Tony Stewart Hits & Kills Driver On Racetrack

Tony

Staff member
Tony Stewart hit and killed a driver on the race track. The other driver got out of his car after getting hit by Stewart to confront him, and Stewart didn't go low on the track. Ran the guy over. Pronounced dead upon arrival to the hospital. I would post video, but there is graphic language in it as well as the obvious. I have a strong feeling that his career is over after this latest bout of rage. Murder is a great way to get kicked out of NASCAR... Sad, I liked him too...
 

Tony

Staff member
If they rule it a homicide he will. He had a lot of room at the bottom of the track where he could have went and he stayed at the top. Strike 1. He is known as an aggressive driver. Strike 2. And everyone knows his past with his attitude. Strike 3. I don't have high hopes that he will get away with this. Even if he does, his rep is already tarnished.
 

Derek

Well-Known Member
I just saw the video. It looked like Tony Stewart turned into the guy. That's pretty messed up!!!
 

pvolcko

Well-Known Member
I've watched a few videos of this. None of them provide any video of Stewart's car in the seconds leading up to the incident. At most you see a half a screen's worth of "lead up" (.5sec or less). Everyone was apparently "zoomed in" on Ward (the driver who was killed) as he was walking/charging down the track, arms all over, yelling at Stewart as he came around the track under caution.

1) There was a car in front of Stewart that also appeared to come pretty close to hitting Ward. That car did not "go low", either. Ward didn't back off as that first car came around, he took another stutter step or two toward Stewart's car. As he was first walking around his car, a couple of cars went by, some high and some low.

2) The lighting on the track was poor (typical of dirt tracks) and Ward was in an almost entirely black fire suit. HE could very well have been difficult to see. This was a dirt track, there is no telling if Stewart's vision was partly occluded by debris on his helmet's wind screen.

3) I've read some comments and reporting on this that say Stewart "gunned" the throttle, kicking the back out which made contact with Ward. In the videos there is a short blip of throttle heard in the second or two leading up to the contact, but it is not at all clear if it was Stewart's car that made the noise. People at the track may well have been able to pin point the source, aided by being able to see Stewart's car kick out as a result of the blip, but the video does not show the car kicking out (no lead up video as I said above) and it is not remotely possible to say the throttle blip was Stewart's by audio in the the video's I've seen.

4) Even if it was Stewart that blipped the throttle, this is only bad if he knew that Ward was charging down the track and was in proximity to the line he was driving.


All reports I've read so far indicate this is not being investigated as a criminal matter. That may change after they review videos being sent in from spectators and whatnot. But at least at the moment the police are not saying or implying there was any criminal wrong doing here.

All of your negative points are valid, though, Tony. In addition, Stewart caused a serious accident at this same track almost one year ago in which a couple of people suffered significant injuries. This is a knock against him, but it is also a reason to be a bit skeptical of some of the eye witness accounts coming out of this. There was no love loss for Stewart at this track from these racing fans and that may be coloring some of the commentary come out of the spectators who witnessed it.
 

pvolcko

Well-Known Member
In the videos I've seen I never got the impression Stewart was turned in to hit the guy. He seemed to enter frame with a normal line of travel, but his car was maybe half a width higher on the track than the preceeding car. After impact Stewart's car is turned a bit right (up the track) before Ward is clear of the rear wheel and Stewart's car stabilizes back into a normal direction of travel.

I'll admit I like Tony Stewart. I'd hate to see this turn out to be an intentional, heat of the moment act. But I'm left thinking, what would Stewart be upset about? He bumped Ward and spun Ward out to the wall. No biggie. Happens all the time. If Stewart had been the one spun out or had lost position or something, then maybe, but none of that was the case here. Stewart simply would have been coming around the track under a caution.

He wasn't faster than others that came around the accident site. He was not unreasonably high on the track or out of line with what others had done through the area. Upon several more viewings, I think the throttle blip actually came from the car in front of Stewart because its rear end kicks out a little bit just as it leaves frame and Stewart enters frame. And to my thinking it is entirely possible Stewart had no idea that Ward was coming down the track on foot like that. I don't know if they use radios for dirt track racing like this, or utilize spotters, but assuming Stewart was not otherwise informed of Ward being on foot in the middle of the track, the car ahead of Stewart very well could have occluded Stewart's view of him. Coupled with the low visibility due to lighting and the suit Ward was wearing, he didn't see Ward until it was too late...

Maybe I'm making excuses or giving too much the benefit of the doubt, but I don't see why in this situation he would have been angry enough to do something like this in any way intentionally. Seems far more likely it was a tragic accident.
 

breeze400

Spagetti Pilot
Your absolootly right Paul! The accounts that I've read say there was a car on the track lower than tony. Blocking him from dropping any lower too. That came from the police report. This simply is just a tradgity that should not have happened. The kid should never have gotten out of his car. Let alone run down the track towards Tony in those conditions. I know that Tony is just tore up about this. I'm shur after reading the police report that thus will just be nothing but a Bad accedent. I have a feeling the this will effect tony for a long time. I've never known him to not race after any incident before!
 

sarconastic

Member
I am NOT a Tony Stewart fan but I agree with most if not all of what Pvolcko said. Tony a hot head yes, absolutely, stupid no! you do not jeopardize a multi million dollar enterprise with stupid moves that would kill someone.

I feel for the guy that died and his family, but he committed a grave error in getting out of that car and running inot the oncoming cars.. Nascar rules specifically tell you to stay in your car unless their is a life threatening reason not to, for exactly this reason, even though it is a caution those cars are traveling at 60-70 mph around that track. To me it looked like the guy got in close to the front wheel, which is in narrower than the rear wheel to get in Tony's face and the rear wheel clipped him. Those tires only run about 5-8 lbs of air pressure and grab what ever touches them. That will cause the front end of the car to be whipped to the right and appear to have been turned when in fact it wasn't.


They will investigate and the truth will be shown.

Woody
 

wolfman76

Well-Known Member
2 key facts that you will have to watch the video again and you will see what i am talking about
1) this might help stewart or hurt stewart but you don't see any of the race before he hit ward to see what led up to this.....
2) and the most damning and straight up proof that it was intentional turn the audio up on whatever you are using to watch the video with and pay close attention to the sound of the engine of stewarts car and the back tires and front he hits the gas causing the back tires to fish tail and turned towards ward and the main fact there was plenty of room at the bottom of the track but he stayed at the top of the track where he tapped tire to tire with wards car spinning him out he knew exactly where he was on the track... the video alone is enough evidence if officials and police pay close attention to what i mentioned that probably WILL get him convicted of murder it is very obvious if you pay attention to the video right before he hits ward... i lived three years in rushville indiana where tony stewart is from and actually watched him race midgets just like in the video he is very agressive and was not afraid to force his way around the track he was known as the rushville rocket there
 

Ken Jackson

Active Member
Re: Tony Stewart Hits & Kills Driver On Racetrack

Someone may have said this already but I think Tony did hit the throttle and made the rear tire move away from the losing his temper and actually standing in front of race cars in a dark suit. No one could possibly imagine what the visability was at that corner except the other drivers. I think Tony may have been sorting things out and as someone else stated could have been high on track before the corner. The point is you don't get out of your vehicle and run into the racing lanes accept maybe on a red flag. I think throwing your helmet at a safe distance at a car you feel wronged you is appropriate but you can't do what he did in a black suit especially.

Sorry always been a Tony fan even when he lost his cool early in his career, I think it was a horrible accident and nothing more. Tony is a business man, assistent team owner, driver in multiple circuits. He host charity events at his owned dirt track.

I think anyone who thinks this is Tonys fault is just not a fan and thats OK, thats why there are 42 other drivers. But to think someone who could be a d... at times he would never risk all that he is and has the night before the a big cup race. You guys are nuts. I'm an Indiana boy as is Tony and I can't believe there was any wrong intent.

Lets not forget Sterling Marlins position when he clipped Dale Earnhardt Senior. Hell no!! Do you think he did it on purpose? This was a horrible accident and a reminder to all drivers to keep your cool and never put your body in front of a moving vehicle, EVER!!!

Ken

- - - Updated - - -

Watch the video again. I'm absolutely positive that I saw the front of the car appear to go up but that was at the same time moment Tony hit the gas and caused the rear of the car to fish tail down the track.. That was a textbook panic move to get the rear tire away from Ward.

Prove me wrong!

- - - Updated - - -

And if you've ever driven on snow as we do in Indiana then you'll know to make the back end fish tail left you turn right and hit the gas!!

I'm so pissed this had to happen!
 

Tony

Staff member
Okay, it seems that I pissed some of you off. Let me get one thing straight right now. I AM a Tony Stewart Fan! I do NOT want him to be indited on anything that could jeopardize his race team or him racing period. I want him to keep racing and enjoy watching him race, if I watched the racing anymore (has gotten too political, another topic...).

Tony did NOT turn up into Ward. Ward RAN DOWN to Stewart. The jerk you see is Wards body hitting the front tire of the sprint car causing it to be jerked to the right. If you have never been in a sprint car, you have NO IDEA how fast that steering really is. It's like a gokart. And that means that it will jerk the car if the wheel hits something.

IMO, Stewart held his line, but I think people might think otherwise. I don't know. I hope nothing comes of this and they make a new rule for people walking on the track. But the way stupid laws are being passed right now, I think the dumbass that is running into traffic will get off scott free when the driver that had no other way to move gets screwed.

We will see. Tony is missing the next race (todays race). We will see if he races next week. If they are racing... Not sure.
 

Ken Jackson

Active Member
Not pissed at you Tony just the situation! You seemed to be more afraid at first that tony might have done wrong but we all need to let some time pass, investigations held and interviews completed with the drivers they were there, the truth will be known in a day or two. And if it goes against Tony then I will respect the opinions of the investigation mainly based on what the others drivers saw.
 

Tony

Staff member
So far, everything is going in Stewart's direction (the good way). There is talk that new rules will be put into affect stating that drivers are NOT allowed to walk on the track. Running towards a car will result in a fine and so on. But as you said, we will find out. I just know how corrupt law enforcement agencies can be, especially in Ny. They have some of the worst cops in the country. Not to say that all of them are bad, but yeah, they are not what we could call hero's here in Oklahoma.
 

wolfman76

Well-Known Member
it does make sense cuz it did seem he was hit by his front tire and the impact of hitting sumthin can make you hit the gas it is just sad when someone dies for no good reason prayers to wards family in their time of sorrow and to stewart i can only imagine what is going through his head.... i do hope he continues to race but will understand if it is not for awhile
 

Ken Jackson

Active Member
I agree with your comments about investigators and corruption but NASCAR is huge and NASCAR fans will not be accept corrupt law enforcement agencies BS. This is two big only the truth will be the outcome. No ones going to get something pinned on them with the whole world watching and waiting. God be with all and lets not forget the issues each of us face as we go on with our lives...

good night
Ken
 

breeze400

Spagetti Pilot
No one is pissed ant anyone! Lol but this is going to be a polarizing situation. The tony haters out there are going to shout murder. The rest of us are not. But for anyone to say that tony purposely hit Ward is insane. This was just an accident that shouldn't of happened period. There should already be a rule about getting out of your car and walking down the track into traffic.
 

pvolcko

Well-Known Member
Ward did not commit suicide. He lost his temper and put himself in a very dangerous situation. He didn't deserve what happened, but he is highly culpable in what occurred.

I've watch a video of this many many times. At first I thought that throttle blip before stewart comes into frame was from Stewart's car, but then I noticed that the car in front of Stewart's does a little fish tail up the track just as it is leaving frame and in sync with the blip. I'm thinking it was the car in front of Stewart's that popped some throttle, not Stewart.

If Stewart did blip the throttle, it almost certainly was an attempt to kick the back down the track, away from Ward. Maybe it didn't work. Maybe it wasn't him that blipped.

Of those that have some experience watching or being around this kind of racing, do they utilize helmet radios or spotters? Would Stewart have been informed of Ward's position on the track in any way or would it have been entirely up to him to visually see it as he came around? Given that there were other cars that passed even higher than Stewart while Ward was already out of the car and starting to make his way away from his car, I have to imagine if there was any warning for Stewart it was very short notice.
 

Tony

Staff member
Short course racing like this usually doesn't have spotters. And I have never seen anyone run a radio in sprints, but that's not to say that it's not done.
 

sarconastic

Member
I am not mad at anyone, I think we can toss info back and forth like adults, whether we are a Tony Fan or not, we can be objective and respectful at the same time. Which I think everyone has been so far.

They do run radios in all these sprints now. Anything above Modifieds now a days they are allowed to and most do. The Drivers in this race were informed there was a caution on the radio but not that a guy was standing on the track. There wasn't time according to their report.

They have been reviewing a second video from a different angle and apparently it confirms that Ward stepped in close to the front tire to point at Tony and the right rear tire hit him, this causes the right front to swerve to the right and appear that it was turned. So hopefully this proves that it was just a stupid and unfortunate accident. Tony should be exonerated from any wrong doing.

We can only wait and see now.

Woody
 
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