too. All right, my brother, I'll speak to you too. Thank you, bye have a good night.
Speaker 1:Thanks for listening to our show. This concludes our episode. And listen up to the next episode To follow up on what Continuing topics and trends we have going on, and just to continue to listen to your boy, ny Boom, and co-host Big Daz, and listen to our Points of views and and maybe you can add on to it If you want. But We'll catch you on the next one. Alright, have a good one. Peace out, fellas.
