Police released a statement saying that a 6-year-old boy was killed and an 8 year-old died in Saturday’s crash at “Airport Race Wars 2” at Kerrville-Kerr County Airport. The event attracted thousands of people and saw drivers racing down a runway to compete for cash.
Kerrville police stated that the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into parked cars, striking spectators watching the races.
All of the injured victims were transported to different hospitals, with one woman aged 46 being listed as in critical condition. Authorities said that most of the injuries sustained were not life-threatening. However, the condition of a 26 year-old male was unknown. A 3-month-old girl and a boy aged 4 were taken to the hospital for precautionary evaluations.
Authorities have yet to release the identities of the children killed in the incident, which occurred about 60 miles (97 km) northwest of San Antonio.
Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau promoted the event as an action-packed, family-friendly day in which fans could see the fastest drag cars compete for more than $8000 in total prizes.
Louis Amestoy, a freelance journalist, said that more than 3,500 people attended the event.
The race was one-eighth of a mile (0.2 km) long. Water-filled plastic barriers lined the route. Amestoy claimed that they did not extend beyond the finish line and provided no protection for spectators or cars, as they were slowing down towards the end.
In the absence of stands, spectators could reach the track within 15 feet (4.62 meters). Many watched the race from lawn chairs. Amestoy, a telephone interviewee with The Associated Press, stated that organizers reminded spectators to keep on the grass and not on the asphalt.
Amestoy stated that the driver was close to the end of the strip, when the car turned off the track.
