Did Tony Stewart murder fellow driver?

[Armistead]

Just caught it on the news, seems the talk it was an accident. Looks like murder to me...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLYF-cw6oA4

[Oberon]

Sounds like he revved up just before he hit him, bit hard to tell whether it was just before or as he hit him. One does have to wonder what Ward was doing walking across the track like that though, should have stuck to the barriers.

[Wolferz]

I'd call it a good bet that there will be a manslaughter charge of some flavor.
Why did Ward get out of his car and run around pointing his finger like a crazy loon:06:?

[Armistead]

Typical for drivers to get out of their cars like that when angry, but very dangerous in this type of racing and track. Maybe we'll see action regarding it, in that drivers that do will suffer penalty in some way.

Most say Tony's actions are somewhat common, a way of talking back, to pass a mad driver and rev the engine to say move on. Sort of like a driver on the road gunning the engine when passing some idiot walking too far in the road. Like certain neighborhoods here, people walking the road won't walk on the edge, but far out in the road, basically making you have to cross the line to get by them....I've often gunned my engine when going around them...

Sad, Ward looks like a kid, but I didn't check his age, no doubt a teen.

[u crank]

Sad, Ward looks like a kid, but I didn't check his age, no doubt a teen.

20 years old. Very unfortunate accident. But yea, you see that kind of thing in most types of racing when one driver feels he was bumped intentionally. Hopefully some rule changes will come of this.

Like certain neighborhoods here, people walking the road won't walk on the edge, but far out in the road, basically making you have to cross the line to get by them....I've often gunned my engine when going around them...

What we get in our neighborhood are people waking 2 or 3 abreast in your lane. If a car is coming the opposite way, it makes for a dangerous situation. :nope:

[Buddahaid]

Stupid kid should have got off the damned track instead of trying to make a point by getting close. I thought the engine rev was an attempt to avoid contact actually.

[Schroeder]

But yea, you see that kind of thing in most types of racing in the US when one driver feels he was bumped intentionally. Hopefully some rule changes will come of this.

Fixed that for you. Over here drivers get penalties when they cross the race track on foot and I've never seen an angry driver going after a still driving car here.:-?

Wasn't there an incident like that in a NASCAR race not so long ago when a guy tried to stop another car and was dragged with it for a few yards?

[u crank]

Fixed that for you. Over here drivers get penalties when they cross the race track on foot and I've never seen an angry driver going after a still driving car here.:-?

Thanks. Actually when I think of it they were incidents that happened in the pits after the races. Confrontations for contact on the track. Good thing the drivers aren't armed. :O:

[Red October1984]

I don't think he murdered him...

You'd think it's common sense not to get out of your car in a situation like this...but...eh... :hmmm:

[Aktungbby]

I don't think he murdered him...

You'd think it's common sense not to get out of your car in a situation like this...but...eh... :hmmm:

You are learning Red October! (happy B'day) and exactly correct! Stay in the car it's the best protection! Crossing on foot during a non-yellow caution (if they even had one) or even a multi-lane freeway is a low percentage maneuver...:dead: None of the cars appeared to slow and it's dark out there # 14 did not appear to drift #13 into the wall to contact-cause the initial shunt. But the dark suit against the dark car in reduced night lighting to the oncoming #14, at speed, cannot have been optimal viewing. The body English on the victim's part suggests some uncoolness and temper; I would have climbed the fence and outta there myself and settled issues later.

[les green01]

it was a accident the kid shouldn't have got out of the car to begin with,wearing a black firesuit at night the driver in front of tony just barely miss him when I watch the movie look like the kid even goes lower down the track after that car pass him and I did hear a engine rev but cant really honest say it from tony's or from the other cars around

[Admiral Halsey]

I don't think he meant to kill him. From the looks of it he just meant to rev the engine to tell him to eff off and didn't anticipate the fishtailing the of car. Tragic accident which will most likely result in charges of some kind.

[Armistead]

it was a accident the kid shouldn't have got out of the car to begin with,wearing a black firesuit at night the driver in front of tony just barely miss him when I watch the movie look like the kid even goes lower down the track after that car pass him and I did hear a engine rev but cant really honest say it from tony's or from the other cars around

yea, but one stupid act doesn't lead to another, more so in this case...I think it was an aggressive act, Tony's known for them......but it's also part of racing....As is being said, there should be severe penalty for those that leave their car, maybe they'll think more.....

[Buddahaid]

The engine rev doesn't happen until after contact and it looks like an evasive maneuver to swing the tail away to me. You can see the rear move track inward.

[Armistead]

The engine rev doesn't happen until after contact and it looks like an evasive maneuver to swing the tail away to me. You can see the rear move track inward.

Not to me, the engine fews seems to crank up just before he hit the guy. The bad thing, that was an extreme rev and speed jump to do under caution, you certainly wouldn't do it to avoid someone. Look who it just happened to be, the two that got together....I just hope it was an aggressive F you move that went bad..

[Buddahaid]

Not to me, the engine fews seems to crank up just before he hit the guy. The bad thing, that was an extreme rev and speed jump to do under caution, you certainly wouldn't do it to avoid someone. Look who it just happened to be, the two that got together....I just hope it was an aggressive F you move that went bad..

So we have a perfect example why eyewitness accounts are questionable. :haha:

[TarJak]

Stewart does have a temper, but can't say whether he'd go to hurt someone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwc8obMmv7o

[les green01]

oh smoke has a temp that for sure I only seen one video of this is there another one cause I sure cant tell if it smoke rev is engine or a speed jump or is people just assuming it come from smoke course i'm from Missouri the show me state.i been to races where they be bunch up I be like this guy doing great just to find out he was the last place driver

[Armistead]

So we have a perfect example why eyewitness accounts are questionable. :haha:

More like video of two stupid people, where one was killed by the other.

I don't think this has happened in racing before quite like this. Police certainly are looking at it, but I don't suspect charges, unless Tony admits. Yesterdays nascar race and most the race shows they talked about how racers get so mad they lose reason and forget logic and make aggressive moves like this to say screw you. I think people will have to take a new look, because often in sports people hurt on purpose, even kill, when it has no part of the game and get by with it, least not charged criminally.

Heck, at the Madhouse here here in Winston Salem {you may remember it on the History Channel}, you see this all the time, just nobody dead yet. Look at these nuts, wreck and cars chase each other through the field trying to get at each other with people around.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIjsNUx2Pxk


Then this.....Where drivers peod wait on purpose to wreck someone. What if that hit killed the guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpWmm9hznFA

Worse, seldom to drivers suffer any penalty for such action, but often here if they cuss after a victory on the mic, they do...

The Madhouse is fun to visit, even if you're not into racing, Redneck fights everywhere,.etc....best girl fights for sure, but nobody should be subject to death..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIjsNUx2Pxk

[Jimbuna]

A tragic and avoidable accident in my book.

[Nippelspanner]

Looks like another Darwin Award (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Awards) to me.
Or simply just natural selection...

[CaptainHaplo]

First - I am a nascar fan - but not a stewart fan. Even if he does own the organization my driver races for.

This should be an involuntary manslaughter with mitigating circumstances - Tony would not intentionally run someone over, but his actions (in concert with those of the victim) did cause the victim's death. His choice to hit the gas increased the impact speed and threw the kid quite a ways.

[Armistead]

First - I am a nascar fan - but not a stewart fan. Even if he does own the organization my driver races for.

This should be an involuntary manslaughter with mitigating circumstances - Tony would not intentionally run someone over, but his actions (in concert with those of the victim) did cause the victim's death. His choice to hit the gas increased the impact speed and threw the kid quite a ways.

Racing like many sports is a gladiator sport, people want to see wrecks and fights. Sure you've been to races and living in NC I use to go to a lot of them. When two drivers went at each other in car or track, the fans go into a frenzy. I don't see anything legal stopping this, other than a few rules.

[fireftr18]

The drivers are supposed to stay in the vehicle until told by the jump medic it is okay to get out. Not all of them listen, and put themselves into danger like that. Some of the people I work with at Kentucky Speedway who have had interaction with Stewart say he is one of the nicest drivers in NASCAR. I have seen the drivers, when driving to the garage, push the clutch in, and gun the engine. The cars don't have horns, so something needs to be done to warn people.

[Armistead]

More breaking news

http://video.foxnews.com/v/3728176014001/brand-new-bombshell-for-tony-stewart/#sp=show-clips

[Buddahaid]

Fox fanning the flames again with nothing of substance to add. :woot:

[Jimbuna]

Fox fanning the flames again with nothing of substance to add. :woot:

I shudder at the thought of the BBC ever aspiring to the same level.

[Aktungbby]

I believe the track waiver signed by participants will supersede all other issues. Of the four things in the accident video The deceased man did three of them and is primarily responsible. 1) He got out of the car; 2) he became or was less than cool headed; 3) he walked into the flow of traffic. 4) Mr. Stewart hit him. To misquote a previous court decision; speed and danger of impact is "intrinsic to the nature of the sport". A professional driver is aware of this and should have acted accordingly to mitigate any hazard potential. The young man did not.

[fireftr18]

I believe the track waiver signed by participants will supersede all other issues. Of the four things in the accident video The deceased man did three of them and is primarily responsible. 1) He got out of the car; 2) he became or was less than cool headed; 3) he walked into the flow of traffic. 4) Mr. Stewart hit him. To misquote a previous court decision; speed and danger of impact is "intrinsic to the nature of the sport". A professional driver is aware of this and should have acted accordingly to mitigate any hazard potential. The young man did not.

Even I have to sign a waiver when I work at the Speedway for the same thing. Okay, we're on the track under yellow flag conditions, but they still drive 80mph (128.7kph). There are certain ways we're supposed to park the trucks, certain ways we walk on the track. It's all meant to keep us, and the driver, safe. Next race you watch, pay attention to the fire/rescue team.

[Wolferz]

Loves to try cases in the media. They have long since abandoned the concept of reporting the news and now get off on injecting their personal views and opinions in every story they report. It's disgusting!

I have nothing but sympathy for Kevin Ward and his family but, technically, he was the one who caused his own death by getting out of his car and strutting across the track like an angry rooster looking to spur somebody.

I guess his parents never taught him... "Don't get mad. Get even."
He could have returned the favor in the next race. That's how most drivers handle it.

[Armistead]

I believe the track waiver signed by participants will supersede all other issues. Of the four things in the accident video The deceased man did three of them and is primarily responsible. 1) He got out of the car; 2) he became or was less than cool headed; 3) he walked into the flow of traffic. 4) Mr. Stewart hit him. To misquote a previous court decision; speed and danger of impact is "intrinsic to the nature of the sport". A professional driver is aware of this and should have acted accordingly to mitigate any hazard potential. The young man did not.


It's also why they say in boxing "protect yourself at all times."

Due to the nature of sports, most have waivers and a different legal standard is applied. I don't see that changing. In the end I think the sanctioning body will deal with it. Each sport has basically a legal body of its own. If in this case that changes, it will set a precedent that could change how all dangerous sports are played and who plays them.

[Wolferz]

It's also why they say in boxing "protect yourself at all times."

Due to the nature of sports, most have waivers and a different legal standard is applied. I don't see that changing. In the end I think the sanctioning body will deal with it. Each sport has basically a legal body of its own. If in this case that changes, it will set a precedent that could change how all dangerous sports are played and who plays them.

Ward was trying to be The Running Man? Richard Dawson would be proud.:O:

Not even Usain Bolt can run that fast! His best clocked speed was 27.2 MPH.

[Armistead]

Ward was trying to be The Running Man? Richard Dawson would be proud.:O:

Not even Usain Bolt can run that fast! His best clocked speed was 27.2 MPH.

Well, to be fair, those actions are rather common. I don't go to Bowman Gray anymore, but surprised no one has been killed there. They get mad, they chase each other with cars through the infield, wait and purposely wreck people, sometimes dangerously. One driver got mad, got out and leaned in the window and the driver took off with him, he fell out going about 30mph.... During this the fans are screaming "kill kill kill"......

[Wolferz]

Well, to be fair, those actions are rather common. I don't go to Bowman Gray anymore, but surprised no one has been killed there. They get mad, they chase each other with cars through the infield, wait and purposely wreck people, sometimes dangerously. One driver got mad, got out and leaned in the window and the driver took off with him, he fell out going about 30mph.... During this the fans are screaming "kill kill kill"......

Coliseum BABY!
:down:Die
:up:Live

[Flamebatter90]

I think this is a tricky situation. Rules say that drivers should stay in they cars, but we know these are not obeyed.

Steward's last moments are what need to be examined, he pedaled, but was it to get more grip to not hit the guy or was it to scare him off, that just went wrong.

This is just Ferguson, have patience, it'll be investigated.

[Wolferz]

In reaction to this incident...
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/2014/08/15/nascar-rule-change-drivers-stay-in-their-cars-unless-emergency-tony-stewart-kevin-ward

Kind of like closing the corral gate after the horse has run off.:-?

No more unbuckling and getting out of the car unless it's on fire or full of smoke.:up: