Tony Stewart runs over driver

[Irish Insanity]

I'm on my phone so I'll see if I can link it in a minute. Apparently Stewart was running a dirt track in NY and ran over a guy after an altercation. And the guy is dead.

Tony Stewart involved in dirt track incident, police reportedly investigating - SBNation.com

A couple places I read had witnesses stating he spun the guy out and it caused a caution. As he came back around the guy was waiting for him and approaching his moving car. Tony gunned it and his rear slid sideways and struck the other guy. He flew back quite a distance. Air med was called in then cancelled noting the driver died. Tony's trailer was taped off and surrounded by police

 

[BobbyMac]

This is some crazy shit. Smoke's hot head may have just cost him his freedom.

Any video surfacing yet?

 

[Kaneyoufeelit]

17 year old kid

 

[BobbyMac]

Story in Sporting News quotes someone at the track who talked to Kevin Ward after Stewart hit him...so it sounds like he survived.

 

[blueNDgold44]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NvaHUN6JFPc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Irish Insanity]

Was just gonna post it. It's brutal to watch

 

[Irish Insanity]

17 year old kid

They've now corrected his age to 20.

 

[Kak7304]

@13WHAM: BREAKING: The driver who was hit by Tony Stewart's car has died, according to Ontario County Sheriff Phil Povero.

 

[Kak7304]

@13WHAM: Povero also says the driver hit by Tony Stewart's car was dead on arrival to the hospital. Driver's parents were in the crowd Saturday night

 

[Kak7304]

Those tweets are from the official twitter of a local ABC affiliate in Rochester, NY.

 

[blueNDgold44]

USA Today confirmed Kevin Ward is dead

 

[GATTACA!]

Okay it's totally fucked up if Stewart hit the kid on purpose regardless, but wtf is he doing walking out onto the track? It's clear that he was trying to get in the way by the way he was walking.

 

[Irish#1]

Crazy. I have no idea if it was intentional or not, but why these drivers come out on the track all the time is crazy to me. I hope for Tony's sake it wasn't intentional.

 

[notredomer23]

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Smh at this situation

 

[BobD]

From watching the video it looks like Stewart checked up because the car in front of him had slowed down because of Ward being on the track, but then Stewart (who I don't think could see Ward) hit the gas to go around the car in front of him and that's when the accident happened.

 

[nlroma1o]

Another case of some idiot hot headed kid trying to replicate what the big boys do in NASCAR, AND IT COST HIM HIS LIFE!!!! WHAT WAS HE THINKING!!?? I watched the video, and it honestly looks like Tony didnt see the kid. The car in front of him moved inside and it looks like Tony simply didnt see him.

Another thing, I hate how the news is saying Tony ran someone over. The kid chased down the car and it looks like Tony clipped the kid and sent him flyin up in the air. He didnt hit him head on.

 

[Booslum31]

Looks like Stewart is going to participate at Watkins Glen today. That's gotta be tough...kill a guy one day and drive in a race the next. Horrible situation. Thoughts and prayers to Ward's family.

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

If I were Tony I would not race today. With that being said the kid damn sure shouldn't have run at a moving vehicle. Sad day for race community.

 

[Saint Shamrock]

The first rescue worker that arrives on the scene looks very upset .

Like Ken Schraeder years ago .

 

[nlroma1o]

SHR just announce Tony is not driving today. The are calling up the reserve

 

[Booslum31]

SHR just announce Tony is not driving today. The are calling up the reserve

Just saw that too. That's a good idea.

 

[Irish Insanity]

A few things here.
Unless there is another video, I can't see how you can tell from the one posted if he saw him or was trying to swerve away or not.
And I get that the other guy shoulda never gotten out of his car, but it happens all the time is local tracks around the country. This wasn't a nascar race. The local tracks are different animal all together. Fights in the pits, the stands, and even on the track.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I'm not sure how anyone in Tony's shoes would mentally be able to drive after last night.

 

[irishff1014]

I agree Tony is as hot headed as they come. After re watching the video I would seriously doubt Tony would put all that at stake for a sprint car race.

These tracks need to make a big deal out of this if you get out of your car on the track to go after the racer you should be suspended. If your mad take it to the pits it racing everyone is going to cause some kind of crash at some point

 

[Irish Insanity]

Kyle Bush is scheduled to race at my local track when Nascar comes to Michigan next week. This accident may be what stops all the Nascar guys from racing the local tracks when they travel.

 

[notredomer23]

A few things here.
Unless there is another video, I can't see how you can tell from the one posted if he saw him or was trying to swerve away or not.
And I get that the other guy shoulda never gotten out of his car, but it happens all the time is local tracks around the country. This wasn't a nascar race. The local tracks are different animal all together. Fights in the pits, the stands, and even on the track.

Eye witness reports said that he sped up

 

[Irish Insanity]

Eye witness reports said that he sped up

I read that to. But they have no spotters, lighting is poor, no on track communication. Under caution drivers often speed up and slow down testing tires and their cars.

In no way am I making any accusations or defending what has happened. That's for the investigators to do.

 

[Rhode Irish]

I know absolutely nothing about racing, so I have no opinion on what happened in the video or who is at fault. I have no context to form those opinions. As a total outsider, I'm just following this in absolute amazement that something like this could happen. It is crazy to me that:

- The kid would walk into the track like that. Is that normal?

- A superstar like Stewart would even be at this race. Is this like an NBA player coming to town and going down to the local courts and playing in a pickup game?

- People can look at the video and form an opinion about what happened. It looks to me like Stewart's car isn't in the frame for more than a fraction of a second before he hits the kid. Maybe it's just my untrained eye, but I can't make anything out from that.

Also, it is really confusing that these cars are called sprint cars and the racing league is called the Sprint Cup, but apparently those are different things?

 

[BobbyMac]

IMO, here's what most likely happened...

Stewart tried roosting him and hit him. You can see his ass get loose in that direction, reports are that he "sped up" or hit the gas. All it takes is a blip of the throttle to get sideways and that's how Ward got hit.

In regards to drivers on the track... IT's one of the little side shows that make local circle track racing what it is. Like someone said earlier, guys on the track and fights in the pits is what people wanna see. It's equal to fighting in hockey. Good luck getting it cleaned up.

What a frickin' shame. RIP Kevin Ward.