R.I.P. Sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. hit by Tony Stewart

[Gunman]

Originally Posted by litemup

Disagree. The whole circuit could be heard at idle. There was one car that goosed it after a long silence. The sound of the wing smack can be used as a reference.

Agree to disagree then.

I don't put much faith in the audio of a cellphone, shooting from the stands, across the front stretch, the infield, to the back stretch. Common practice for sprint cars to gun the engine under yellow, and use the throttle to turn. That footage, in my opinion, isn't enough to decide anything, beyond reasonable doubt. The authorities have more video, and hopefully better angles, to determine what happened.

I will say, every sprint car driver I know, says right side visibility is almost nil with the big wing endplate. Add in the black firesuit, helmet, a car in front of Tony, and the darkness, it is not out of the question the Tony didn't see him, and if he did, it was too late.

Also, the shunt wasn't that bad, at least what we can see from that cellphone footage, the right rear was down, but it's very conceivable that the push truck would have gotten him to the pit, and a new tire would have gotten him back on track, had he stayed in the car. Emotion put him in a place he shouldn't have been.

Regardless, it's a tragedy, and all of us involved in racing feel terrible about it.

[Raven 6]

Before I say anything keep in mind that I'm not a big NASCAR fan and even less of a fan of Tony Stewart. Now that being said, if there is any dumbass on here that is stupid enough to think he ran over that guy on purpose needs to have their head checked. It was a plan out accident. Everyone is too happy to just go on a roasting beige in this country, it doesn't matter if it's Tony Steward, Paula Dean, OJ, Obama, whoever. Get a life and quit letting the media do your thinking for you.

[jdmblood]

Wow why would you run out into the track with a bunch of cars flying by. Did he seriously expect Stewart to stop his car? This is a tragedy no doubt about that but c'mon man have a little more common sense than to run into the track.

[Atropine]

Gonna sound cold...but as many of you know...I don't care if I sound cold.

How long until his family sues Tony Stewart because he is rich?

How much will they sue for?

I think less than a month...

5 Million+

[litemup]

Originally Posted by Raven 6

Before I say anything keep in mind that I'm not a big NASCAR fan and even less of a fan of Tony Stewart. Now that being said, if there is any dumbass on here that is stupid enough to think he ran over that guy on purpose needs to have their head checked. It was a plan out accident. Everyone is too happy to just go on a roasting beige in this country, it doesn't matter if it's Tony Steward, Paula Dean, OJ, Obama, whoever. Get a life and quit letting the media do your thinking for you.

Are you high? Go back. Read again.

[Liehtw8]

I also do not follow any NASCAR or dirt track racing. So I could care less who the driver that hit him was. That being said Ward almost gets clipped by the blue and white #45 moments before getting hit. Is it possible Tony did not even see him on the track and throttled out to try and avoid him? But if Tony already has a negative image do people always just assume the worst? Guilty because a view from across the track looks like it? What about from the drivers perspective?

Just curious. Seems like everyone just likes to see people burn

[Freeman]

Originally Posted by Liehtw8

But if Tony already has a negative image do people always just assume the worst? Guilty because a view from across the track looks like it? What about from the drivers perspective?

Just curious. Seems like everyone just likes to see people burn

^^^^^ this. I don't follow NASCAR but from what I've seen here and other places, people don't like him so they want him to burn.

[nlamon33]

I'm not too familiar with this type of driving, but aren't these cars mostly steered with the throttle? The fact that he hit the gas may very well have been him trying to avoid the driver who got out of his car on a hot track.

[litemup]

Originally Posted by Liehtw8

I also do not follow any NASCAR or dirt track racing. So I could care less who the driver that hit him was. That being said Ward almost gets clipped by the blue and white #45 moments before getting hit. Is it possible Tony did not even see him on the track and throttled out to try and avoid him? But if Tony already has a negative image do people always just assume the worst? Guilty because a view from across the track looks like it? What about from the drivers perspective?

Just curious. Seems like everyone just likes to see people burn

I think Ward, being pissed, just smacked the #45 wing with his hand on purpose.

There were floods everywhere. Yeah, Tony was probably not paying attention in the exact same spot where one lap earlier he and Ward tangled.

I'm sure that POS camera phone had a way better angle. Yeah, Tony didn't see him.

[Gunman]

Originally Posted by jdmblood

Wow why would you run out into the track with a bunch of cars flying by. Did he seriously expect Stewart to stop his car? This is a tragedy no doubt about that but c'mon man have a little more common sense than to run into the track.

Not uncommon. Emotion makes people act, before thinking. I've seen drivers do that in pretty much every series I watch, Sprint Cup, Nationwide, USCR, the former ALMS and Grand Am, Indy Car. Helmets, and gloves get thrown, fingers waved, etc. I hope the officials and safety workers make more of an effort to restrain the angry driver in the future, to prevent tragedy's like this.

[mike the snake]

I don't think Tony was at fault in any way.

The car just in front of Tony just barely missed Ward, and I'm betting Tony didn't see him until it was too late.

The drivers can't see much to the right at all in these cars.

With the straight axle, turning the wheel without throttle, these cars just basically go straight. In the vid, where it sounds like Tony hit the gas right before hitting Ward, he may actually Have hit the gas, but if so, it was to try and avoid hitting Ward.

There's no way Tony tried in any way to hit ward.

This is just a terrible accident that never would have happened if Ward hadn't gotten out of his car. Very unfortunate.

[jdmblood]

Originally Posted by Gunman

Not uncommon. Emotion makes people act, before thinking. I've seen drivers do that in pretty much every series I watch, Sprint Cup, Nationwide, USCR, the former ALMS and Grand Am, Indy Car. Helmets, and gloves get thrown, fingers waved, etc. I hope the officials and safety workers make more of an effort to restrain the angry driver in the future, to prevent tragedy's like this.

im aware that racers fight after the race is over or after a major crash but to run in front of a car is just idiotic

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by btoast

I'm a bit confused. Why did Ward walk into traffic? Why was the race not halted when he got out of his car ON THE TRACK? Did Stewart hit Ward on purpose?

It looks like Stewart (the #14 car) ran Ward (#13) off the track and into a wall. Then Ward got out and tried to flag Stewart down--I assume to fight him. But Stewart either did not see him or did see him and hit him.

Am I correct in my analysis. I am unfamiliar with this type of racing.

Because it seems like a popular thing to do in roundy round racing.


It's beyond retarded and it doesn't surprise me that someone died from it. Never get out of a car on a hot track unless it's on fire, and then run to the wall, don't cross the track surface. If you have to cross the track then don't do so when there's traffic. In this case the idiot (sorry but it's an idiotic move) did so simply to call out another driver. Just dumb and childish behavior.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by tYtEn86

He saw him and ran him over.

I think he tried to get close, I wouldn't say that he intended to run him over..