Buffaloed in Pa Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 He`s a world class racer Dean. He saw him.What happened ...Only Tony knows. He has a terrible temper. Many times I would have liked to punch that midget out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM57 Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I share your viewpoint, as well. I've been researching this since last night and it's apparently very common for drivers to exit their vehicle and walk out on the track after crashing, especially once the yellow flag comes out. It also appears that one of the rules when they are under yellow is that they are not allowed to accelerate. Further, two of the eyewitnesses who were situated near that turn and stated they saw everything - at least one of which was a fellow racer - stated that there's no way Stewart didn't see him, and that while Tony likely never meant to intentionally harm the kid, he clearly gunned his engine and attepted to scare him, and in this case things went terribly wrong and Ward ended up killed. The driver (Graves is his last name, I believe) also said that he feels Stewart should end up in jail. I watched the video before I knew he had passed and before I knew any of the details from witnesses, and the first thing I tweeted was how he clearly accelerated once the kid was near his vehicle. .Tyler Graves is also a 17 year old who was friends with Kevin Ward and races in a lower tier (same cars) sprint series that Ward also dabbled in. Ward was just at Ransomville Speedway with Graves and the Patriot Sprints last week. Not that he's incorrect. But he's awfully close to the situation and his youth means he was likely extra emotional over what he just saw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 What's also odd is that 5 cars were able to avoid hitting this man who was in the middle of the track like he was hailing a cab. Stewart was the 6th one to encounter him once he ventured into traffic, and the only one to accelerate instead of staying on the inside and slowing down. No, watch the video. 5 cars pass and then Ward runs down the track a couple steps. The first car misses him and Stewart doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUFFALOKIE Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 (edited) Do these guys have radios in their cars? Edited August 10, 2014 by THE KIKO MONSTER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 (edited) That why I said "didn't see him". I think he may not have seen him when the others did. It certainly looks as though that could be the case. I would assume that over a purposeful attack, with no better evidence. Perhaps Stewart didn't see the guy he had run into the wall coming onto the track waving angrily right at him. Perhaps only the other drivers saw this scene and were able to avoid him, especially the guy in front of Stewart. Perhaps Stewart was looking at something else, until it was too late.. No, watch the video. 5 cars pass and then Ward runs down the track a couple steps. The first car misses him and Stewart doesn't. He is away from his car and walking in traffic while 5 cars go by. The car in front of Stewart moves away from hum. Stewart accelerates . Edited August 10, 2014 by Mr. WEO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevestojan Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Well, I don't post here much anymore but I knew this topic would make for an interesting read. First, CNN is tiptoeing very closely between being TMZ and being sued for libel with their headline this morning of "Tony Stewart kills...." Second, I watch nascar about as I watch out for my liver's health, but I saw the video. If this goes to any sort of trial (which I highly doubt), TS needs a jury trial. I assume the jury would include at least one racing fan. But I believe most judges are not nascar fans and would look at that video as I did: a 20 year old idiot (Darwin Award winner as TBD calls him) puffing his chest at cars going 25-30 MPH after he felt a superstar in his sport "wronged" him - or perhaps he'd make the local news by getting into a scrap with a big league driver. The half second of video where I see TS, I see what is at the very least reckless driving. At worst, manslaughter. I'm positive you can't get in trouble for reckless driving in an organized car race. Not so sure about the homicide part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 If I, or the vehicle I was driving, was responsible for the death of a human being, the last thing I'd do the next day would be to go to work. No matter what the potential purse was. The fact that TS was going to do just that bugs the crap out of me. I ran over chipmunk in Lake Placid 3 years ago. It still bothers me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 A case for at least involuntary manslaughter can be made. Whether he gets charged, or convicted, is another matter. But again, at the least he can expect a huge settlement/judgment against him in civil suit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 As a few others have said Tony Steward is a terrific driver. He may be considered among the best ever at driving a race car. This is a guy who for many years would tour local tracks during the NASCAR season on alias names and ride unknown and unnoticed. He has been successful at every level of this sport and done so since a very young age. He is a prick, a bastard and an !@#$ if you listen to media reports - but that doesn't mean anything because it's just what is reported. If you ain't ever been to your local track, you should go, some good **** happens there. Bowman Grey is probably one of the best tracks to visit, it's right here in my neck of the woods. This stuff isn't really uncommon, at all... Here is another one, Tim Brown in the Hayes Jewelers car and Burt Myers in the CitriSafe car. This stuff is week in and week out at the local track here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4jh9C2Zoqs this one here is two guys backing up and slamming in to each other repeatedly. Also from this year like the one above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truth on hold Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) Looks like it was that contraption on top of the car that hit ward in the head and killed him Tony Stewart Sprint Car Crash: Kevin Ward Jr Kill…: http://youtu.be/CtBH9FJ3LOU Edited August 11, 2014 by Joe_the_6_pack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) Of course he will say whatever he wants. His onboard camera will help us know if that is true. The fact that he accelerated is not likely coincidental... If you watch the video, I don't think you will conclude it was some other remote car accelerating just as Stewart fishtails into this kid. Don't get me wrong, this kid was foolish to walk into traffic. Really? "Out of hand". Please...I think the public is free to comment on what they see before them. Also, I know people who were present at the track and the immediate buzz was that Stewart swerved towards the kid. Without being too confident in this as fact I can say all the early reports last night/early today reportedly coming from witnesses, or direct from them on twitter seemed to say Stewart accelerated. I haven't followed it this evening but the closest to disputing that that I have seen is "you can't tell on the video." Whether those initial reports are truly accurate first hand accounts or rumors swirling, you never know, but there should be a lot of witnesses that had eyes on the incident and many are qualified sprint professionals that can make meaningful commentary on it. Edited August 11, 2014 by NoSaint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 I saw an eyewitness report last night, from a friend of the dead kid, who said he went flying 50 yards in the air. He didn't fly anywhere. He got dragged. I'm not putting much weight into these eyewitness accounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Looks like it was that contraption on top of the car that hit ward in the head and killed him They'll probably also be named in the lawsuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 They'll probably also be named in the lawsuit. As will the people who supplied the sand that didn't allow the car to stop quickly enough. What a mess this will turn out to be. No winners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted William's frozen head Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 This is awful!! @jeff_gluck: If you’re just waking up, horrible news overnight. Sprint car driver struck and killed by Tony Stewart’s car. http://t.co/V7k0yHVwbA Stewart will still race at Watkins Glen today. I've covered NASCAR events as a photographer, and have stood at the very edge of race tracks. It's VERY scary. THAT track was wet mud. The driver of the disabled car was basically committing suicide by stepping out of his vehicle at night, in a black suit, combined with dangerous track conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 I share your viewpoint, as well. I've been researching this since last night and it's apparently very common for drivers to exit their vehicle and walk out on the track after crashing, especially once the yellow flag comes out. It also appears that one of the rules when they are under yellow is that they are not allowed to accelerate. Further, two of the eyewitnesses who were situated near that turn and stated they saw everything - at least one of which was a fellow racer - stated that there's no way Stewart didn't see him, and that while Tony likely never meant to intentionally harm the kid, he clearly gunned his engine and attepted to scare him, and in this case things went terribly wrong and Ward ended up killed. The driver (Graves is his last name, I believe) also said that he feels Stewart should end up in jail. I watched the video before I knew he had passed and before I knew any of the details from witnesses, and the first thing I tweeted was how he clearly accelerated once the kid was near his vehicle. That is a completely baseless assumption by everyone. How can you discern what Stewart attempted to do from a single video on the internet? Just like people telling me I didn't see a plane hit the Pentagon, because the video clearly doesn't show a plane...everyone's an expert in photo-analysis on the internet, to the point of being able to to discern an individual's state of mind and exact thoughts from a video on youtube. If I, or the vehicle I was driving, was responsible for the death of a human being, the last thing I'd do the next day would be to go to work. No matter what the potential purse was. The fact that TS was going to do just that bugs the crap out of me. Can't piss off the sponsors. From what I heard, while lots of people were saying he'd race...he was taking the sensible approach of "sleeping on it" (though were I in his situation, I'd be awake all night) and deciding in the morning. That's actually the very first thing I heard about the accident, when I woke up this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Our legal system is a joke if his family gets a penny in any wrongful death suit (yes, I realize it's already a joke). Some day we will stop paying out for people being idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Well it is pretty obvious that Tony Stewart would be the one to hit him, afterall Kevin Ward Jr. was SEEKING Stewart out. How dumb can he be? This truly is Darwin Award worthy. Stewart is suppose to miss Ward when Ward was going TO Stewart. What did Ward think he was going to do? Stop Stewart and duke it out? First there is a little thing called: Man vs. vehicle. That NEVER ends well. Why is the burden on Stewart because he couldn't react properly? I look @ it like Stewart was not on a collision course with Ward, Ward was on a collision course with Stewart. Why don't some people see this? This is like jumping in the water and then blaming the water for getting you wet or even worse: Drowning. Again, honestly... What did Ward think was going to happen by going to Stewart's vehicle? Was he that arrogant to think Stewart wouldn't hit him? My God! He was playing "chicken" on foot with a 35 mph vehicle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) BTW tom, these cars run over 1100 HP and the length is under 20' iirc I am happy to see AJ is back!!!! Stojan, DrD, the Dean, and now AJ! Wow! Our legal system is a joke if his family gets a penny in any wrongful death suit (yes, I realize it's already a joke). Some day we will stop paying out for people being idiots. agreed, and Stewart should give some money to his family Edited August 11, 2014 by jboyst62 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CountryCletus Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 If I, or the vehicle I was driving, was responsible for the death of a human being, the last thing I'd do the next day would be to go to work. No matter what the potential purse was. The fact that TS was going to do just that bugs the crap out of me. I ran over chipmunk in Lake Placid 3 years ago. It still bothers me. I swerve to hit cats... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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