CORONA, Calif. – It goes by many names: takeovers, meets, sideshows, just to name a few. For those behind the wheel, it's a feeling like none other.
One driver describes it as "dopamine running through your brain that makes you forget about everything."
After getting the meetup location from Instagram, a crowd gathers to get a screenshot of the pre-selected destinations of each takeover spot.
"2.0 BRZ" is a driver from the club "Private Meets," a newer group to the scene looking to make a name for themselves.
The only way to do that it's to "swing" hard. It's an experience that 2.0 BRZ describes as intoxicating.
"When I'm in the car, and I'm in the moment, just me and my machine," he said. "Once the smoke clears out, then that's when that whole rush of chemicals goes to your brain, it's just a feel good moment."
On this particular night, it wasn't long before law enforcement arrived to shut things down.
"Right now the cops got called in, so we got a dip. I'm not sure which way they're coming from. So I'm going to go out this way because where I see people going," said 2.0 BRZ.
As he approached the road to the next meetup location, police were there blocking the path.
The group had already attracted the eye in the sky in the form of a police chopper. So began dangerous game of cat and mouse.
An added layer of pressure for BRZ is that he's an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. But he says that won't stop him, in fact, it's what motivates in the most.
"We're proud of our country we want to rep that. It's the Mexican flag, that's why we bring it out we show it, because we're proud of our heritage, we're proud from where we come from," he said.
Private Meets started within the last six months, founded by a group of car lovers in the Downey area.
Another member, "HQ" started off as a group videographer. He's now one of the many members who help organize sideshows.
He says that it's all about community.
"We're just here to have fun and we're here to have a good time," said HQ. "Yeah, we have our own club, and we're here to make a name for ourselves, but we're not trying to bother anyone else, this is just what we do for fun. Just how you have your hobbies. This is our hobby."
He also understands the dangers, but he says that the observers who are willing to come out are aware they do so at their own risk.
"Yeah, people get hurt so, you know the risk that you're running when you're coming out. The only difference is we're not trying go out there and hurt anyone," said HQ.
In order for Private Meets to make a name for themselves as a group, they're pulling up all of the stops to gain respect from some of the more established clubs.
In the middle of a massive crowd, HQ yells out, "were doing the 91 West before the 605 entrance. Let's go."
He explained how it all works.
"Gotta get everyone in line, shut down every single lane including the shoulders all at once. If you leave one shoulder open, you're done. CHP can roll up in a matter of minutes, seconds," he said. "But we've been doing this for a long time, we've been prepping for it. So far every time we've done it, we've never had a cop"
Ultimately he said it's about doing what they have always grown up knowing.
"It's just kinda like you grow up. And so you know, you either grow up doing one thing or you end up doing another. It could be some in between, but let's be honest you come out here for the adrenaline rush on the day. You can get that adrenaline rush anywhere else committing some crime, maybe robbing," said HQ.
"Or you can come here, you know, show out and be right next to a car that's swinging going as fast as it can probably. You can see a car coming at you. That's just the adrenaline rush you get. That's what keeps us, that's what drives everyone to come out."