Out-of-control dragster kills six in Tennessee
A tragic accident at a charity drag race Saturday night in Selmer, Tenn. has claimed the lives of at least six people, including a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old, and injured as many as 18 others. An Associated Press report on CNN has witnesses saying the car was participating in an exhibition burnout when it went out of control, slammed into a utility pole and careened through the crowd. Apparently the car was on a public street lined with spectators and no guard rails.Ironically, the event was organized to raise money for Cars for Kids, which was set up by Larry Price after his son recovered from a life-threatening bike accident in 1990. Cars for Kids posted this statement on its Web site...
We as a Cars For Kids organization would like to extend our deepest regrets and sympathy to all the victims and their families who were involved in yesterday's tragedy. This organization began to help children all across the world because of an almost fatal accident 18 years ago. Our intention has always been to help as many children and their families as we possibly could. As an organization we want everyone to know the loss is deep within our hearts and we will carry the scars of each loss forever. At this time the future of Cars For Kids is undecided.
According to the AP, the car is usually driven by Troy Critchley of Wylie, Texas, but no one could say if he was the driver at the time of the crash. Critchley's official Web site only displays a "not available," but can be seen in Google archives.
Amateur video of the crash as well as TV news video is available at WMCTV, but is in WMP format only, so good luck with it. AP has video coverage of the emergency response available to all.
UPDATE: Troy Critchley has been officially identified as the driver of the car at the time of the incident. Updated CNN.com coverage at the "Read" link.
Thanks for the tip, Chris P.
[Sources: The Associated Press, CNN, WMCTV, The Jackson Sun]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Chris Vitale 6:47PM (6/17/2007)
Absolutly horrible. Things like this are few and far between, and the irony of the whole situation! I want to see a video of what happened. I've never heard of a car losing control in a burnout and doing that kind of damage.
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JayP 6:57PM (6/17/2007)
The video was surreal- a funny car burnout on the street with people lined on the sidewalk. It's as bad as it sounds.
The image of the paramedic overcome tells the tale. This guy's seen horrible things before.
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HotRodzNKustoms 7:07PM (6/17/2007)
Who decided this was a good idea to have a full on funny car do burnouts 8 feet from spectators with no protection?
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Driver 7:10PM (6/17/2007)
That is quite stupid of whoever organized this event! Its like having people setup their picnic baskets around the circuit while F1 cars are driving around! Even the thought of it is idiotic! I wish all the victims families a sound recovery from this tragedy.
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Seminole 7:17PM (6/17/2007)
The time to question who was responsible and what went wrong will come. Right now we should pray for those still in the hospital, and for the families of those who passed.
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William Crabtree 7:19PM (6/17/2007)
Ok..tell me this.
Street racing is illegal in most cities/states.
Why would a charity event be setup on a stree with a built DRAG CAR be any safer than a domesticated car?
Sounds like this event should have been put on at a track to say the least.
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TIMMAH! 7:30PM (6/17/2007)
Whoever organized the event was stupid and irresponsible. Having a funny car burnout down the street with unprotected bystanders is crazy.
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icetraxx 7:42PM (6/17/2007)
I do not understand how this could of been legal in the first place, tons of safety precautions need to be taken before running these cars on a safe drag-strip with barricades let alone the fact that this car was not street legal. Running a funny car/pro-mod car on a street with spectators a few feet away is totally irresponsible especially since a street has all sorts of dirt, potholes, and cracks unlike a slick dragstrip with a fresh coating of VHT. Traction is the biggest problem with this sport and a street would not have enough of it. I feel for the families that were affected by this and am disappointed with the AMS team, they will never be professionals ever again in my book.
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aaron 7:47PM (6/17/2007)
"Cars for Kids" is done...
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Greg 7:53PM (6/17/2007)
Absolutely the most irresponsible use of a top fuel funny car ever.
I just watched the 'Part 1' and 'Part 2' of the 'Raw Footage' that is furnished on the above story and all I can say is.... as a person who has attended Top Fuel events in the past at Englishtown New Jersey, not just as a spectator but as a representitive of Sponsorship of 2 major race teams, and also as a friend of the crew chief for another major Pro Stock race team... I am APPALLED that this event would allow such a spectacle to even take place.
The driver and owner of this car are in serious trouble, along with the organizers.
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Brent 9:31PM (6/17/2007)
As a drag racer, I am absolutely outraged over this tragedy.
If the driver doesn't retire, he should receive a lifetime
ban from participating in sanctioned drag racing.
Racers have tried to improve the image drag racing for the past 50 years only to have this tragedy occur and do irrepairable damage to the cause. Race cars belong on race tracks.
My deepest sympathies to the victims and their families.
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Michael 10:12PM (6/17/2007)
This is a wonderful idea gone wrong. Seems like each year the event wanted to one up the previous year. I drove my FWD LeBaron convertible in Selmer one year with a 5 year old pagent runner-up riding in the back. The RWD's (mustangs, vettes, etc.) who were carrying pagent winners in the parade were stopping at set places where the road had been sprayed with water and doing burnouts (with the kids in the back of the car.) That was the last year I participated for obvious reasons.
I hope cars for kids gets back to their roots and moves forward, it is a wonderful idea with a great following.
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Chris 9:38AM (6/19/2007)
Which bit of driving a funny can on a street with bysanders close by was EVER going to be a "wonderful idea".
It was a stupid idea. I hope the organizers get sued real hard and jailed for it.
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Michael 11:34PM (6/18/2007)
If you had read the entire comment, you would have seen that I said it was a wonderful idea gone wrong. Look at the website for CFC, they have a great reason for being. Like I said in the email, each year it seemed they wanted to 'one up' the previous. This event did not start years ago with funny cars racing down the street, it went wrong somewhere and had horrible results.
Graham 10:37PM (6/17/2007)
This wasn't a "race" as I've seen a couple of articles mention, but it was simply a parade with burnouts. Which I'm sure they now realize was a horrible idea.
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bestmacs 10:56PM (6/17/2007)
Interesting sidebar on this issue, relating to the Australian F1 grand prix three years ago. There was a special F1 streetfest, with thousands of lunchtime spectators packing out the CBD, standing behind barriers but in effect, only a couple of feet away from the cars. Local authorities were aghast at the speeds recorded, which is why the Ferrari street parade in Melbourne this year was given permission (only just) and was told strict speed limits would apply.
Cheers
David McMahon
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Stoneman 11:19PM (6/17/2007)
A real tragedy. You wonder how much preparation and safety goes into these events; what a shame. I feel bad for the families.
Stoneman
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Hubec 12:04AM (6/18/2007)
Wow. If I hadn't seen the video I would have never believed that a group of people could plan and execute such an incredibly stupid stunt. It seems clear to me that this is a case of reckless endangerment leading to involuntary manslaughter. Horrible.
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Nr9 11:38PM (6/17/2007)
drag racing should be banned. its the most pointless race ever.
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Endurancevm 6:14PM (7/04/2007)
If you want to talk about useless races, NASCAR. At least in drag racing people try to prove their speed in the 1/4. In NASCAR, they go around an oval with the same engines and same cars(basically).
This was not a race, but an unfortunate set of events that led to the passing of several people who's families will miss them dearly. My condolences go out to them.