Poor Street Design Found Factor in Tennessee Car Show Crash

The final state report on a Tennessee car-show crash that killed six spectators says the public street on which an ill-fated dragster demonstration was staged was poorly designed for such an exhibition.

The crash occurred in June 2007 in Selmer, a small town 80 miles east of Memphis. The driver of the race car that plowed into onlookers pleaded guilty in August of this year to 28 charges of reckless assault. He was sentenced to 18 months probation.

Civil suits seeking millions of dollars in damages are still pending.

A crash report by the Tennessee Highway Patrol says the 3,000 horse power dragster reached 92 miles an hour in 3.56 seconds before swerving into spectators standing six deep on the side of the street.

Six spectators were killed and 22 others injured, many seriously.