But Sabado, who drives a customized 2000 Honda Civic, said recent accidents like the one that killed Elizabeth Kekoa have discouraged him from racing. Police said an 18-year-old who was racing slammed into the van in which Kekoa was riding on the H-1 Freeway in Kaimuki last Sunday, killing her and seriously injuring two family members.

"Nowadays, like, it's getting too extreme," Sabado said. "People dying, like that. That shouldn't happen."

Low-slung, modified import compacts are a common sight on O'ahu freeways, sometimes zig-zagging through heavy traffic at 80 mph or more. Police say the problem of racing has grown exponentially in recent years as the children of baby boomers get their own cars.

As the suburbs have sprawled, there are fewer deserted straightaways upon which to settle a score. The days of racing on the straightaway past Sandy Beach, or on Fort Weaver Road in 'Ewa or Kapaa Quarry Road in Kailua are gone, forcing racers to move to the freeways.

Racers come from diverse backgrounds, but most are young men in their late teens and early 20s who share an interest in mechanics. Some say their cars kept them away from drugs, alcohol and other troubles in high school, and the financial responsibilities of ownership keep them employed.

"The kids that I know, they save their money, they work hard and all they do is work for their car," said Michael Laws, 26, of Pearl City, the manager of a shop on Dillingham Boulevard that sells high-performance parts. "That's all they do because that's their passion."

Racers are simply "just whoever likes to work on their cars," said Jason Neely, 20, of Hawai'i Kai, owner of a 1999 Honda Civic.

It's "about building your own machine," said Shane Johnson, 22, of Salt Lake. "It's like, the car's not yours until you start building on it." Johnson, a full-time mechanic, has a 1998 BMW 328 IS he plans to fix up.

"It's just better than doing drugs," said 21-year-old Kenny Virtudes of Pearl City. Virtudes, a full-time mechanic apprentice at an auto center in Ala Moana, owns a 1998 Honda Civic.

Many racers emphasize style over speed, modifying the interiors and exteriors of their cars and showcasing them in car shows.

Eric Yano, 19, of 'Aiea, owns a 1999 Honda Prelude, which he has entered in several shows. Yano, who works for a jewelry business, said at a recent car show that after investing a lot of time and money into his car, "the show is like the reward." It's a place where others can admire his work.

Racing can also be about proving a point, settling a score or creating a legend. Races, chases, near-misses and challenges are described on a popular Web site, speedhawaii.com. The more risky the race, the better the legend.

"They want to impress each other," said Hougen, the speed shop owner. "It's kind of like a battle."

There is also the officially sanctioned "battlefield," Hawai'i Raceway Park in Kapolei. For $6, drivers can race or clock the speed of their cars at the raceway, known as "the track."

Mike Oakland, operator of Hawai'i Raceway Park, said drag racing has been a part of the local lifestyle for teens since the 1950s.

"We used to stay out from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., get something to eat at Andy's Drive Inn in Kailua, race along Kapaa Quarry Road and Pali Highway, and go cruising to find other racers," said the 58-year-old Oakland.

"Some of us would slow down to hold back traffic, while the others would race ahead," he said. "Nothing's changed."

But Oakland said the stakes are higher and the dangers greater today because of the crowded highways and because of the advanced technology that has allowed small cars to be transformed into powerful machines that can be difficult to control.

Shige Hirabayashi, 24, of Honolulu said he used to race on freeways but now sticks to the track.

"I got older," said Hirabayashi, a student at Honolulu Community College who owns a 2000 Audi S4. "Basically, it's safer," he said.