Tony Stewart hits, kills driver Kevin Ward Jr. in sprint car race

[Ron Burgundy]

Ward SHOULD have stayed in his car. We all can agree on that. He was a 20 year old kid who acted immaturely and rash. From what I can see in the video, it doesn't APPEAR intentional on Stewart's part, but it doesn't look like he tried to get out of the way either. If the INTENT was to scare the kid, but the outcome was not intended, is it still criminal?

Attorney on the news this morning is saying it could be 2nd degree manslaughter, on the other had the county sheriff is saying no criminal chargers at this time. Even if Tony is charged I don't see it sticking because the guy got out of his car in the middle of a racetrack. I wasn't there obviously but it could have just as easily been another driver that hit him.
I drove a NASCAR stocker last year and once the helmet is on and locked on to the HANS device you really can't see that much. Your head doesn't move and it's not like you can turn it left to see farther up the track. Second, the dude obviously wanted to get close and yell at Tony and got too close. It's a tragedy but I say it's his own damn fault and I'm no fan of Tony Stewart.

 

[Hobbster]

Everyone keeps talking about him gunning his engine. Well, sprint cars don't turn on a dime, especially when going slow. He probably gunned the engine at the last minute to get the car to turn when he saw that stupid kid standing in the middle of the track. If the kid had stayed in his car like he's supposed to, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

This is exactly what happened Tony was following another car and track poorly lit, you notice someone on foot at last second and you swerve to make sure you miss him, anyone who has ever driven a sprint car knows the back tire kicks out when you swerve, but it's reactionary. It is obvious from the video that Tony saw him at last minute and turned opposite of him like every normal person would, unfortunately the kid got to close and Tony's rear end kicked out when he swerved to miss.

 

[Yinzerlyn]

The fact that Tony has a reputation for being an ******* and a hot head isn't helping him in this case. It's hard to live down your reputation, warranted or not.

 

[thesteelcity]

Tony had no reason to be mad at the kid. He was still in the race and should have had no anger. I have a hard time thinking he would do anything to purposely to hurt him. Teach him a lesson? Maybe, but that's if he saw him. There is no spotter to tell him that the driver was on the track and coming towards him.

 

[IndySteel]

It sounds like the hothead is the stupid **** who who ran into speeding cars. I think Tony tried to give him a dirt bath, kind of like the snow shower in hockey. I can't say I wouldn't have done the same. Regardless, he'd be alive if hadn't come down to play in traffic. I can't see Tony getting charged with anything. The dead idiot's family is sure to file a wrongful death suit though.

 

[thesteelcity]

you can count on that from his family. Tony will be paying for this for the rest of his life. People/fans are relentless and will beat him into the ground until he calls it a day. Bad situation all around. Nobody wins in tragedies like this one.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

you can count on that from his family. Tony will be paying for this for the rest of his life. People/fans are relentless and will beat him into the ground until he calls it a day. Bad situation all around. Nobody wins in tragedies like this one.

I dunno, Richard Petty tried drag racing when Chrysler boycotted NASCAR in 1965, lost control of his car and ran it up into the stands and killed a 9 year old kid. People mostly forgot about it but then Richard Petty is a good dude.

 

[thesteelcity]

For the most part, Tony Stewart is a good dude, too, but is ultra-competitive. He has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, on and off the track, but he does a lot of good things off the track, too. A lot of people hang onto what they see, hear or have encountered one time, hold it to gospel and then try to connect the dots to what happened Saturday and that's not fair.
I still will wait to hold judgment to I hear what Tony saw and was thinking. He is the only one that can shed the appropriate light onto the situation.

 

[Stainless]

I've watched that video several times. I'm not sure how you can conclude anything more than the victim got out of his car and then got run over.

 

[Spike]

I've watched that video several times. I'm not sure how you can conclude anything more than the victim got out of his car and then got run over.

you better go look again - I distinctly see the front wheels of Tony's car turned to the RIGHT just as he hits him

 

[Steelerfan]

Looks like Tony can join the "Killers Club" founded by Ricky Rudd.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

I've watched that video several times. I'm not sure how you can conclude anything more than the victim got out of his car and then got run over.

I watch it and I'm not sure how you or anyone can conclude anything less than stewart tried to scare the ranting driver and he hit the guy in the process. Maybe you guys never been to a dirt track,, I don't know. Drivers get out all the time.. ALL THE TIME..... if I need to I can go to you tube and put up a bunch of vids of nascar drivers doing this...

 

[Buster]

I'm not a fan of Tony, but I don't see any way that they would be able to prove intent. Wish the kid would have stayed in his car or at least by his car and not walked down to the middle of the track. The whole situation sucks.

 

[Spike]

Stewart faces several possible legal consequences after fatal accident

Stewart’s clipping of Ward is also telling, because it could indicate that he wanted to scare Ward after Ward left his race car to confront Stewart. Driving close to someone as a way of frightening them could be considered reckless conduct, or at least an issue worthy of examination by a grand jury.

Notably, Tyler Graves, a sprint-car racer who attended the race and who has been described as a friend of Ward, suggested to The Sporting News’ Bob Pockrass that Stewart acted with some degree of intent: “I know Tony could see [Ward] . . . When Tony got close to him, he hit the throttle.”

While Stewart is poised to avoid criminal charges, he may not be so fortunate with civil litigation. Ward’s family could sue Stewart for wrongful death, which refers to negligently causing the death of another.

http://www.si.com/racing/2014/08/10/tony-stewart-kevin-ward-legal-ramifications

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that's worth a hundred million right there

 

[Ron Burgundy]

The other thing I don't see anyone mentioning yet and that a lot of people don't know is that NASCAR stockers and dirt track cars are set up to turn left. Sprint cars more so because they have larger tires on the right side where NASCAR mandates the same size on all four wheels. You have to pull the wheel right to go straight, if you let go it will turn left automatically, wholly different from your street car. I can easily believe a pro like Tony felt he had to gas it to move the car left to miss Ward who was to the right. I can just as easily believe a hothead smartass like Tony tried to spray him with a little dirt and accidentally hit him. Of course Tony isn't the one who wrecked and had no reason to be pissed as far as I can tell.

Now we'll have some new rules about staying in your car unless you can get off the track under your own power, if we don't already and drivers just ignore it.

 

[Spike]

The fact that Tony has a reputation for being an ******* and a hot head isn't helping him in this case. It's hard to live down your reputation.

Matt shoulda swerved to to scare him a little

 

[mightyguru]

WTF was that kid thinking? Maybe he's the one with the "temper" and it cost him his life. Horrific.

 

[mightyguru]

Pedestrian always has the right of way.

Not on a ******* race track dumbass.

 

[Confluence]

Not on a ******* race track dumbass.

He deserves that for his drive-by sarcasm

 

[hook]

Stewart faces several possible legal consequences after fatal accident
Notably, Tyler Graves, a sprint-car racer who attended the race and who has been described as a friend of Ward, suggested to The Sporting News’ Bob Pockrass that Stewart acted with some degree of intent: “I know Tony could see [Ward] . . . When Tony got close to him, he hit the throttle.”

While Stewart is poised to avoid criminal charges, he may not be so fortunate with civil litigation. Ward’s family could sue Stewart for wrongful death, which refers to negligently causing the death of another.

http://www.si.com/racing/2014/08/10/tony-stewart-kevin-ward-legal-ramifications

-------------------------

that's worth a hundred million right there

So I'm sure that Graves' opinion isn't slanted just a bit.

Weather in NASCAR or any other Saturday nite dirt track, the ONLY time a driver should get out of his car before track officials show up is because of a fire.

 

[Spike]

No charges for now against Tony Stewart

There is no evidence that NASCAR champion driver Tony Stewart committed a crime when he struck and killed a fellow driver in a weekend race, the Sheriff of Ontario County, New York, said Monday..

“At this time there are no facts that exist that support any criminal behavior or conduct or any probable cause of a criminal act in this investigation,” Sheriff Phil Povero said at a news conference, adding that the investigation into 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jr's death was still ongoing.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-tony-stewart-facing-possible-charges-20140811-story.html

 

[Steel G]

It kind of looks like Stewart swerved to scare him and got too close. Really bad decisions by both drivers.

This is where I'm at in this mess. Kid should have stayed in the car. I don't think Tony wanted to scare him or physically harm him, but I bet his intention was to throw off some old school attitude at the youngster and the **** just got away from him. And you just know this kid learned the on track antics from seeing the "pros", like Tony, do it on TV. Sadly, it'll take this tragedy for them finally clamp down on all the road rage nonsense in motorsports...at least I would hope it does.

 

[Lmob0621]

Stewart faces several possible legal consequences after fatal accident

Stewart’s clipping of Ward is also telling, because it could indicate that he wanted to scare Ward after Ward left his race car to confront Stewart. Driving close to someone as a way of frightening them could be considered reckless conduct, or at least an issue worthy of examination by a grand jury.

Notably, Tyler Graves, a sprint-car racer who attended the race and who has been described as a friend of Ward, suggested to The Sporting News’ Bob Pockrass that Stewart acted with some degree of intent: “I know Tony could see [Ward] . . . When Tony got close to him, he hit the throttle.”

While Stewart is poised to avoid criminal charges, he may not be so fortunate with civil litigation. Ward’s family could sue Stewart for wrongful death, which refers to negligently causing the death of another.

http://www.si.com/racing/2014/08/10/tony-stewart-kevin-ward-legal-ramifications

-------------------------

that's worth a hundred million right there

It will come down to the state's viewpoint on contributory negligence...

 

[Spike]

Maybe Tony calls it quits


Tony Stewart still weighing whether to race this weekend at Michigan

If Stewart misses more NASCAR races, it could mean continuing reduced exposure for his main sponsors, such as Mobil 1 motor oil and the Bass Pro Shops retail chain, which help pay the $20 million or so a year it costs to race his NASCAR car each year.

The decision about whether Stewart races at the two-mile Michigan oval, where he is a former winner, "will be Tony's and he will have as much time as he needs to make that decision," Stewart-Haas spokesman Mike Arning said via email.

Jeremie Corcoran, the promoter at Canandaigua Motorsports Park, said in a statement that the track took down its Facebook page early Sunday morning "due to insensitive and hateful comments" about the incident.

"There are no facts at this point that would support probable cause of any criminal behavior," Povero told a news conference, adding that "we are continuing to gather all information."

Povero said an autopsy of Ward revealed that the Lyons Falls, N.Y., driver died of massive blunt trauma to the head even though he was wearing a helmet.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-tony-stewart-20140812-story.html

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Stewart can have someone else drive his car. Upon further review I note that there was another car in front of him and it's entirely possible that he didn't see the guy. This is a relatively poorly lit local track and not Charlotte Motor Speedway. I can't fault Tony.