The Indian-origin organiser of a "car cruise" event that resulted in at least 17 people being injured in southern England blamed rogue racers for cars crashing into spectators lined up on the side of the streets.
Rix Sidhu said he was "devastated" after the crash, which occurred in Stevenage on Thursday night.
"I've been running this for 10 years and we have never had one incident. We were raising money for charity, as we often do, and there was no speed element to it," he said.
He said the meet was held in a car park with a speed bump at the entrance. "But unfortunately some people went a bit rogue. We try and stop that, we urge people urge them on social media beforehand not to go out on the roads, not to risk injury or anything."
He said: "We've decided we're not going to run these any more. After 17 years, it's over. Some people like drinking and that sort of thing, we just like cars. They are our pride and joy, what we are interested in. Unfortunately this incident means we are all going to be tarred with the same brush people will say we are boy racers."