# Texas drag race driver slams into spectators, killing 2 kids **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 24, 2021, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107 "2021-10-24T16:04:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/1 "2021-10-24T16:04:59Z")
Thread title is the AP story title; this is pretty bad news, folks: > **[Texas drag race driver slams into spectators, killing 2 kids](https://apnews.com/article/sports-texas-kerrville-070c4b3e108b115d6d18fdeea4d5019a)** > > KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — A driver lost control during a Texas drag racing event on an airport runway and slammed into a crowd of spectators, killing two children and injuring eight other people, authorities said. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/2 "2021-10-24T16:15:17Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Thread title is the AP story title; this is pretty bad news, folks: - > [Texas drag race driver slams into spectators, killing 2 kids | AP News](https://apnews.com/article/sports-texas-kerrville-070c4b3e108b115d6d18fdeea4d5019a) From the link. > The race was an eighth of a mile (0.2 kilometers) long, and water-filled plastic barriers lined the course. But Amestoy said they didn’t extend past the finish line, **leaving no protection between spectators and cars** as they were slowing down at the end of the race. How can people this stupid remember how to breathe? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/3 "2021-10-24T16:18:22Z")
“How do they find their mouths with the food?” is the question I ask about stupid people. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/4 "2021-10-24T16:31:49Z")
Complete lack of proper safety measures.Fans within 15 feet of the track, apparently at the fast end. What were they thinking? ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/5 "2021-10-24T17:28:53Z")
Big surprise that it took place in the land of no regulation. Someone wants to put on a race where cars drive as fast as they can _at_ spectators? It would be dangerous overreach by the government to require them to put a barrier between them in case anything goes wrong! ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/6 "2021-10-25T01:19:09Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > How can people this stupid remember how to breathe? How the hell did they get permission to hold this race without proper safety precautions? I can’t believe this event okayed by any racing sanctioning body. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/7 "2021-10-25T01:21:15Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > > [@running\_coach](#): > > > > How can people this stupid remember how to breathe? > > **How the hell did they get permission to hold this race without proper safety precautions?** I can’t believe this event okayed by any racing sanctioning body. - This is Texas you’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/8 "2021-10-25T01:25:22Z")
_Freedumb!!_ ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/9 "2021-10-25T01:25:44Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > This is Texas you’re talking about. I do realize that. But it’s pretty unusual to have a race without one kind of racing “sanctioning body” to green light the safety practices of an event. Even when I’ve been involved in putting on small, local events, the county requires insurance and the insurance company requires minimum safety standards. There are only a couple of insurance companies who handle race events. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/10 "2021-10-25T01:32:07Z")
> **[2 children dead as vehicle plows into spectators at Texas drag racing event](https://abcnews.go.com/US/dead-vehicle-plows-spectators-texas-drag-racing-event/story?id=80750002)** > > The accident happened at an event called Airport Race Wars 2. > The event, **which was for amateur drivers** , was put on by Flyin’ Diesel Performance, an auto customization shop in Kerrville. The shop is located adjacent to the municipal airport. Maybe someone thought they didn’t need sanctioning or insurance for amateurs. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/11 "2021-10-25T01:46:50Z")
Read an article about the first of this race series: > **[Drag race expected to attract hundreds of visitors](https://dailytimes.com/article_2202e9b2-5c0f-11eb-a302-0f9671094e30.html)** > > A drag race at the local airport is expected to draw hundreds of visitors from out of town. The promoter is a college dropout who became a diesel mechanic and later started the auto customization shop. He just didn’t have the knowledge and experience to think about safety when setting up the races. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/12 "2021-10-25T01:57:19Z")
Sounds to me like Flyin’ Diesel Performance is about to become Flyin’ Defendant… From Google it seems the event was listed at the Kerrville Visitors and Convention Bureau page Calendar of Events (but has since been removed) as > “Airport Race Wars 2 - > An action packed, family-friendly day of all out No Prep Drag Racing. Come see some of the fastest drag cars compete for over $8000 in total prizes.” By “No Prep” I assume it is a come-as-you-are type event, just show up with your vehicles, sign the waivers (I mean, at the very least they must have had waivers to sign, they don’t sound like imbeciles) and take them to the line? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/13 "2021-10-25T02:01:45Z")
“No-prep drag racing is racing on a surface that has not been “prepped” with solutions that improve traction.” > **[2 children killed, 8 people hurt in Texas 'no-prep' drag racing crash](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/10/24/texas-no-prep-drag-racing-accident-deaths/6165291001/)** > > A drag racer in Texas lost control of his car and slammed into a crowd of spectators, killing 2 children and injuring eight people, authorities said. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/14 "2021-10-25T02:02:51Z")
Ah, ok, thank you! So it means racing on normal pavement. IgnoFought! ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/15 "2021-10-25T05:30:27Z")
> [@From the link by running\_coach](#): > > But Amestoy said they didn’t extend past the finish line, **leaving no protection between spectators and cars** > [@running\_coach](#): > > This is Texas you’re talking about. Think of the barriers, separating cars from spectators, as a kind of large-scale mask. They don’t do masks in Texas! ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/16 "2021-10-25T22:58:08Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > By “No Prep” I assume it is a come-as-you-are type event, just show up with your vehicles, sign the waivers (I mean, at the very least they must have had waivers to sign, they don’t sound like imbeciles) and take them to the line? Yes, that is what no-prep would be. We call it “Run what you brung,” but a whole lotta prep goes into some of these cars anyway. Please, let the folks have signed waivers, a standard practice in racing. Geez, do I feel bad for this organizer. I’ve organized plenty of events but I had others to guide me in what needed doing when I started out. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2021, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-drag-race-driver-slams-into-spectators-killing-2-kids/953107/17 "2021-10-26T01:08:30Z")
I may be different in Texas, but often waivers don’t get you out of gross negligence. And I how no one who was injured signed any kid of waiver.