Tragedy at Tennessee Auto Show

Via MSNBC - Witnesses question drag racer's stunt

One day after a drag-racing car careened into a crowd and killed six people, witnesses questioned why the driver was allowed to speed down a multilane highway with no guard rails, lined on both sides by hundreds of spectators.

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The crash happened Saturday during an “exhibition burnout” — when a drag racer spins his tires to make them heat up and smoke — at the Cars for Kids charity event in Selmer, located about 80 miles east of Memphis.

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Authorities identified the driver as pro drag racer Troy Warren Critchley, an Australian who is now based in Wylie, Texas. He suffered minor injuries and was taken by car to a nearby hospital for treatment, authorities said.

There were no criminal charges against Critchley, Browning said.

It was certainly a tragic accident, but it is important to realize that it was an accident. It is easy to look back and cast blame. It probably was not wise to have spectators so close to the show and unprotected, but there is little doubt that Critchley would have avoided the accident if at all possible. The article notes these technical details:

The AMS Pro Modified Series, which sponsors professional drag races, issued a news release saying the driver, a veteran of more than 20 years in drag racing, was performing a burnout when road conditions caused the car to go out of control.

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“There’s a button inside the car that you hold down, and it holds the front tires down during a burnout,” said Griffin, 19. “If the throttle gets hung, or if your foot gets caught, then you’ll take off and you wouldn’t be able to stop."

We may never know for sure what caused the accident, but it is best to withhold final judgment until all the facts are in.