It is illegal in NYS
§ 10-163. Speed contests and races.
a. Except as provided in the vehicle and traffic law, no person shall
engage in or participate in any race, exhibition or contest of speed, or
aid or abet in such race, exhibition or contest of speed, on any
highway, street, alley, sidewalk, or any public or private parking lot
or area. Under this subdivision, “engage in” and “participate” shall
mean actions or circumstances that reasonably indicate that a race,
exhibition or contest of speed has occurred or is imminent, including,
but not limited to, the presence of a canister appearing to hold nitrous
oxide attached to a vehicle; an explicit invitation to race; a starting
or ending point marked in some way; the wagering on the race’s outcome;
the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner where the operator, in
competition, accelerates at a high rate of speed; the raising of a
vehicle vertically; the spinning of the vehicle rapidly in a circle.
b. No person shall participate as a spectator in any event or
gathering held for the purpose of a race, exhibition or contest of speed
not authorized pursuant to the vehicle and traffic law. Under this
subdivision, “participate” shall mean acts at the scene of a race,
exhibition or contest of speed that reasonably appear to support such
race, such as wagering on the outcome of the race or actively
encouraging the participants to the race, exhibition or contest of
speed.