Street racers cause chaos following fatal crash in Christchurch

A memorial for a man killed in a crash that also injured two of his brothers in Christchurch descended into street racing carnage last night.

Drivers travelled in convoy to a local speedway to pay tribute to Mark Nicholl Junior who died in a crash on Saturday night.

After the official event some drivers wreaked havoc on streets doing burnouts, skids and "closing down" an entire road with their antics.

Nicholl and Will Clark died when the vehicle they were in collided with a ute on Halswell Junction Rd last weekend.

Nicholl's brother Shanan was critically injured and remains in hospital in an induced coma.

Another brother Jayden was injured but it is understood he has been discharged from hospital.

The two occupants of the ute were also injured and rushed to hospital.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash and it's understood they are looking at whether street racing was involved.

Last night Jayden Nicholl revealed on Facebook that his brother's body had been released to the family and they had organised a memorial for him.

After a family only visit to Christchurch Hospital with Nicholl's casket, friends and family met at The Groynes, a popular park area in the north Christchurch area.

They then drove in convoy to Woodford Glen speedway.

The Nicholl family are well known for their participation at the speedway.

"We don't want any burnouts or stuff like that while we are at the track as out of respect for Woodford Glen for letting use," Jayden Nicholl said.

"Otherwise you will be told to leave straight away.

"We don't care what you do out of the speedway."

Mark Nicholl's body was taken from Woodford Glen to his aunt's home in Hoon Hay.

"Feel free to come show some love," said Jayden Nicholl.

"He honestly looks really good - don't be shy cause he never was."

After the official memorial drivers congregated at Pages Rd in the east of the city.

Videos posted to social media show cars tearing up the road as they skidded around and burned out in clouds of smoke.

"Rest easy Mark, we closed down Pages Road for ya," said one friend who was involved.

Police were called to the area and it is understood hundreds of cars were out at the memorial and Pages Rd event.

Shanan Nicholl's partner Paula Hardaker has been updating people on his condition on her Facebook page.

She has declined to speak publicly.

"Early yesterday they took Shanan's sedation away to see how his brain responded," Hardaker posted last night.

"He did not make many movements all day which was a very distressing time.

"Sometime just before midnight he had coughed, whilst he coughed he opened his eyes, he moved his arm and also his leg.

"As far as we know he hasn't opened his eyes to look around yet.

"But as everyone has been reminding me this is still very early stages and Shanan has major injuries he needs to recover from."