Chalk this up to a persistent influence of "car culture" that sprang up shortly after the interstate highway system went in, and the mass migration to the West

Chalk this up to a persistent influence of "car culture" that sprang up shortly after the interstate highway system went in, and the mass migration to the West Coast and consequent mass distribution of this culture via TV and movies) accompanied it. Other inputs of note are the de facto requirement that nearly everyone has to drive, including people with lots of free time, disposable income (or both) on their hands, which means for the most part young single men addicted to adrenaline rush of speed and prioritize making the car go fast (or appear to go fast), above all else. or old empty nesters finally able to spend their weekends amateur wrenching on some old iron block beast they never could afford to properly maintain as a teen.