OT: [Tony] Stewart Kills Driver and...

[RockyMTblue2]

Is it just me? Read the account of this event:

http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...struck-killed-racer-in-sprint-car-race-081014

If as witnesses say Stewart revved his engine and threw his car into the slide that killed the other driver, how is that not worthy of a criminal investigation? I hope the initial reaction is rethought. Otherwise it is another example of how there are two sets of rules ... one for us and the other for "stars" and that set has only one rule: "There are no rules."

 

[easttexastrash]

He struck a driver who was out if his car. I need to see video but this sounds like murder to me.

 

[Scotter]

He was driving a sprint car with a huge power to weight ratio on a dirt track. They can slide under acceleration. Sounds like he accelerated to avoid a confrontation, which is a pretty natural reaction and something I've seen drivers do a number of times and an accident happened. The details will be sorted out and Tony may not have made the best choice, but doesn't the guy choosing to walk in the middle of a race track and approach a moving car have some responsibility for what happened?

 

[vtcwbuff]

No way could this be murder but depending on the investigation Stewart might face some sort of manslaughter charge.
I know it's not polite to speak ill of the dead but the driver that got killed was an idiot to step in front of Stewart the way he did. VIDEO

 

[Wonkster]

.
Wow! Players better not get in Stewie's way on the court this year!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The other driver did not walk in front of Stewart ac cording to observers. Stewart's sudden acceleration broke his rear end loose and the right rear tire ran over the man. Stewart knew hitting the gas would produce a slide; otherwise he just goes by the man like the car before him. It deserves a careful investigation. Stewart continued his display of callous bad judgment in deciding to race today, a decision then taken out of his hands by the governing body.

 

[rvwsleep]

I watched the video a few times and from where I'm sitting, the car went into the slide after Stewart's right front wheel struck the other driver. I don't see how Stewart will face criminal charges. And how people could tell Stewart was revving his engine from the other side of the track, I don't know. Watch the video, can you tell if he stepped on the gas ? Murder ? That means it was premeditated. The blue car in front of Stewart barely missed Ward.
ETT. If you're driving on a highway and someone jumps in front of your car and you hit that person and he dies, are you a murderer ?
BTW. I'm not a motor racing fan.

 

[easttexastrash]

I watched the video a few times and from where I'm sitting, the car went into the slide after Stewart's right front wheel struck the other driver. I don't see how Stewart will face criminal charges. And how people could tell Stewart was revving his engine from the other side of the track, I don't know. Watch the video, can you tell if he stepped on the gas ? Murder ? That means it was premeditated. The blue car in front of Stewart barely missed Ward.
ETT. If you're driving on a highway and someone jumps in front of your car and you hit that person and he dies, are you a murderer ?
BTW. I'm not a motor racing fan.

Like I said, I need to watch the video. The account I had read made it sound as if Stewart has made a poor decision, causing him to strike the other driver. But, as I said, I need to watch the video to make my judgement.

 

[Wbbfan1]

A Stewart spokesman originally said it was Business as Usual and Stewart would race today. Glad Smarter Heads got together and Stewart decided not to race today. NASCAR/Stewart would have faced a Huge PR Battle if Stewart had raced and had won the race. The only decision to make was not to race as a show of respect for the Ward Family/Friends. Depending on how the Investigation goes, Stewart may not race again this year. No matter what happens, I do see the Ward family suing Stewart and his Racing Organization for Wrongful Death using Civil Liability where its easier to get a judgment.

Its not uncommon for Drivers to get out of their cars and walk toward a moving car to show their displeasure on being wrecked. NASCAR and all other Racing Bodies, need to establish a rule that forbids that practice.

 

[Alydar]

Its not uncommon for Drivers to get out of their cars and walk toward a moving car to show their displeasure on being wrecked. NASCAR and all other Racing Bodies, need to establish a rule that forbids that practice.

In fact NASCAR has tried to promote in-your-face confrontations. TV cameras follow drivers after an accident in hopes of the 2 drivers getting into it on the sidelines. The TV announcers have stated this. And Tony is one of the poster boys of this WWE macho attitude.

 

[easttexastrash]

I usually only watch NASCAR when I am drinking moonshine and fooling around with my cousin, so I may need some explanation of the rules.

Were they under a yellow flag, and if so, what is the responsibility of the other drivers? Are they supposed to slow down or at the least not accelerate?
Was the other driver's car disabled on the track and did the driver have to exit his car to move to the pit area? If so, what are his responsibilities to exit the track?

 

[sawxfan23]

I usually only watch NASCAR when I am drinking moonshine and fooling around with my cousin, so I may need some explanation of the rules.

Were they under a yellow flag, and if so, what is the responsibility of the other drivers? Are they supposed to slow down or at the least not accelerate?
Was the other driver's car disabled on the track and did the driver have to exit his car to move to the pit area? If so, what are his responsibilities to exit the track?

Yes, they were under yellow and Stewart was in line traveling at "caution speed" when the other driver whose car was disabled on the far top of the track and out of danger. The drivers are told to stay in their cars until safety crews arrive unless the car is on fire or in danger of becoming on fire. In this case the irate disabled driver got out of his car and walked from the top wall all the way down the track pointing and screaming at Stewart at which point Stewart who I think was trying to swerve and miss the driver fish tailed and hit him with his back rt tire. It was a tragic accident in which a young man lost his live but IMHO nothing than an ACCIDENT which happens all the time in racing.

 

[Woof 101]

Sad irony for me as I was just thinking of posting on the BY yesterday wondering if there were any NASCAR fans here. Not quite the way I would have expected to touch on the subject.
On this I will simply make a few comments, Tony Stewart is one hell of a good race car driver. With that it is also known he is one hell of a hot head and a bully. There is absoultly no reason for him to rev his engine here other than to intimidate a defenseless opponent. He could have simply flipped him off and drove by.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...ewart-kevin-ward-accident-20140810-story.html
As for Tony to ever be able to say the young man should not have been in the position he was would be useless. His helmet throw at the moving car of Matt Kenseth is a highlight reel for NASCAR. They laud his toss as being good when he only hits the hood, when everyone knows he was trying to take out the windshield.

Then there is his run in with Lagano who he praised as the best to replace him at the time as he vacated his seat with Joe Gibbs. Tony could block with the best of them but does not think anyone else should be able to use the tactic.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ewart-joey-logano-auto-club-speedway/2015771/
I will not say for sure until all investigations are in but the hot head may have gone too far this time.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Like I said, I need to watch the video. The account I had read made it sound as if Stewart has made a poor decision, causing him to strike the other driver. But, as I said, I need to watch the video to make my judgement.

A poor decision doesn't equate to murder.

 

[vtcwbuff]

"I usually only watch NASCAR when I am drinking moonshine and fooling around with my cousin, so I may need some explanation of the rules."

Biting my tongue here.

 

[Icebear]

"I usually only watch NASCAR when I am drinking moonshine and fooling around with my cousin, so I may need some explanation of the rules."

Biting my tongue here.

Me, too.

 

[reno tony]

I must say a few things about most of the posters here, you are obviously do not watch NASCAR. I've been watching it for about 15 years and some things spoken about Stewart might have been true about ten years ago or so but very untrue now. I am not a Stewart fan but he is a great driver and there is no chance, in my opinion, he would every hit anybody on purpose. For those that believe he raced his engine or whatever else, watch the following video and speak of it, not what you heard from someone else that didn't watch the video. The driver should have stayed near his car instead of going down to the driver's lane of travel and confronting a moving race car, especially on a dirt track. It is tragic that he had to pay for this mistake with his life.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

A poor decision doesn't equate to murder.

Actually it can if it is done with reckless disregard for the consequences ... in many states. As another driver opined, it may be that Tony crossed the line once too often. Reckless disregard can be deemed to be intent. I can think of some lesser charges that could come from this and produce jail time too.

 

[UConnChapette]

I saw the footage once. As a rule, I don't re-watch footage of a fatality or gruesome injury repeatedly. Once is enough.

However, what I saw, Stewart was behind another car as the wrecked driver was angrily walking on the track and gesturing at Stewart. The car in front of Stewart swerved out of the way to avoid the driver leaving Stewart little time to react. And it appeared that the driver started to step into Stewart's path before trying to dodge away when he was hit.

In my younger years in South Dakota, my husband was a crew member for a stock driver who raced on a local half mile dirt track that also had mini sprint car division racing on the same night. Dirt tracks do not have the best traction and are very unforgiving to either acceleration or steering over correction. These tracks are also mostly curves, with very little straightaways which makes seeing what is happening beyond the curve extremely difficult. While I am not sure we will ever know what happened, Stewart may not have seen the driver on the track at first because of the car in front of him and when he did see him he may have attempted to take evasive action and the car slid into the driver instead. Or, Stewart may have been attempting to intimidate the driver and it went horribly wrong. Whatever happened, the driver in the wrecked car should have stayed with his vehicle. His anger may have blinded him to the danger he put himself in by trying to confront Stewart while cars were still in motion.

It is a senseless tragedy that did not have to happen. A young man has lost his life, a family and his friends are grieving. Stewart will have to live with the memory of causing a young man's death for the rest of his life. In reality, lots of mistakes and bad choices were made. Plenty of shared liability. I pray for healing, comfort and forgiveness for all impacted.

 

[meyers7]

I usually only watch NASCAR when I am drinking moonshine and fooling around with my cousin, so I may need some explanation of the rules.

Were they under a yellow flag, and if so, what is the responsibility of the other drivers? Are they supposed to slow down or at the least not accelerate?
Was the other driver's car disabled on the track and did the driver have to exit his car to move to the pit area? If so, what are his responsibilities to exit the track?

"I usually only watch NASCAR when I am drinking moonshine and fooling around with my cousin, so I may need some explanation of the rules."

Biting my tongue here.

Me, too.

LMAO. Kudos ETT.

 

[meyers7]

However, what I saw, Stewart was behind another car as the wrecked driver was angrily walking on the track and gesturing at Stewart. The car in front of Stewart swerved out of the way to avoid the driver leaving Stewart little time to react. And it appeared that the driver started to step into Stewart's path before trying to dodge away when he was hit.

Whatever happened, the driver in the wrecked car should have stayed with his vehicle. His anger may have blinded him to the danger he put himself in by trying to confront Stewart while cars were still in motion.

It is a senseless tragedy that did not have to happen.

Agree, unfortunately, Ward may be up for a Darwin award.

Or, Stewart may have been attempting to intimidate the driver and it went horribly wrong.

That was one of my first thoughts.

 

[Icebear]

All the local officials I have seen or heard on TV and radio including the head of local law enforcement have said there is no evidence of anything intentional or criminal. They are asking for people to send any video they may have of the incident but they do not expect any charges.

 

[Husky25]

I wrote in a different threat (about the same topic) that this isn't NASCAR. While (as Harry Hoge points out) ain't nothing stock about a stock car, sprints are even less so. There is a wing on the "hood" as well as the top of the car.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

All the local officials I have seen or heard on TV and radio including the head of local law enforcement have said there is no evidence of anything intentional or criminal. They are asking for people to send any video they may have of the incident but they do not expect any charges.

The Sheriff originally and unwisely said there was no criminal investigation. What was his office doing? Investigating. What is its jurisdiction: criminal. It was a foolish statement to make and now he is backpedaling.

http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...tions-remain-open-in-tony-stewart-case-081114

 

[vtcwbuff]

The Sheriff originally and unwisely said there was no criminal investigation. What was his office doing? Investigating. What is its jurisdiction: criminal. It was a foolish statement to make and now he is backpedaling.

http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/ontario-county-sheriff-all-options-remain-open-in-tony-stewart-case-081114

The seems the sheriff was properly and correctly investigating a fatal accident. Exactly what happened that would elevate this to a criminal investigation?