Already done… pretty sure its going to be ruled as an accident
Even if Stewert hit him on purpose, I highly doubt any charges would be placed on him. You automatically assume risk by driving in these cars, in this race. Ward got out of the car and motioned toward Stewert’s car. He was wearing all black against a black surface, so I truly believe he was hard to see. So accident or not, I doubt anything more comes of this.
what they need to do is have a rule where you are banned for a year if you get out of your car and it’s not on fire.
There was what 20/30/40 other cars on the track? The engine rev could have been from anyone of them. After the motor revs you see Tony go by doesn’t mean it was his car.
If you look closely, you can see the rear tire load up and the car swerve side to side. It was tony.
its a dirt track if you turn quickly it will get sideways w/o gas, the only vid I seen was where you hear the engine then a split second later tony’s car goes by
If he couldn’t see him then what was Stewart doing when he seemed to either try to avoid him or “dust” him?
lol clearly he saw him, he’s stating he didn’t see him till it was too late and he’s right on the guy.
One of the guys I deal with daily at my job is a modified racer in North Dakota. He stated that when driving in these cars… you see the car in front of you and that pretty much it. Being he was in all black at night with a poor lit surface, a car in front of him, on a turn… I’m sure he didnt spot him till the very last second. He said the only people that will not believe this are going to be the ones that don’t race/never been behind the wheel of one of these cars.
I dont race, so I dont know what the view is like in one of these, but I’m sure its a pain in the ass to see anything past 10ft because of dirt in your face and cages and tunnel vision.
Edit: Looks like a lot of blind spots to me in this photo. lol
I’m assuming when hes coming around that turn hes looking at the car and not expecting some person trying to run at him on foot.
This video might give you a decent idea of what you can and cannot see on this particular track at night, in a sprint car. I’m not saying the view is the same for the car used by Stewart this past Saturday, though I would assume it’s very comparable. I’m also not saying it’s the same angle as the driver would see vs where the camera is mounted, and you don’t have a shield in front of your face with possible dirt on it. I’m just showing this to give an example of what his vision might have been going around the track. You can clearly see how the lighting is in turn 2.
https://youtu.be/zmfZVxkOlP4
I do agree the only way to truly know what happened is to ask Tony Stewart, unless another video source comes up - which there may be since races at this track are regularly recorded with professional equipment.
You need throttle to steer these cars, lot can be going on inside the car. Hell if you spun someone out you dont usually stare them down as you drive by might have been checking gauges pull belts tight had low visibility from tear offs. Many things could have happened, its a dirt track with lights, glares shadows and dust everywhere. Wearing all black in shadows isnt usually a good way to be spotted. If he would have stayed in or with his car he’d still be around to race another day. Im guessing the kid wanted to be cool and stand up to Tony but Tony had zero to gain from trying to teach this dude a lesson.
They’re live axle quick change rear ends. With the wings,full containment seats and your typical head/neck restraints you can’t see a thing out the right side of the car. It’s a real shame that this happened, and seeing all the false misinformed crap that is floating around in the media. Not what short track racing needed when most tracks are already struggling.
You mean the right side of the car? I’ve met him and he is calm and down to earth. Needless to say I haven’t met him with his temper flaring. Tony is invested into this sport and last I knew he owned a track himself. I see no reason for him to tarnish the sport.
This may shed some light (no pun intended) on the scene as well - an interview from a driver that passed Ward before Stewart got there:
“That’s obviously not a racing incident,” he said. “I seen Kevin clear as day. Nobody else ran into him, either.”
Hopefully this will quiet down the number of armchair racers acting like they know how these cars drive.
That makes sense if he was standing in the same spot the whole time (he wasn’t) and ya know if Hebing (the driver of the car directly in front of Stewart) didn’t state that he only saw the kid at the last second. The wings plus all the modern seat/safety crap really kills vision out the right side of the car, it’s not a stretch by any means to think that he really didn’t see him.
"Ward is not at fault
For every person that has argued Stewart is at fault, another has argued Ward is at fault for getting out of the car. Unless it’s a single car spin, most drivers get out of their car when they are involved in an accident. Usually it’s to survey the damage. "
- ON DIRT - Racing news
how about, Fuck that, and don’t allow this.
I wouldn’t go so far as banning them from exiting the vehicle at all. After a bad crash you never know if fuel is leaking. Ward was at fault though because instead of getting out and heading AWAY from traffic he ran straight to it. He didn’t get out of his car over fear it could catch fire either, he wanted to confront another driver. That’s the part they need to ban and start hitting people with heavy fines over.
If you want to let them act like idiots back in pit lane fine. Unbolt the benches and go all Jerry Springer for all I care. Allowing drivers to run toward moving race cars and throw helmets simply because it boosts ratings and fits your promoted image of bad boy drivers is stupid.
Well, we know how Ward’s father feels about the situation…
“The one person that knows what happened that night is possibly facing 10 years in prison. Is he going to say what he done?”
I still think he’s going to go to prison.
It doesn’t matter if it’s racing and “things happen” you still killed someone. Whether it’s 3 years or whatever the minimum is for vehicular manslaughter or whatever.
I’m sure he’s going to get the shit sued out of him too
I’ll bet you a beer this won’t even go to trial.