Funny car wreck in Tn.

[Todd Bailey]

www.troycritchley.com was up this morning but has since been taken off line.

Doing this parade was great for the reason it is held but don't do a power launch. Driving the car down the street while rapping the throttle a few times to get the crowds' attention would have been the better option.

THIS...will really give drag racing attention we don't need.
I don't like the word stupid. Ignorant means he SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.

My thoughts and prayers to the families.

Todd

[Mike Mayhew]

First, I add my condolences for the families of the dead and injured in this terrible accident. What a horrible night ! I can't imagine how awful to lose family members, especially kids, on what was suppose to be a fun Saturday night.

But I'm a little dissapointed on how fast we'll throw one of our own under the bus after this. It's very, VERY easy in hinesight to say how stupid etc. this was to do. Yet had the caption read DRAGRACER THRILLS CROWD WITH BURNOUT FOR CHARITY we all would have beamed with pride.
I've seen and heard of hundreds of these types of burnouts thru the years at events like this. I've done it myself here in Savannah once at a public event. Yes, a pro-mod has tons more horsepower than my stocker, but Critchley had 20 years experience with these cars. Never in his wildest dreams would he think this would happen. I believe this was a one in a million, tragic event.
Remember first, this was for charity. He was there for all good intentions, and to be an ambassador for our sport. Second, the number I've heard is that Critchleys was about the 20th car to do a burnout on this night. This has been done for years at this event. Plus, we haven't even heard anything official yet. Is it possible that a throttle hung open ?

Anyone can say in hinesight that this was stupid to do. But had things gone as planned, the crowd would have cheered. And we would think it was cool.
It didn't go as planned. How terribly tragic !!! But other than the families of the dead, who do you think feels worse about this ? How would you feel if you had tried to do something good for the community, for a great charity, and killed 6 people ?

I hope we would come together as racers at a time like this. This racer is going to live the rest of his life knowing he killed 6 people. The sport got a black eye. So, do we abandon him as a total outcast dumbass ? Or try to absorb this, educate the public that this is not the norm, and was truly a one in a million type if thing ? ( I'm trying to remember the last time I saw a racecar of any class hit the wall on a burnout at the track, I don't remember one ).

I'm sure there will be changes if they have this event next year, as there should be. I don't know Critchley, but he's a dragracer. So I feel bad for him. I feel worse for the families of the dead. But I'm just not ready to throw him under the bus.

( sorry it got long )

Mike ( madness & ) Mayhem

[jaf2021]

i live in selmer.this kind of thing has been going on for severval years but has started getting a little out of hand in my opinion. i usually take my super stocker down just for the show but i was on vacation the week before. they are giving all kinds of excuses it seems, but it was a very bad situation. my ex-sister in law(27) got an injured ankle,her sister(19) got broken arm and cracked knee cap. my 2nd cousin(19) who had been married for 1 month got both legs broke and lost her husband..it is just so hard to describe seeing the video and listening to the screams for help.just keep the families and the whole town in prayer jason

[dean ribeiro]

Mike:
FINALLY a post that is NOT full of hatred and stupidity! Obviously this is an act which began w/ nice intentions, but turned bad. Our prayers and concerns should remain with the families and Troy. In a tragic situation like this, no one needs a "Monday morning quarterback".


Dean

dean ribeiro

[rallye bob]

Let's just say.....Very bad judgment on many levels. My prayers go out.
Sad time for our beloved sport.[:-question-:]

[Bench Racer]

Mike Mayhew put it well. This is a situation of good intentions turning out bad. All the surviving parties and their families will have to relive the "what if's" of this accident every day. None of the people involved will be left untouched. I have no comment on what should or should not have taken place at the event, but I will state that this was not a drunk driver running down the highway at 70mph slamming into a van load of kids. I have worked as a Paramedic for 25+years and have saw more death than I wish to revisit. When there is a death in a crash it is either the driver, drivers friend ,f amily, or a complete strainger. The mental anguish and suffering is the same for all parties. Keep all involved in your prayers. Offer Troy a kind word and not a kick in the butt, he will be beating himself up enough without our help. Don Jackson

[art leong]

This was a "tragic" accident but an accident it was allowed by the locality. Not a pair of cars on a local road (street race).
It was an attempt to do something good. If a plane crashes at an air show. Do they condenm flying?
I feel for the injured and their families, my condolences for those that didn't make it. I also feel for the driver that will have to relive that day a million times or more.
I can remember back in my days of street racing. When there were so many people watching they actually overflowed onto the road , so as when the cars left the people would have to move back or get run over. Thank God nothing happened that night, the cars left the people moved..
When I think back now about the stupid things I've done I consider myself very lucky..

ART LEONG
SOON TO BE FRONT DRIVE SUPERSTOCKER

[Ed Fernandez]

Artie;
Might that have been 1st Ave (Bush Terminal) in Bklyn?Or maybe Columbia St. in Red Hook?

Ed

When are you coming up?

[dean ribeiro]

Mike:
sorry, after reading my post, it sounds like I am referring to you finally posting something intelligent and nice!? my reference was NOT towards you, but this site in general.

Thanks again for having the courage and decency to support a fellow racer during a very difficult time.


Dean

dean ribeiro

[art leong]

Artie;
Might that have been 1st Ave (Bush Terminal) in Bklyn?Or maybe Columbia St. in Red Hook?

Ed

When are you coming up?

I was talking about "the conduit, 150 street" It was the Smallwood Bros. Camaro against our our #3000 race hemi. We got 2 and the break. We won.
.
Hope to be up in the fall (map;le grove?). Waiting on the Cylinder head /intake setup, and a few incidentals
See you soon.

ART LEONG
SOON TO BE FRONT DRIVE SUPERSTOCKER