Tony Stewart

[dldiaz]

I can't believe some of you guys actually think this was just an accident and the guy should just get a fine or be suspended.

He deliberately hit the throttle as he approached him. I'm sure he didn't mean to actually run him over, but guess what, he did. All the other drivers avoided him, so why did Stewart hit him?

In my eyes, the guy is a murdering d-bag who should be held responsible for his actions. A fine that's nothing but pocket change to this dick is not fit punishment for vehicular homicide. Let him rot in prison like the rest of the scum on this planet.

I wouldn't put it quite this harshly, but it sure seems (from the video) that this was more than an innocent racing accident
- and not strictly depending on whether he revved his motor or not,
he had a lot of open track to avoid the pedestrian.

Also, no question it was a stupid move to run out on the track.

[Charlie don't surf]

I can't believe some of you guys actually think this was just an accident and the guy should just get a fine or be suspended.

He deliberately hit the throttle as he approached him. I'm sure he didn't mean to actually run him over, but guess what, he did. All the other drivers avoided him, so why did Stewart hit him?

In my eyes, the guy is a murdering d-bag who should be held responsible for his actions. A fine that's nothing but pocket change to this dick is not fit punishment for vehicular homicide. Let him rot in prison like the rest of the scum on this planet.

I have met Tony 3 times, hell...I even played poker with him and others in his Prevost bus at the 2006 USOWC. But- that doesn't mean I know Tony or that I know what in Canandaigua last night...anymore than his 'temper' on track or one smartphone video makes you him or know what happened.

So far I've seen ONE video, and in that video where Kevin Ward Jr sadly loses his life it is said that Stewart guns the engine....but that video was shot from the stands opposite of the accident...and when the blue car passes before Stewart approaches there is a long whoosh noise (like Sprint wings make as they pass) before the engine sounds. There is a very good chance that is stand side (opposite the accident) noise as is the engine noise from other race cars close to the video maker. There is also the point that sprints run high stagger, and gunning the engine drives he rear end toward the outside of the track...not down as the car did in the one video I saw. Plus there is the chance that Ward may have slipped on the damp clay and fell way further toward Stewarts car than he intended to and Tony struck him. So let's think about ALL the possibilities BEFORE going Salem MA on someone...and if he's guilty of what the ONE video seems to show, then let justice be served by the NYS court system.

Most drivers run Go-pro cameras, so I'm sure other footage has surfaced and will be released that will clarify whatever happened last night. RIP Kevin Ward Jr.

[GoMachV]

Most drivers run Go-pro cameras, so I'm sure other footage has surfaced and will be released that will clarify whatever happened last night. RIP Kevin Ward Jr.

Very good point there! I'm sure more will surface, there are cameras everywhere now. Hell Obama probably had drones flying over rotflmfao! But in the end it doesn't change that a talented young driver list his life. RIP

[328isjohn]

From Mark Tychoniewicz facebooks page

4 hours ago
i have driven these cars,the right side board on the top wing will block out an entire car let alone a person standing there,i now work on the 45 car in the video and the driver said he just saw him at the last second and just missed him,Tony had even less time to react to the situation.people in the stands or watching this video have no idea how fast these thing happen and how limited our view is inside the car.it was a very bad turn of events that happened but we all know the dangers involved in the sport we love.

[LTO_Dave]

I'm not buying any excuses. None of us were there, but from that one single video you can clearly hear Stewart's car rev and speed up as he approaches. Probably not wind noise. Probably not motor noise from other cars on the track or the parking lot. Let's not just give this guy a slap on the wrist because he's a known figure in the sport and because that's a possible risk in racing. Stewart was behind the wheel. His foot was on the pedal and his hands on the wheel. His fault.

[mikea96]

I met Tony several times back in his Home depot days and he is a total A-hole and it wouldn't surprise me if he did accelerate at him!

[biff85ta]

I'm not buying any excuses. None of us were there, but from that one single video you can clearly hear Stewart's car rev and speed up as he approaches. Probably not wind noise. Probably not motor noise from other cars on the track or the parking lot. Let's not just give this guy a slap on the wrist because he's a known figure in the sport and because that's a possible risk in racing. Stewart was behind the wheel. His foot was on the pedal and his hands on the wheel. His fault.

Did you and I watch the same video? If there was blame to be placed the person trying to get in front a moving vehicle and he was in front and way down the track shares a big percentage of the blame. The worst part of this is that someone lost their life and someone else has to live with it.

[askbob]

We all know TS is a hothead no doubt about it. Ever seen the video of him out of the car on track throwing his helmet at the windshield of another competitor driving by?
Same stupid move of getting out of the car while on track.
At first I thought surely he was taunting the guy by blipping the throttle when going by. No doubt about it that was his car on the throttle. The reaction of the car shows that. Whether he saw the guy or not I seriously do not believe he would intentionally hit him. Damn stupid move getting in the way of a short visibility race car with very wide tires exposed.
Really a tragedy for both of them.

LTO, I think your comments are way outta line here. If I'm peeved about what a car did on the road and step out on that road in a cars lane, is that the cars fault? I think not.

[bully]

Its entirely possible the movement of the car and the rise in engine note is from clipping the unfortunate driver, they have snap throttle response unlike normal cars and it could be from the contact he blipped the throttle accidentally... Don't know but the lighting also appears poor and they can't be the easiest things to see out of at the best of times ... I am not making up excuses but there is definitely more information to be revealed.. My condolences to the friends and family of the young man who was involved..

[GoMachV]

I sat in one when I was a kid (200lbs ago) and was shocked how uncomfortable they are. The throttle reminded me of a swing, it's more of a front to rear motion with a flat foot than a rocking of the foot. They are very twitchy in the steering and throttle just creeping around the pits at idle (30+ mph at idle). Anyone that hasn't driven one (and I haven't either, just sat in it) can't understand how little head movement you have with the Hans on, the wing in the way, and paneling covering the rest of the right side.

[EvolutionRevolution]

From Mark Tychoniewicz facebooks page

4 hours ago
i have driven these cars,the right side board on the top wing will block out an entire car let alone a person standing there,i now work on the 45 car in the video and the driver said he just saw him at the last second and just missed him,Tony had even less time to react to the situation.people in the stands or watching this video have no idea how fast these thing happen and how limited our view is inside the car.it was a very bad turn of events that happened but we all know the dangers involved in the sport we love.

The whole incident is similar to this one (except with a less worse result). Now no one is going to blame Tom Pryce for not seeing the poor marshall he hit (and nearly bisected) and then getting hit in the head and nearly decapitated by the fire extinguisher, right? If "I didn't see him" in motorsports is going to be equaled with "I wanted to kill him" all the time, then we can ban all motorsports.

[Dirtdiver]

It's unfortunate that a racer lost his life and other's lives are forever changed due to this accident. There are only two people who will ever know what really happened and one of them is gone.

That being said, I've seen my fair share of WoO/ESS/URC/USA/USAC sprint car races and have never seen a sprint/midget driver leave their race car on the track unless it was on fire or about to go up in flames. From the video it looks like the 45 ("The Cobra") got a h*ll of a surprise when he saw the driver out on his track. Tony would have also gotten the same surprise. I'm not defending Tony but I don't think he would have intentionally runover a driver outside his race car.

[Mark Westerfield]

Tony Stewart makes a living from racing cars, and some people believe he is going to deliberately hit a person walking on the track with his car (used as a weapon)? Stewart and any team owned by him would be banned from EVERY racing organization permanently.

Kevin Ward made a very bad decision and it tragically cost him his life.

[badhoopty]

i dont think tony intentionally hit the guy, but i do think he intentionally made an attempt to bark at him and throw roost while he passed and didnt realize the kid was as close as he was.

[dldiaz]

i dont think tony intentionally hit the guy, but i do think he intentionally made an attempt to bark at him and throw roost while he passed and didnt realize the kid was as close as he was.

I agree, I don't think he intended to run over Mr. Ward,
but I certainly believe he could have done a lot more to avoid him.