Tony Stewart Hits, Kills Driver Kevin Ward Jr.

[zibazinski]

If my kid died, especially from their own stupidity, involving the world would be the last thing on my mind.

[steff]

Who are we to decide how they should be grieving?  They have every right to feel what they feel.   It's THEIR feelings & loss.  Everyone deals with grief differently & it's not our place to tell anyone that their way is wrong.

[steff]

Sept 25, 2014 20:50:30 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

If my kid died, especially from their own stupidity, involving the world would be the last thing on my mind.

The "world" was involved from the moment the accident happened.   If it hadn't been a big named driver such as Stewart, anyone outside the Nascar fans wouldn't even know it happened.

did you know that last weekend a driver at a local dirt track in Washington state died on the track in a practice accident? 

so the "world" is watching them grieve, they aren't putting it on display for the world.  The world was invited into their grief, but the family didn't say "come share it with us". 

[zibazinski]

Yup, especially if you think you can get money. I'd hide my head in shame if I had a child on drugs who involved another in an accident instead of defending it. Stewart's an idiot if he pays them a dime. That just encourages people to sue for nothing. 

[steff]

I'm done. 

Have a nice night.

[NancysSummerSip]

Sept 25, 2014 20:58:20 GMT -5 steff said:

Sept 25, 2014 20:50:30 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

If my kid died, especially from their own stupidity, involving the world would be the last thing on my mind.

The "world" was involved from the moment the accident happened.   If it hadn't been a big named driver such as Stewart, anyone outside the Nascar fans wouldn't even know it happened.

did you know that last weekend a driver at a local dirt track in Washington state died on the track in a practice accident? 

so the "world" is watching them grieve, they aren't putting it on display for the world.  The world was invited into their grief, but the family didn't say "come share it with us". 

Interesting you brought up that latest fatality. It got exactly one line of coverage in our local paper, and none on TV. I agree with you: unless it's a "name" involved, no one pays attention. An absolutely nothing since then; not even online.

BTW, Steff, totally off-topic, but you and I have to get together to watch a race.

[steff]

a quote from an interview with Tony Stewart today at Dover.

On the advice of legal counsel, Stewart would not describe what he remembers about the crash at Canandaigua Motorsports Park, but insists what happened "was 100 percent an accident."

"The end result is a talented driver lost his life," Stewart said. "Instead of being mindful of that, people are spending more time pointing fingers right now than they are helping a family grieve and understanding what happened."

m.apnews.com/ap/db_268756/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=326MpZHE


Like I said, you can support/believe/feel relief for Tony, AND you can have sympathy & understanding for what Kevin Ward's family is going thru.  It doesn't have to be either/or....one or the other. 

[steff]

Sept 26, 2014 11:52:07 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Sept 25, 2014 20:58:20 GMT -5 steff said:

The "world" was involved from the moment the accident happened.   If it hadn't been a big named driver such as Stewart, anyone outside the Nascar fans wouldn't even know it happened.

did you know that last weekend a driver at a local dirt track in Washington state died on the track in a practice accident? 

so the "world" is watching them grieve, they aren't putting it on display for the world.  The world was invited into their grief, but the family didn't say "come share it with us". 

Interesting you brought up that latest fatality. It got exactly one line of coverage in our local paper, and none on TV. I agree with you: unless it's a "name" involved, no one pays attention. An absolutely nothing since then; not even online.

BTW, Steff, totally off-topic, but you and I have to get together to watch a race.

I live very close to Road America and Lanier Speedway (our local dirt track & I can literally hear cars running at Road America when standing in my yard) and we barely heard about a driver at Lanier that was seriously injured this year.  But we heard all about when Brad Keslowski wrecked at Road America & broke his ankle during testing a couple of years ago.  All because it was a big named driver. Even our little bitty once a week newspaper had Keslowski's wreck front page when it happened. 

If Tony hadn't been connected to Kevin Ward's death, we MIGHT have heard about it IF Nascar changed rules because of it.  But odds are, they wouldn't even have changed any rules.  We ONLY have all this coverage because it's a famous Nascar driver.  And it didn't help that Tony has a history of ummmm anger "issues".  I saw some of the most outrageous articles that included video & pics of Tony's "anger issues" and 99% of the time, I remember how everyone, including the announcers laughed at what happened.  Matt Kennseth & the great two handed Tony helmet throw at Bristol kept showing up.  It was ridiculous. 

I'd love to watch a race with you Nancy!   Just keep in mind, I hate Kyle Busch, I scream at the tv, I hate Kyle Busch, Talladega makes me act like a crazy woman, I hate Kyle Busch, I wear my Junior gear like a rabid fan on race day and I hate Kyle Busch.   did I mention that I HATE Kyle Busch?   lol 

[NancysSummerSip]

Sept 26, 2014 16:12:06 GMT -5 steff said:

Sept 26, 2014 11:52:07 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Interesting you brought up that latest fatality. It got exactly one line of coverage in our local paper, and none on TV. I agree with you: unless it's a "name" involved, no one pays attention. An absolutely nothing since then; not even online.

BTW, Steff, totally off-topic, but you and I have to get together to watch a race.

I'd love to watch a race with you Nancy!   Just keep in mind, I hate Kyle Busch, I scream at the tv, I hate Kyle Busch, Talladega makes me act like a crazy woman, I hate Kyle Busch, I wear my Junior gear like a rabid fan on race day and I hate Kyle Busch.   did I mention that I HATE Kyle Busch?   lol 

Did I mention my favorite driver is anyone who beats Kyle Busch? And Kurt Busch too, for extra good measure?

[steff]

Sept 26, 2014 16:16:28 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Sept 26, 2014 16:12:06 GMT -5 steff said:

I'd love to watch a race with you Nancy!   Just keep in mind, I hate Kyle Busch, I scream at the tv, I hate Kyle Busch, Talladega makes me act like a crazy woman, I hate Kyle Busch, I wear my Junior gear like a rabid fan on race day and I hate Kyle Busch.   did I mention that I HATE Kyle Busch?   lol 

Did I mention my favorite driver is anyone who beats Kyle Busch? And Kurt Busch too, for extra good measure?

my 2nd love to hate is Burnt Toast, I mean Sliced Bread Joey Logano. 

I was SO disappointed that there was no video of Richard Childress whooping up on Kryle.  Just like there's no video of when Jimmy Spencer popped old Kurt in the mouth.  Of all the times to not have a camera crew handy.  

[steff]

Another small bit from an interview with Tony this week.


'It's just been a really tough six weeks. I went to go have fun for a night, and that's not what ended up happening.''

Ward and Stewart didn't know each other, and Stewart doesn't recall them ever talking. He laments that in the scrutiny that followed - some questioned if Stewart had tried to intimidate Ward for stepping on the track - that the loss of the 20-year-old driver and his promising career fell to the background. He said he can't imagine how the Ward family is feeling, doesn't blame them for anything they may say about him, but hopes to someday get the chance to sit with them and talk about that night.

''I would hope they understand - maybe they do, maybe they don't, maybe they never will - that I do care,'' he said. ''I've tried to be respectful of their process of grieving and not push myself on them. I'm sure they have things that they want to know what happened and I think it's important for them at some point to hear it from my point.''

Stewart believes his past - previous eruptions have included him throwing a helmet at another car, shouting and shoving matches, and sharply worded dressing downs - has played heavily into how the public has viewed Ward's death. But he doesn't believe he has a problem with anger, and did not have a problem with Ward that evening.

''Anger had nothing to do with what happened that night,'' Stewart said. ''I wasn't angry with anything or anybody.''

www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/stewart-says-crash-was-100-percent-accident-092614


He also states in the interview that he will possibly never again drive a sprint car at local dirt tracks.  And that is sad because he did bring more people to local tracks & did a LOT for drivers & small tracks. 

[steff]

Regarding drug testing.....I knew that it would be up to the track since it wasn't a Nascar sanctioned track.


The sprint car series in which Kevin Ward Jr. raced the night he was fatally struck by a car driven by Tony Stewart does not drug test its drivers.

Chuck Miller, race director and president for the Empire Super Sprints circuit, told The Associated Press on Friday the series rule book prohibits drug or alcohol use at the track. Miller also said drivers are prohibited from competing while under the influence.

But, he added there are ''currently no testing requirements in the rules.'' That rule can be changed only by a membership vote at the annual meeting, which will be held in January.

Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo said this week Ward was under the influence of marijuana the night of Aug. 9 at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in upstate New York.

www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/series-in-which-ward-jr-raced-does-not-drug-test-092614?cmpid=tsmtw:fscom:nascaronfox

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

I still believe to this day, it was an ACCIDENT! I know that Stewart has "attitude", but Ward should NEVER have run out onto the middle of the track AT NIGHT when visibility is even more restricted - with high speed vehicles coming toward him.

I'm not condoning Stewart, but to blame him for the death seems senseless (IMO). Those cars can't stop on a dime or swerve to miss hitting something in an instant (and in that short a distance) without the possibility of crashing themselves.

[NancysSummerSip]

Sept 26, 2014 17:08:49 GMT -5 steff said:

Another small bit from an interview with Tony this week.


'It's just been a really tough six weeks. I went to go have fun for a night, and that's not what ended up happening.''

Ward and Stewart didn't know each other, and Stewart doesn't recall them ever talking. He laments that in the scrutiny that followed - some questioned if Stewart had tried to intimidate Ward for stepping on the track - that the loss of the 20-year-old driver and his promising career fell to the background. He said he can't imagine how the Ward family is feeling, doesn't blame them for anything they may say about him, but hopes to someday get the chance to sit with them and talk about that night.

''I would hope they understand - maybe they do, maybe they don't, maybe they never will - that I do care,'' he said. ''I've tried to be respectful of their process of grieving and not push myself on them. I'm sure they have things that they want to know what happened and I think it's important for them at some point to hear it from my point.''

Stewart believes his past - previous eruptions have included him throwing a helmet at another car, shouting and shoving matches, and sharply worded dressing downs - has played heavily into how the public has viewed Ward's death. But he doesn't believe he has a problem with anger, and did not have a problem with Ward that evening.

''Anger had nothing to do with what happened that night,'' Stewart said. ''I wasn't angry with anything or anybody.''

www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/stewart-says-crash-was-100-percent-accident-092614


He also states in the interview that he will possibly never again drive a sprint car at local dirt tracks.  And that is sad because he did bring more people to local tracks & did a LOT for drivers & small tracks. 

I read that interview. And I hope he does return to sprint cars. It's part of his life and soul. The dirt tracks are the one place he doesn't have to worry about the business of racing; he can just go race.
And the fact that he does have a hard shell and a ragged, edgy outside, does not mean he does not have emotions and feelings. I think he has more of both than anyone can know. Most of the reason he has been keeping his thoughts to himself is on the advice of his attorneys, who know a civil suit is likely coming, and have told him to say as little as possible.

Oh, and Joey Logano is seriously annoying, too. Not quite at Busch level yet. But annoying.

[Shooby]

There you go again. Always blaming Busch.

[steff]

Sept 27, 2014 10:12:04 GMT -5 Shooby said:

There you go again. Always blaming Busch.

Yep & will continue to do so.   the Busch brothers are all about entitlement & think their shit don't stink.  When Kyle smashed the guitar at Bristol, I knew that I would never see him as anything but a royal ass.  Anyone who destroys 300+ hours of gorgeous artwork for no reason is a total piece of shit IMO. 


GO JUNIOR! #DaleYeah

[steff]

Sept 27, 2014 10:11:01 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Sept 26, 2014 17:08:49 GMT -5 steff said:

Another small bit from an interview with Tony this week.


'It's just been a really tough six weeks. I went to go have fun for a night, and that's not what ended up happening.''

Ward and Stewart didn't know each other, and Stewart doesn't recall them ever talking. He laments that in the scrutiny that followed - some questioned if Stewart had tried to intimidate Ward for stepping on the track - that the loss of the 20-year-old driver and his promising career fell to the background. He said he can't imagine how the Ward family is feeling, doesn't blame them for anything they may say about him, but hopes to someday get the chance to sit with them and talk about that night.

''I would hope they understand - maybe they do, maybe they don't, maybe they never will - that I do care,'' he said. ''I've tried to be respectful of their process of grieving and not push myself on them. I'm sure they have things that they want to know what happened and I think it's important for them at some point to hear it from my point.''

Stewart believes his past - previous eruptions have included him throwing a helmet at another car, shouting and shoving matches, and sharply worded dressing downs - has played heavily into how the public has viewed Ward's death. But he doesn't believe he has a problem with anger, and did not have a problem with Ward that evening.

''Anger had nothing to do with what happened that night,'' Stewart said. ''I wasn't angry with anything or anybody.''

www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/stewart-says-crash-was-100-percent-accident-092614


He also states in the interview that he will possibly never again drive a sprint car at local dirt tracks.  And that is sad because he did bring more people to local tracks & did a LOT for drivers & small tracks. 

I read that interview. And I hope he does return to sprint cars. It's part of his life and soul. The dirt tracks are the one place he doesn't have to worry about the business of racing; he can just go race.
And the fact that he does have a hard shell and a ragged, edgy outside, does not mean he does not have emotions and feelings. I think he has more of both than anyone can know. Most of the reason he has been keeping his thoughts to himself is on the advice of his attorneys, who know a civil suit is likely coming, and have told him to say as little as possible.

Oh, and Joey Logano is seriously annoying, too. Not quite at Busch level yet. But annoying.

I read like 5 different articles yesterday, so I'm not sure which one it was in, but it talked about how hard it was for him to deal with everything while he wasn't racing.  I would have never thought that tough guy Tony would not be able to even watch racing. 

And I agree, it'll be very sad if he never races a sprint car again.  He does so much for the local tracks & drivers.  You know he bought firesuits for every driver at one dirt track because they didn't have high quality suits.  with the only "payback" being that his TS logo be allowed on the suits.  He took all the info from his accident & broken leg to improve the cars so that other drivers wouldn't be hurt like he was.  He can afford the R& for safety that these little drivers can't.  He's brought attention to everyone's local dirt track & improved safety for his fellow drivers.  the man LOVES his sport & wants to see it always improving & being safer for everyone. 


and I"m not even a big Tony fan, but I can clearly see how much good he does for the sport all around. 

[NancysSummerSip]

Sept 27, 2014 13:05:39 GMT -5 steff said:

Sept 27, 2014 10:11:01 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

I read that interview. And I hope he does return to sprint cars. It's part of his life and soul. The dirt tracks are the one place he doesn't have to worry about the business of racing; he can just go race.
And the fact that he does have a hard shell and a ragged, edgy outside, does not mean he does not have emotions and feelings. I think he has more of both than anyone can know. Most of the reason he has been keeping his thoughts to himself is on the advice of his attorneys, who know a civil suit is likely coming, and have told him to say as little as possible.

Oh, and Joey Logano is seriously annoying, too. Not quite at Busch level yet. But annoying.

I read like 5 different articles yesterday, so I'm not sure which one it was in, but it talked about how hard it was for him to deal with everything while he wasn't racing.  I would have never thought that tough guy Tony would not be able to even watch racing. 

And I agree, it'll be very sad if he never races a sprint car again.  He does so much for the local tracks & drivers.  You know he bought firesuits for every driver at one dirt track because they didn't have high quality suits.  with the only "payback" being that his TS logo be allowed on the suits.  He took all the info from his accident & broken leg to improve the cars so that other drivers wouldn't be hurt like he was.  He can afford the R& for safety that these little drivers can't.  He's brought attention to everyone's local dirt track & improved safety for his fellow drivers.  the man LOVES his sport & wants to see it always improving & being safer for everyone. 


and I"m not even a big Tony fan, but I can clearly see how much good he does for the sport all around. 

I had no idea how much he had made in his racing lifetime; Forbes magazine actually printed an estimate (it's over $100 million) and also mentioned how much of that he has given away in cash, in donations like you mentioned and through his charities for children and animals. Anyone who's good enough/lucky enough can make money racing, but not everyone is good enough to give of themselves by giving it away. He owns a sprint track, and if he does decide to return, I'd hedge a bet that it will be there, and likely after the NASCAR season is over. He may decide to wait, and do it as quietly as possible, not drawing attention away from the Chase.

Now, the important question of the day: will all the racing gods align to both Busch brothers from the Chase today?

[b2r]

  

[NancysSummerSip]

I really don't respect what he did to that guitar. I mean, someone worked hard at crafting that instrument, and he thought it was OK to destroy it like some sugar-fueled, demented rock star. But honestly, that incident is hardly the only reason not to like him. He's disrespectful to the media and to his entire team. When things don't go his way, he stalks off in a crybaby temper tantrum.

Oh, and have you seen him throw a punch? A four-year-old in a playground sandbox match does a better job.

[NancysSummerSip]

OK, Steff...of the four I predicted to be out, two of them are done: I predicted Edwards, Allmendinger and the Busch brothers.

And didya see Gordon's wife? Is she expecting again? She kinda looks like it.

[steff]

My yahoo fantasy league is KILLING me!   But I'm still 3rd for the season.  saying that over & over makes me feel better....I'm still 3rd for the season.   lol

I was going with WallmenDinger, Armadillora, Biffle and Dippy Denny.  so I had 3 of the 4.   I know points are reset, but Junior is sitting 10th, now I'm all nervous again.  It's been a VERY calm season with Jr winning Daytona.  Even my kiddo said I wasn't yelling at the tv & being all pissed off over Jr's finish this year.   LOL 

I didn't catch Jeffy's wifey, but I have it recorded (I usually rewatch during the week when there's nothing on tv...unless Kryle wins) & I'll check it when I rewatch it. 

[NancysSummerSip]

Sept 28, 2014 18:41:40 GMT -5 steff said:

My yahoo fantasy league is KILLING me!   But I'm still 3rd for the season.  saying that over & over makes me feel better....I'm still 3rd for the season.   lol

I was going with WallmenDinger, Armadillora, Biffle and Dippy Denny.  so I had 3 of the 4.   I know points are reset, but Junior is sitting 10th, now I'm all nervous again.  It's been a VERY calm season with Jr winning Daytona.  Even my kiddo said I wasn't yelling at the tv & being all pissed off over Jr's finish this year.   LOL 

I didn't catch Jeffy's wifey, but I have it recorded (I usually rewatch during the week when there's nothing on tv...unless Kryle wins) & I'll check it when I rewatch it. 

I'm a tad worried about Junior. He needs good finishes on these next three, just to keep his spirits up, I think. Not wins, necessarily, but top fives. And you did better than I did on the "out" drivers.

The next four out: a tad early to predict, but I'll go with Newman, Kahne, Hamlin and Busch. Kyle has a tendency to fold up and collapse under the pressure of the Chase. The other three are just far enough back that one bad race could be the end.

And I will miss the 11 a.m. news conference with Tony Stewart; I'll be on my way to an appointment at that time.

[steff]

Here's the full clip of the Tony presser.  Jump to 12:30 for the start.  I'm still watching it right now.

[NancysSummerSip]

I got the basics of it when I came back. If you are watching, I won't do the spoiler thing. Not that there were any, really.

I will give him huge kudos for being a brave guy in the face of this. Perhaps a smarter man would have decided to take his millions of dollars and quit. His soul belongs to racing, and he knows it.

And I think Ward's family is losing whatever sympathy they have on making threats and issuing letters and statements and so on. It's starting to sound less like pain and anguish and more like a witch hunt. Look, I understand their suffering, to the extent that I can, never having lost a child. But it's clear that if they have legal counsel, they are ignoring that counsel and trying to get people to their side. They could wind up poisoning the entire jury pool, should a civil trial take place.

[steff]

Yesterday I got into a heated debate with the Orange Cone on twitter over an article he wrote about the situation.  He was telling the Ward family how to grieve and like here, it just didn't sit well with me.  On the up side, at least like most others arguing with him, I didn't get told to STFU.  lol  Probably because I was one of his first followers & he actually follows me too.  But I still strongly disagree with what he wrote.

I've never been a big Tony fan, but he's also not someone I actively root against (Kyle Busch). Watching him navigate his way thru this tragedy has given me a new view of him.  I really hope that one day he is able to race sprint cars again.  It would be another loss to see all his dirt track support fall by the wayside. He works hard to make the local dirt tracks safer & to bring attention to local tracks.  I know that we've gone to Lanier raceway after watching his Eldora races with the Cup drivers. 

[NoNamePerson]

Sept 28, 2014 18:41:40 GMT -5 steff said:

My yahoo fantasy league is KILLING me!   But I'm still 3rd for the season.  saying that over & over makes me feel better....I'm still 3rd for the season.   lol

I was going with WallmenDinger, Armadillora, Biffle and Dippy Denny.  so I had 3 of the 4.   I know points are reset, but Junior is sitting 10th, now I'm all nervous again.  It's been a VERY calm season with Jr winning Daytona.  Even my kiddo said I wasn't yelling at the tv & being all pissed off over Jr's finish this year.   LOL 

I didn't catch Jeffy's wifey, but I have it recorded (I usually rewatch during the week when there's nothing on tv...unless Kryle wins) & I'll check it when I rewatch it. 

Ok don't know diddly about nascar except cars go around in circles but are you talking about a Fantasy race car league like Fantasy Football?

[steff]

yes, Yahoo has a fantasy Nascar league like Fantasy football. You pick one driver from an A group, 2 from a B group, and 1 from a C group.  Basically, front runners, mid packers, and start & parkers.  I'm 19th out of 45 for the Chase, but still sitting 3rd of 45 for the entire season. 

[NoNamePerson]

Well, like the commercial on PBS says "learn something new every day" so that is it for today!!!  Interesting.

[NancysSummerSip]

Sept 29, 2014 13:32:52 GMT -5 steff said:

Yesterday I got into a heated debate with the Orange Cone on twitter over an article he wrote about the situation.  He was telling the Ward family how to grieve and like here, it just didn't sit well with me.  On the up side, at least like most others arguing with him, I didn't get told to STFU.  lol  Probably because I was one of his first followers & he actually follows me too.  But I still strongly disagree with what he wrote.

I've never been a big Tony fan, but he's also not someone I actively root against (Kyle Busch). Watching him navigate his way thru this tragedy has given me a new view of him.  I really hope that one day he is able to race sprint cars again.  It would be another loss to see all his dirt track support fall by the wayside. He works hard to make the local dirt tracks safer & to bring attention to local tracks.  I know that we've gone to Lanier raceway after watching his Eldora races with the Cup drivers. 

Where on earth does someone find the balls to tell someone else how to grieve? That's not only creepy, it's inappropriate.

And I agree with you. I was never a Tony Stewart fan, but I am now, because of the way he's handled himself. Plus the amount of money he spends on other people and animals is just phenomenal. This is a guy who writes a six or seven-figure check when he donates.
I hope he will return to the dirt. He looks almost shell shocked at times in today's news conference. I think he is without his racing center and so lost without it.