Tony Stewart ran over, killed a guy

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Lathum

You are acting too much like this is professional racing. Its like comparing a high school race to an NBA game. Very doubtful Stewart had a radio hooked in.

The track requires one-way radios (I checked their rulebook to see if there was any mention about spotters, which there wasn't) but that appears to be related to track officials desire to communicate things like black flags & other instructions to the drivers.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by nol

No matter if it was intentional or not, they better not use this to try to make tougher car laws out of this.

Just because a car was used to accidentally kill this person shouldn't ruin it for all the other Americans who use cars responsibly. You can kill somebody by punching them too! If Obama tries to tell me I have to register my car or sign up for mandatory car insurance it's going to be over my cold, dead body.

I think you're trying too hard.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

After seeing the video it definitely does sound like Twitter exaggerated whether you can tell how intentional it was. I definitely do think it's a situation where Stewart's history works against him - I'd be much more inclined to assume the driver was just trying to get out of the way if it wasn't the driver with the longest list of on-track incidents where he lost his temper.

I completely believe Stewart didn't want to hit the guy, but did he try to put a scare into him, or did his temper get the best if him for a split second or two so that when he did swerve to avoid him it was too late?

Agree with both of your points here. I said last night I didn't think the video showed enough evidence to put any charges on Stewart. I still don't think there is.

I do think this is one area his past hurts him and hurts him badly. It puts doubt. He's thrown cheap shots at reporters and has a reputation as a hot head. (He isn't nicknamed Smoke by accident)

As far as the incident goes, the question I have is how much did he see. Did he try to scare the kid? Did he gun the car not trying to hit him, but as an F U from the bumping and driving from earlier in the race? I don't know that we will ever know the answer to that question.

One change that needs to be made at every track in the country. . . get out of the car and throw your helmet, chase down moving cars like a drunk guy in a bathrobe, or make a pain of yourself outside of the car ON the track? Thanks for driving, you can now find a new career. You don't give a damn about your safety or the other drivers. Your career should be over.

[DaddyTorgo]

So I saw the video.

The dead guy was an idiot - wtf was he doing?

[PilotMan]

His parents were at the race. I can't even imagine.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

He clearly guns the engine right before he gets to Ward. I seriously doubt that he intended to hit him but he clearly intended something. It was a caution flag, I'm not sure why you need to gun it as you are going by the guy otherwise.

I think the "gun the engine thing" isnt so clear.
Do we hear an engine rev in the video? Yes.
But look closely, that video is shot from across the track. Back at the S/F line. You can zoom video you can not zoom audio...that engine rev we can not accurately attribute to Stewart's car I dont think.

Originally Posted by PilotMan

I really find it hard to believe that he wouldn't have had someone with a radio talking to him. I mean, I don't know at all, he might not have but it would seem logical that he would have though.

I can promise you there is no spotter on that track. There is no spotter tower, no where for them to see.

The average guy racing has $15-20,000 in his car and works a full time job not involved in racing.

THis isnt comparing NFL to NCAA...when you compare this to NASCAR.
If NASCAR =NFL....this is lower than adult Rec league...this is basically a pick up game Sunday in the back yard. I'd bet the winner of the race probably got $400...

[BYU 14]

I am curious about the gunning the engine as well, as it definitely ties in to controlling the car from everything I have read.

I think I might actually tune in to Bubba the Love Sponge tomorrow on radio IO as I am sure it will be the prevailing topic of the show, since Tony Stewart is a friend of the show. Bubba also knows dirt track racing, so he might actually be able to add some relevant insight.

[Julio Riddols]

From what I saw, it looked like Tony's car fishtailed a bit after the guy began to get sucked under the rear tire. That makes sense to me, as a human provides better traction than a dirt track.

[TCY Junkie]

Originally Posted by nol

No matter if it was intentional or not, they better not use this to try to make tougher car laws out of this.

Just because a car was used to accidentally kill this person shouldn't ruin it for all the other Americans who use cars responsibly. You can kill somebody by punching them too! If Obama tries to tell me I have to register my car or sign up for mandatory car insurance it's going to be over my cold, dead body.

Originally Posted by Dutch

I think you're trying too hard.

I liked his post. Thanks for posting.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

THis isnt comparing NFL to NCAA...when you compare this to NASCAR.
If NASCAR =NFL....this is lower than adult Rec league...this is basically a pick up game Sunday in the back yard. I'd bet the winner of the race probably got $400...

According to some guy on another forum (so, take it FWIW), the winner's purse was $1500. Tried to use my Google-Fu to find a source but couldn't.

[sabotai]

dola,

Empire Super Sprints

You can see the event on the schedule but it doesn't say what the money is for this specific event, but most of them are $2,000 or $3,000 to the winner.

[Matthean]

Tony Stewart's actions questioned by father of killed driver Kevin Ward Jr. - ESPN

Seems like a lawsuit is coming. Just a matter of when.

[jeff061]

So Ward can drain whatever little money he has on a lawyer and then lose. His son's a moron, let's stop reminding the world of that and let him rest in peace.

[JediKooter]

Sounds like being a moron runs in the family.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Your kid walked in the middle of a dirt racing track during a race. Let the kid die with some shred of dignity and shut up.

[GrantDawg]

I'm not so sure he wouldn't win a civil suit. All he has to prove is some negligence on Stewart's part. His son's negligence will be a mitigating factor, but doesn't not exempt the possibility of Stewart being found negligent as well.

[PilotMan]

My guess is that there will be a settlement of some kind. I'm not sure Stewart could handle the pub of a court case.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

My guess is that there will be a settlement of some kind. I'm not sure Stewart could handle the pub of a court case.

That would be my guess as well.

[cartman]

No criminal charges from the grand jury.

Tony Stewart not charged by grand jury in death of Kevin Ward Jr. | From The Marbles - Yahoo Sports

[kingfc22]

Guess smoking prior to racing is not a good idea nor is getting out of your car and heading down on a race track. Who knew?

[DanGarion]

I would think that SOP for racing would be after an accident of any type they would run a drug/alcohol test.