Tony Stewart runs over driver

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

The Vagisil he was dipping got in his eyes so he couldn't see the dude on the track.

 

[irishff1014]

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?

First with the sprints and most cars at this level sling their cars in the corners. Then they bite (get grip) so go down the the straight aways. So going in the corner it looks like tony got loose and slid up the track happens all the time.

Tony does a lot with sprint cars and world of outlaws which is the best of the best sprint car drivers. And he owns one of the best dirt tracks in the country.

 

[BobbyMac]

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?
Very normal... it's like fighting in hockey.

- 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?
Stewart came up through Sprint Cars and loves racing them. He is always on local tracks on his off nights, he owns a few of them too. Many NASCAR drivers do this if they are allowed to in their contracts. Your analogy is pretty good except the drivers will go racing all over the place instead of just in their hometowns.

- 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.
See my last post.

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?
Sprint Cars are what you saw in the video... The Sprint Cup in NASCAR derives its name from the title sponsor, Sprint Cellular. Yes, two different things

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[Irish Insanity]

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?

It's normal on hometown tracks, rare at Nascar tracks

-And there is usually multiple Nascar guys that go to local tracks around where they are racing every week and 'return to their roots' and race with the locals. Stewart even own a smaller track in Northern Ohio. There is usually one race a year where several Nascar drivers will all race with the regulars.
Completely agree with your video assessment.
Sprint is the kind of car. A winged sprint. Sprint Cup is sponsored by the cellular company, Sprint.

 

[Rhode Irish]

Appreciate the responses but still confused as all hell about so many things. Hope you guys appreciate how weird all of this is for people who don't know anything about racing.

 

[BobbyMac]

Appreciate the responses but still confused as all hell about so many things. Hope you guys appreciate how weird all of this is for people who don't know anything about racing.

Racing is a show, a soap opera before it's about wrenches, fuel and engines. It's ego driven from the racer's side as well as the fans. People have favorite drivers that they follow and defend like fans of pro wrestling do. It's very odd. I grew up watching a lot of circle track racing in Indiana and Illinois with my family. It is a strange sub culture of 'Murica.

 

[IrishLax]

Can't tell from video... did Stewart veer into the pedestrian? You see one car go around low and then Stewart seems to come up much higher.

 

[BobbyMac]

Can't tell from video... did Stewart veer into the pedestrian? You see one car go around low and then Stewart seems to come up much higher.

He was definitely up there to buzz the tower. He saw him. Not good for Stewart

 

[ARALOU]

He was definitely up there to buzz the tower. He saw him. Not good for Stewart

That's what I was thinking. Sling a little dirt on the kid for grandstanding and his car got away from him a little. Tragic, all over a car race.

 

[gkIrish]

Very difficult to tell but it seems to me that he veered into the pedestrian.

 

[ginman]

I think there is no way that Tony doesn't see him. They had just run into each other causing the kid to go into the wall. He is flailing his arms and pointing at him as he comes around. Of course he is looking at where the crash is. He also has a history of getting into fights with other drivers and losing his temper. I think he is pissed and goes high on the track to send him a message. I don't think he intended to hit him but negligently did so. Word his he keeps a GO camera on his car. Will be interesting what it shows (if it hasn't been erased, destroyed or lost). Stupid waste of life, both guys made hot-headed mistakes.

 

[nlroma1o]

Very difficult to tell but it seems to me that he veered into the pedestrian.

The car def jeered to the right after he had struck Ward. But IMO I dont think there is anything to suggest he was veering "right" toward the outside of the track. To me, the line his car was taking didn,t change until it came in contact with Ward.

 

[FLDomer]

I think there is no way that Tony doesn't see him. They had just run into each other causing the kid to go into the wall. He is flailing his arms and pointing at him as he comes around. Of course he is looking at where the crash is. He also has a history of getting into fights with other drivers and losing his temper. I think he is pissed and goes high on the track to send him a message. I don't think he intended to hit him but negligently did so. Word his he keeps a GO camera on his car. Will be interesting what it shows (if it hasn't been erased, destroyed or lost). Stupid waste of life, both guys made hot-headed mistakes.

I don't agree with there being NO WAY that he didn't see him. It was at a turn, with a car in front of him, dirt tracks are lite for shit, Ward is wearing all black. The benefit of the doubt is there and no definates can be known.

 

[BobbyMac]

I don't agree with there being NO WAY that he didn't see him. It was at a turn, with a car in front of him, dirt tracks are lite for shit, Ward is wearing all black. The benefit of the doubt is there and no definates can be known.

I'd bet the farm he saw him... he was looking for him. He went up high to get a look and he found him. That being said, you can bet 100% that Stewart is gonna say EXACTLY what you just said.

 

[Irish Insanity]

I think there is no way that Tony doesn't see him. They had just run into each other causing the kid to go into the wall. He is flailing his arms and pointing at him as he comes around. Of course he is looking at where the crash is. He also has a history of getting into fights with other drivers and losing his temper. I think he is pissed and goes high on the track to send him a message. I don't think he intended to hit him but negligently did so. Word his he keeps a GO camera on his car. Will be interesting what it shows (if it hasn't been erased, destroyed or lost). Stupid waste of life, both guys made hot-headed mistakes.

He did have one mounted. No word if it was in police custody yet.

I'd bet the farm he saw him... he was looking for him. He went up high to get a look and he found him. That being said, you can bet 100% that Stewart is gonna say EXACTLY what you just said.

Why would he be looking for him, he didn't wreck, the other guy did. I know Tony has a temper issue, but at that point what did he have to be pissed about.

 

[IrishLax]

There are so many layers to this. I wonder if there is any better footage from the raceway. And I also wonder if they have recordings of his radio communiques like they do in major NASCAR events.

 

[BobbyMac]

You put a guy into the wall, you are looking for him the next time around... not to do anything else necessarily but to see what happened. The one thing I have no idea about is what happened before Stewart put Ward into the wall? How much racin' was going on before that? But when he saw him on the track... and he saw him... he went high, or was already high because of some racing before the dust up and was gonna give him some roost for showing him up on the track.

That's where things went bad.


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[IrishSteelhead]

I don't follow racing or know any of the intricacies or unwritten rules, so my opinion is that of a bystander. With that said, I see:

1. A moron standing in the way of cars going very fast on purpose
2. A moron getting hit by one of said cars
3. A tragedy that is easily avoided if said moron wasn't standing on a track in front if cars moving very fast

*if a homeless person did the same thing on the highway, it would barely be news, and everyone would feel bad for the driver because he has to live with the (unwarranted) guilt of killing a moron standing on a road where cars are moving very fast

 

[nlroma1o]

You put a guy into the wall, you are looking for him the next time around... not to do anything else necessarily but to see what happened. The one thing I have no idea about is what happened before Stewart put Ward into the wall? How much racin' was going on before that? But when he saw him on the track... and he saw him... he went high, or was already high because of some racing before the dust up and was gonna give him some roost for showing him up on the track.

That's where things went bad.


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Honestly i thought the kid was overreacting. Tony didnt put him into the wall. There was some contact and the kid spun out. It wasnt vicious at all. IMO

 

[twig21]

I don't follow racing or know any of the intricacies or unwritten rules, so my opinion is that of a bystander. With that said, I see:

1. A moron standing in the way of cars going very fast on purpose
2. A moron getting hit by one of said cars
3. A tragedy that is easily avoided if said moron wasn't standing on a track in front if cars moving very fast

*if a homeless person did the same thing on the highway, it would barely be news, and everyone would feel bad for the driver because he has to live with the (unwarranted) guilt of killing a moron standing on a road where cars are moving very fast

Based on this statement Tony Stewart has acted like a moron. He and other drivers have gotten out of their cars after being recked and done the same thing, as well as chucking their helmets at the other car. Also, it didn't look like he walked "in front" of the cars. This happens every week in racing, just not with this ending.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Based on this statement Tony Stewart has acted like a moron. He and other drivers have gotten out of their cars after being recked and done the same thing, as well as chucking their helmets at the other car. Also, it didn't look like he walked "in front" of the cars. This happens every week in racing, just not with this ending.

I am uneducated on this matter, and just posted my beliefs that anyone who stands in front of moving cars is a tad "off." Sorry if it sounds insensitive (which it easily can). I'll keep reading this thread and stop posting to better understand how/why this happened. No one can argue that this isn't a very unfortunate event for all parties involved.

 

[BobbyMac]

I don't follow racing or know any of the intricacies or unwritten rules, so my opinion is that of a bystander. With that said, I see:

1. A moron standing in the way of cars going very fast on purpose
2. A moron getting hit by one of said cars
3. A tragedy that is easily avoided if said moron wasn't standing on a track in front if cars moving very fast

*if a homeless person did the same thing on the highway, it would barely be news, and everyone would feel bad for the driver because he has to live with the (unwarranted) guilt of killing a moron standing on a road where cars are moving very fast

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You never went out to Illiana Speedway on 30 to drink some cold ones and watch the fights? Not very Region of you!

You must've hung with those uppity Andrean folks.

.

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[BobD]

The feeling of invincibility often ends in tragedy.

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

The feeling of invincibility often ends in tragedy.

This ×1000000000. Kid was young and not thinking clearly. More than one car had a chance to hit him. As someone said they should fine anyone that walks on the track.

 

[yankeehater]

I do not follow racing or claim to know much about it. I have been through two driving schools with work functions and the level of skill of the drivers teaching the classes were incredible. These are the guys that never made it to Tony's level. I have no idea or does anyone on this board know what happened. The video is tough to discern anything from. All I know is that one of the drills they did was to stand in front of the us as we were oncoming and point one direction to go around them. This was to teach you to steer and then break. We were in second gear. If they had that kind of confidence in us hacks to maneuver around them then I think a pro would be more than capable of doing it if they saw someone and wanted to avoid them. Only Tony knows what truly happened and will live with it the rest of his life.

 

[connor_in]

How can you not know about racing? I see your avatar. You were the crew chief for Cole Trickle in Days of Thunder.

 

[twig21]

This ×1000000000. Kid was young and not thinking clearly. More than one car had a chance to hit him. As someone said they should fine anyone that walks on the track.

Age has nothing to do with it, as I stated earlier, veteran drivers who know better like Tony Stewart and numerous others have walked out onto the track and pointed their finger, shown the bird or thrown their helmet at the on coming car. In retrospect every driver that does this is mad as hell and has let the moment get the best of them. I don't understand pointing blame at the kid when this happens all the time and yet to my knowledge a driver has never been hit by another car. Let the investigators come to the conclusion.

 

[Irishnuke]

Age has nothing to do with it, as I stated earlier, veteran drivers who know better like Tony Stewart and numerous others have walked out onto the track and pointed their finger, shown the bird or thrown their helmet at the on coming car. In retrospect every driver that does this is mad as hell and has let the moment get the best of them. I don't understand pointing blame at the kid when this happens all the time and yet to my knowledge a driver has never been hit by another car. Let the investigators come to the conclusion.

Because if he stayed in his fucking car, he'd be alive today.

 

[johnnycando]

Because if he stayed in his fucking car, he'd be alive today.

Yeah no shit.

 

[NDBoiler]

Because if he stayed in his fucking car, he'd be alive today.

Fair point, but if Tony Stewart wasn't such an ahole, you could probably say the same thing. He may not have intended to hit him, but he at least intended to do something by driving closer to him than necessary IMO.