Tony Stewart Hits, Kills Driver Kevin Ward Jr.

[b2r]

 

Tony Stewart Hits, Kills Driver Kevin Ward Jr. At Canandaigua Motorsports Park [GRAPHIC VIDEO]

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. (AP) -- Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart struck and killed a sprint car driver who had climbed from his car and was on the darkened dirt track trying to confront Stewart during a race in upstate New York on Saturday night.

Kevin Ward Jr. had crashed following contact with Stewart one lap earlier and got out of his car as it was stopped along the fence. Video of the incident showed Ward walking from his crashed car onto the racing surface as cars circled by, and, as he gestured at Stewart's passing car, he was struck.

WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO



www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/10/tony-stewart-kevin-ward_n_5665445.html

[b2r]

    Racer Kevin Ward Jr.'s Friend Gives Eyewitness Account of Tony Stewart Accident

 “I know Tony could see him. I know how you can see out of these cars,” he added. “When Tony got close to him, he hit the throttle. When you hit a throttle on a sprint car, the car sets sideways. It set sideways, the right rear tire hit Kevin, Kevin was sucked underneath and was stuck under it for a second or two and then it threw him about 50 yards.”

    www.justjared.com/2014/08/10/racer-kevin-ward-jr-s-friend-gives-eyewitness-account-of-tony-stewart-accident/

[The Captain]

My BIL races on the amateur circut.  He said the second there was a yellow flag (and there was one) all the drivers should slow down and be on the lookout for people on the track (EMT, pit crews, etc).  He's not normally a person to offer his opinion but thinks it's only a matter of time until charges are brought.

There is no doubt in my mind Stewart knew there was a caution on the track. 

[NancysSummerSip]

As someone with a racing background, I place most of the responsibility on Ward.

All race tracks and all motorsports sanctioning bodies have an ironclad rule: Drivers, do not exit your cars, even a damaged car, on a hot race track (hot track is defined as one where cars are still moving at or near race speeds), unless staying in the car poses a greater threat than getting out (example: the car is on fire). This rule keeps you out of harm's way (you don't get hit by debris or other cars) and it minimizes any possible bodily injury you may have suffered when you got wrecked (those seatbelts are tight for a reason, and the HANS device and helmet stabilize the head and spine in the event of impact).

Ward, wearing a dark suit and helmet, exited his car onto a hot track and walked into the path of oncoming sprint cars. A slick track (by design) and dark (no spectator seating in that area) and he expected to be missed by drivers as he unleashed his wrath. Sprint cars don't drive anything like any other race car; the tires are smooth and the wing attachment designed to give the car a lot of drift and side movement.

I'm no fan of Stewart's, but I do not hold him responsible here. He is too much the businessman and has too much at stake to get into it with a 20-year-old unknown.

And the fact that a caution was out does not mean everyone slows down immediately. A caution (yellow flag or yellow lights) may not be seen by all the drivers at the same time. Their crew chiefs can and usually do radio them to let them know, but the noise may prevent the transmission from being heard. And Stewart's hitting the throttle is not an indication of premeditation. It could have easily been panic; he may have been trying to avoid hitting Ward, or his car, or another vehicle coming up behind him.

[chiver78]

Aug 11, 2014 12:52:56 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

As someone with a racing background, I place most of the responsibility on Ward.

All race tracks and all motorsports sanctioning bodies have an ironclad rule: Drivers, do not exit your cars, even a damaged car, on a hot race track (hot track is defined as one where cars are still moving at or near race speeds), unless staying in the car poses a greater threat than getting out (example: the car is on fire). This rule keeps you out of harm's way (you don't get hit by debris or other cars) and it minimizes any possible bodily injury you may have suffered when you got wrecked (those seatbelts are tight for a reason, and the HANS device and helmet stabilize the head and spine in the event of impact).

Ward, wearing a dark suit and helmet, exited his car onto a hot track and walked into the path of oncoming sprint cars. A slick track (by design) and dark (no spectator seating in that area) and he expected to be missed by drivers as he unleashed his wrath. Sprint cars don't drive anything like any other race car; the tires are smooth and the wing attachment designed to give the car a lot of drift and side movement.

I'm no fan of Stewart's, but I do not hold him responsible here. He is too much the businessman and has too much at stake to get into it with a 20-year-old unknown.

all of that. you don't get out of your car on the track during the race unless it's on fire. I'm sorry he died, but had he stayed in his car, he'd very likely be all over the NASCAR media outlets still whining about Stewart having spun him out.

[b2r]

  IMHO...Tony was like...How dare you call me out, I'm TONY STEWART and was going to spray the young driver with dirt and got too close. 

[chiver78]

did you watch the clip b2r? Ward walked right toward Tony's car. Tony's no saint, but this one wasn't all on him.

[NancysSummerSip]

Aug 11, 2014 13:00:15 GMT -5 b2r said:

  IMHO...Tony was like...How dare you call me out, I'm TONY STEWART and was going to spray the young driver with dirt and got too close. 

I don't think you're too far off on that, actually. Tony might have been thinking that, had he known the two actually made contact. Some of the videos show that they did, while others are less definitive. My own opinion is that they likely did make contact.

But in a sprint car, at those speeds, with limited vision, Stewart may not have known he made contact with Ward. And I don't think he'd do something like run him over deliberately. Not because he lacks the temperament to do so (Stewart's punch-throwing and helmet-tossing antics are well-documented), but because he's the face of a very well-known NASCAR team, with many people depending on him, from sponsors on down to souvenir sellers. And Stewart is 43 years old; he knows his time is limited to win another championship, and to race at a competitive level. I don't think he'd consider going out of the sport in any way other than on his own terms.

[TheHaitian]

Aug 11, 2014 12:55:41 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Aug 11, 2014 12:52:56 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

As someone with a racing background, I place most of the responsibility on Ward.

All race tracks and all motorsports sanctioning bodies have an ironclad rule: Drivers, do not exit your cars, even a damaged car, on a hot race track (hot track is defined as one where cars are still moving at or near race speeds), unless staying in the car poses a greater threat than getting out (example: the car is on fire). This rule keeps you out of harm's way (you don't get hit by debris or other cars) and it minimizes any possible bodily injury you may have suffered when you got wrecked (those seatbelts are tight for a reason, and the HANS device and helmet stabilize the head and spine in the event of impact).

Ward, wearing a dark suit and helmet, exited his car onto a hot track and walked into the path of oncoming sprint cars. A slick track (by design) and dark (no spectator seating in that area) and he expected to be missed by drivers as he unleashed his wrath. Sprint cars don't drive anything like any other race car; the tires are smooth and the wing attachment designed to give the car a lot of drift and side movement.

I'm no fan of Stewart's, but I do not hold him responsible here. He is too much the businessman and has too much at stake to get into it with a 20-year-old unknown.

all of that. you don't get out of your car on the track during the race unless it's on fire. I'm sorry he died, but had he stayed in his car, he'd very likely be all over the NASCAR media outlets still whining about Stewart having spun him out.

X 3

I believe he is responsible for his own death...

[justme]

I didn't see a clip of where he actually got hit. But the guy was an idiot to start walking in the center of the track. It looked like the car before Stewart was lucky to have swerved to miss him. Who in their right mind plays chicken with a car as a pedestrian? Even more so if what people have mentioned here are true - slick track/tires, not a lot of light in the area (race cars don't have headlights to light up a person walking in front of em), etc. 

[Artemis Windsong]

I agree with Chiver.  The guy should have stayed with the car rather than charging out.

That said.  I'm sorry for all involved.

[b2r]

  No! I didn't watch the clip...TOO GRAPHIC!

  People exit their cars all the time, even in NASCAR! 
  Tony had no business being that high on the track under caution!

[greeniis10]

It's unfortunate that someone died, but that is what it takes to make more rules and penalties.  I think they are going to have to assess some seriously stiff penalties if you walk onto an active track and purposely try to taunt another driver.

I, too, believe Stewart is no saint, but thank you Nancy and chiver!  I was afraid to open this thread thinking it was not going to go this direction. 

It also makes me wonder if the immaturity factor came into play.  The kid was only 20 years old.  I wonder if there will be age limits at some point. 

[NancysSummerSip]

Aug 11, 2014 13:23:22 GMT -5 b2r said:

  No! I didn't watch the clip...TOO GRAPHIC!

  People exit their cars all the time, even in NASCAR! 
  Tony had no business being that high on the track under caution!

He may not have had a choice....if there were cars coming up on his left (and there were), then he had no means to go lower on the track. Going higher was not an option, since Ward and his car were there. Judging from the videos, I see no indication that his wheels turned either way. He was trying to maneuver through a very precarious space.
And the fact that people exit their cars "all the time" is not untrue. However, they normally do so under the direction of corner workers, track or emergency personnel. Or wait until there is no oncoming traffic, make sure they have sufficient escape time and a means to exit the track (usually through an opening in the fence or wall). But not into traffic on a hot track. Even a really pissed driver usually has some sense of self-preservation left.

[greeniis10]

One story I read yesterday said that when Tony saw Kevin approach his car and was visibly taunting him, Tony gunned the engine a bit to say, "Hey, this is NOT ok!" (or whatever) and the back of the car kicked out to the side, kind of fishtailing, and that's when it hit Kevin.  Not sure if that's what the video shows.  I've watched it, but I really can't tell.

[b2r]

Aug 11, 2014 13:37:10 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Aug 11, 2014 13:23:22 GMT -5 b2r said:

  No! I didn't watch the clip...TOO GRAPHIC!

  People exit their cars all the time, even in NASCAR! 
  Tony had no business being that high on the track under caution!

He may not have had a choice....if there were cars coming up on his left (and there were), then he had no means to go lower on the track. Going higher was not an option, since Ward and his car were there. Judging from the videos, I see no indication that his wheels turned either way. He was trying to maneuver through a very precarious space.
And the fact that people exit their cars "all the time" is not untrue. However, they normally do so under the direction of corner workers, track or emergency personnel. Or wait until there is no oncoming traffic, make sure they have sufficient escape time and a means to exit the track (usually through an opening in the fence or wall). But not into traffic on a hot track. Even a really pissed driver usually has some sense of self-preservation left.

  This was not a hot track...caution was out soon after he hit the fence. 

[NancysSummerSip]

Aug 11, 2014 13:24:02 GMT -5 greeniis10 said:

It's unfortunate that someone died, but that is what it takes to make more rules and penalties.  I think they are going to have to assess some seriously stiff penalties if you walk onto an active track and purposely try to taunt another driver.

I, too, believe Stewart is no saint, but thank you Nancy and chiver!  I was afraid to open this thread thinking it was not going to go this direction. 

It also makes me wonder if the immaturity factor came into play.  The kid was only 20 years old.  I wonder if there will be age limits at some point. 

Ward began driving sprints at age 15. And there are other racing divisions available, with smaller cars, (go karts, quarter midgets) for even younger drivers. Immaturity and poor decision-making don't necessarily have an age limit either way. The Busch brothers (Kyle and Kurt) have shown a lack of maturity regularly and both race in NASCAR's premier series.

I think the racing talent pool needs to be developed early, but along with it, there needs to be education in other issues, like anger management and adherence to the rules. Racing is not the solo sport many people think it is. You need friends and allies on the track, and in return, you help them when they need it. 

[NancysSummerSip]

Aug 11, 2014 13:42:38 GMT -5 b2r said:

Aug 11, 2014 13:37:10 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

He may not have had a choice....if there were cars coming up on his left (and there were), then he had no means to go lower on the track. Going higher was not an option, since Ward and his car were there. Judging from the videos, I see no indication that his wheels turned either way. He was trying to maneuver through a very precarious space.
And the fact that people exit their cars "all the time" is not untrue. However, they normally do so under the direction of corner workers, track or emergency personnel. Or wait until there is no oncoming traffic, make sure they have sufficient escape time and a means to exit the track (usually through an opening in the fence or wall). But not into traffic on a hot track. Even a really pissed driver usually has some sense of self-preservation left.

  This was not a hot track...caution was out soon after he hit the fence. 

That is incorrect. The definition of a hot track is a track with cars moving at or near speed, with or without a safety car or caution indicators.. A caution flag or caution lights does not mean the track is cold. And you never, ever assume that all drivers have seen the caution the second it comes out. It is not the case.
A cold track is one with no cars on it, at all, period, and the officials have declared a session over. A track is hot whether there is one car qualifying, one car out running practice laps or 40 cars are racing.

[b2r]

  Okay, but hot implies racing speeds, not caution.

[justme]

I just googled, under caution those cars aren't exactly going slow. Seems to be ~50mph for the pace car with NASCAR with some going a bit faster, but not a lot going that slow. Still way to fast to just be walking around the track in front of them.

[greeniis10]

I agree, Nancy.  I was mainly speculating about the age thing.  It just popped into my mind when I was trying to think of what kind of penalties and new rules could be made to avoid this type of thing in the future. 

In the NFL, taunting and excessive celebration is not allowed.  Unfortunately, if things like this happen too often in racing, it will go that direction as well.

[b2r]

  
  At the :24 second mark everyone is idling around the track at :35 you hear one car accelerate...that car I contend is Tony's.

  Now did he fear for his well-being from the man shaking his fist or was it intimidation that went horribly wrong?

[steff]

Tony has cancelled all his Sprint races "until further notice".  and there's already talk that he will sit out Michigan this weekend also. 

As a big racing fan, I can see this as a horrible accident.  But I do question Tony's insistence on running Sprint cars.  A year ago, at this very track, he caused a 15 car wreck that broke a young upcoming female drivers back.  It ended her racing career.  It was also about a year ago that he broke his leg while running a Sprint car.  I think of Jason Leffler's death in a Sprint car last year.  And Shane Hmiel being paralyzed due to his  accident.  Look at any video on YouTube of Bowman Gray stadium & you'll see actions that make this one look tame (other than a young man dying).  Yes, I realize that Bowman runs Modified, but it's the local small track racing that this will affect. 

I do wonder, something like this is a life altering event.  what if Tony doesn't ever race again.  what happens to Stewart-Haas Racing?  what happens to El Dora?  Tony brought El Dora & local dirt racing to a National stage.  that had a direct effect on the majority of local dirt tracks.  Those are jobs and money for small local economies. 

This is going to have a much bigger ripple effect than just for Tony & Kevin Ward's family. 

[steff]

Aug 11, 2014 14:08:34 GMT -5 b2r said:

  
  At the :24 second mark everyone is idling around the track at :35 you hear one car accelerate...that car I contend is Tony's.

  Now did he fear for his well-being from the man shaking his fist or was it intimidation that went horribly wrong?

There's no way from that video to know for sure that you hear Tony's car accelerate.  there are still other cars going around the track. 

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

a sprint car driver who had climbed from his car and was on the darkened dirt track trying to confront Stewart during a race in upstate New York on Saturday night.

Kevin Ward Jr. had crashed following contact with Stewart one lap earlier and got out of his car as it was stopped along the fence. Video of the incident showed Ward walking from his crashed car onto the racing surface as cars circled by, and, as he gestured at Stewart's passing car, he was struck.

People exit their cars all the time, even in NASCAR!
Tony had no business being that high on the track under caution!

No, people DON'T exit their cars "all the time" in NASCAR.

Your thread title makes it sound like Stewart purposely ran him over and killed him - he probably didn't even SEE him out there - because what driver in their right mind would walk out onto the track when there are cars in motion doing laps?

Ward was in no immediate danger while he was still in his vehicle - if their was a caution flag, Stewart, and all the other professional drivers on the track would be driving at a lower rate of speed than normal racing speed, aware that there was a problem on the track up ahead.

Ward was at fault for exiting his car - IN THE DARK, NO LESS -

He would have been much safer staying strapped into his vehicle - sounds like he acted impulsively by jumping out of his car onto the track - did he expect to confront Stewart by standing out there?

[greeniis10]

I think the comment about people exiting their cars refers to the fact that when they wreck or hit the wall most of the time the driver WILL exit the car quickly, 1) to let everyone know they are okay, and 2) in case the car starts on fire.  Now, walking across a live track is a different story...

[b2r]

   Maybe not in CaNASCAR.
  As far as the thread title goes...  Take it up with Huffpo?
  Should have went with Breitbart, I guess, then there would those questioning if there was even a race that night.  

  RACETRACK PRESIDENT ON FATAL ACCIDENT: I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS INTENTIONAL  
  

“I can’t see that anybody would’ve done anything intentional like that. (Tony Stewart‘s) been great when he’s with us. We’ve had a very good relationship with Tony,"

  www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-Sports/2014/08/10/Track-President-on-Fatal-Accident-It-Wasn-t-Intentional

[b2r]

  Tony's lucky he was not run over by Matt Kenseth!

[Shooby]

Count how many steps this kid took on to and out in the track. There was a car in front of Stewarts. The kid had a black suit on. As for Stewart having a temper, well so what? A lot of people do, that doesn't mean he would intentionally run someone over. I don't see this going anywhere. And if he was TRYING to hit him, he certainly could have done so with the front of his car. Ward was hit by the rear tire. So, personally I would have to conclude this was an accident. And, hitting the 'throttle" can mean a lot of things. He might have been accelerating to go around him. We don't know. Only Tony knows what really happened. But, I couldn't convict him based on this.

[Shooby]

And, in the future, there should be STEEP STEEP penalties for exiting your car and anyone who does so in the manner that Ward did should be banned from the League for life. He didn't get out to get away from his car. He purposefully and intentionally walked further and further onto the track shaking his hand at Stewart. Ward was the hothead in this instance.