A targeted patrol for unsafe drivers ended with state troopers busting a drag race in northeast Lincoln Sunday night.

NSP said it's helicopter pilots spotted several drag races going on near north 70th Street and McCormick Drive while in the air.

"What initially caught the pilot's attention was there was a car that was burning off and you could see the smoke coming from the back of it's tires. Then he saw a bunch of people congregating and then saw the cars racing," said Trooper Curt Prohaska with NSP.

NSP says the pilots notified their ground unit just before 9 p.m. and troopers cited 21-year-old Michael Marnick and 22-year-old Andrew Campbell -- both of Lincoln - for racing on a roadway, willful reckless driving and no front license plate.

Prohaska said a group of people were also gathered along the road to watch the race but scattered when troopers arrived.

Prohaska didn't know just how fast the drivers were going on Sunday but says the road has a 25 mph speed limit and they were "definitely exceeding the limit".

He said NSP believes the drivers picked the area because its secluded.

"You don't see it. Its hard to see it from any major streets around here and you really don't hear them drag racing," said Prohaska.

The trooper said they have received numerous reports about drag racing on 70th Street, McCormick and north 56th Street, but are often unable to catch the drivers.

"By the time the ground units get the report and get here, they've usually dispersed," said Prohaska, who believes the races usually have spotters watching for authorities.

Prohaska said along with the rubber marks being an eye sore, drag racing is "just plain unsafe" and illegal.

"I'd like to see an end to the drag racing out here on the public streets. Its unsafe for the drivers who are involved in this plus the citizens who are out walking around and the people who have these businesses around here."

Dell Stork's business sits on the corner of 70th and McCormick. He said while he's never witnessed any racing, he sees the remnants of them.

"The business owners and us, we just see the tracks they leave and we know they're here but we don't see them," said Stork. "If it happened during business hours when people were here it would be real dangerous but its always after hours. We're never here."