Tennessee - 4 killed, up to 15 hurt in dragster incident at show

Associated Press (excerpt) ^ | June 17, 2007

[HAL9000]

Excerpt -

SELMER, Tenn. — A drag-racing vehicle lost control during a parade and spun into a crowd of bystanders on Saturday night, killing four adults and injuring up to 15 people, authorities said.

Investigators were trying to determine what caused the vehicle to careen into the crowd at the Cars for Kids charity event in Selmer, located about 80 miles east of Memphis.

Scott Henley, of Selmer, witnessed the accident around 6:30 p.m. CDT and said the vehicle started burning off its tires, then began to fishtail and slammed into a light pole before spinning around into the audience.

Selmer Police Chief Neal Burks said, "bodies were flying into the air when it happened."

~ snip ~

[Moonman62]

I guy I played little league baseball with got killed at a drag strip by an out of control car many years ago.

I remember seeing accidents at races where debris like wheels and tires got up into the stands, but I think the fencing has been improved since then.

[Dumpster Baby]

Many years ago I was at a drag strip, in the pit area beside the starting line. I was leaning on the right front fender of the ambulance. A dragster came up to the line and had a flywheel explosion during the burnout. A guy up in the stands on the far side got fragged in the chest, so the ambulance had to go get him. The ambulance crew found the right front tire had a big hole in it, and another ambulance had to be called in. When they changed the tire on the ambulance they pulled out a large chuck of flywheel that had torn through the tread of the tire and wrecked the steel wheel. That chunk missed my left leg by a few inches, and would have probably cut it off if it had hit me.

Spectating at car races is dangerous, too.

[headstamp]

Yes, I’ve seen that happen though luckily the car had a ballistic blanket wrapped around the outer bell housing to contain it.

[headstamp]

Is that THE McNairy County of Buford Pusser fame?

[Salamander]

Back in the 70s, my then-boyfriend’s folks took us to a stock car race at the local dirt track.
We were sitting on one of the turns and a tire flew off and slammed into the flimsy chainlink fence right in front of us.

Last car race I ever went to.

[I can take a hint].....:)

[skeptoid]

Sad story, .... a tragedy.

Have you heard of the Shelly Howard accident that Dar & Driver called nearly unbelievable. the most freakish, nightmarish accident in drag-racing history

[skeptoid]

Car & Driver

[Dumpster Baby]

Here's Don Garlits losing half his right foot to a clutch explosion:

[mkleesma]

Here’s video:
http://www.breitbart.tv/html/1794.html

[Fresh Wind]

They had no business doing that kind of stunt with no protective barriers whatsoever for the crowd. The driver (if he survived) is a murderer, and the event organizers are criminally negligent.

The lawsuits will begin Monday morning.

[bad company]

Full throttle pass, full on race car with only a guardrail between the car and spectators. Whole bucket of stupid there.

[gop4lyf]

agreed

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Unfortunately, this kind of stupidity is pretty much par for the course in these small towns, coming from one myself. The driver should be sued as well as the event organizers since dragsters like this one have absolutely no business around crowds on real highways like Route 64 here.

[ryan71]

“They had no business doing that kind of stunt with no protective barriers whatsoever for the crowd. The driver (if he survived) is a murderer, and the event organizers are criminally negligent.”

After seeing the video, I agree with you.

[AlexW]

“Is that THE McNairy County of Buford Pusser fame?”

Yes it is the same county where Pusser was sheriff.
My last US residence was in Hardeman, the adjoining
county on the West. I was in the two-way radio business and had many customers over there.

[robertpaulsen]

The reporting is a little bizarre, too:

"Although the dragster was pointed toward the start line and the wheels were spinning in that direction, the tremendous momentum continued to send it backward, toward the finish line, which it passed, astonishingly, at 115 mph with a time of 6.633 seconds."

I surprised the author didn't add, "... a finishing time which put her in 14th place.

"This rearward travel finally ended about 1500 feet past the finish line, with Howard unconscious and the dragster's throttle still at full tilt. Then the rear wheels sent the dragster headed back toward the start line, careening off the spectator and tower lanes as it gained speed, and crossing the line where it had started the race just seconds earlier, at perhaps 250 mph."

"... with a much better time of 5.033 seconds."

[Log]

Yes, it’s also the Selmer, TN of Mary Winkler fame. I think the residents of Selmer would rather clame Buford.

[Lurking in Kansas]

They had no business doing that kind of stunt with no protective barriers whatsoever for the crowd. The driver (if he survived) is a murderer, and the event organizers are criminally negligent.

Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.

The lawsuits will begin Monday morning.

I’m not one for lawsuits, but in this case deservedly so!

[vetvetdoug]

I live 8 miles from there. I was going to the Cars for Kids but plans changed because of my job. Larry Price, the organizer for Cars For Kids, has had more than his share of bad luck. His wife died of cancer and his son was disabled. His charity has helped a lot of kids and the man lives like a pauper. Two years ago at the same event, a hot rodder got on the highway and spun out and killed two. Price has no control on hot rodders that come and go at the event.

The names of the killed will likely be in the paper or word of mouth will identify them....Thanks for posting this...