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Tony Stewart Sprint Car Racing Accident

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Re: Something really wrong with Tony Stewart

What I don't get is why the other guy got so pissed off. This is racing... DIRT racing... you have to expect contact. It didn't look like he got more than rub from Tony before he hit the wall, and he was behind, too.
 
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Re: Something really wrong with Tony Stewart

I used to own a Bob Trostle car, with the wing and the mud guard, you can't see up a banked (even slightly banked) track to the right. Figure these cars have about a 15 degree slip angle to the right (the car naturally faces left as they come down a straight, to go straight the wheels have to be turned right, even at idle speeds). Toss in the new style head restraints built into the seat and I'd bet Stewart never even saw him until he hit him. Unfortunately being 20 years old, 10 foot tall and bulletproof didn't work in this instance.
 

steveespo

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Re: Something really wrong with Tony Stewart

Yeah honestly I am backing off a little about Tony's role in this incident. I never thought he did or would ever intentionally hit someone with his car, but he does get into a lot of confrontational situations. The New York media is all over this as a NASCAR issue, they don't care that NASCAR has nothing to do with this track or series. And no one is writing how stupid the dead young driver was only how the hot headed Tony Stewart "ran down" his rival. It just isn't going to play well for the sport or Tony Stewart.
Steve
 
Re: Something really wrong with Tony Stewart

steveespo said:
Yeah honestly I am backing off a little about Tony's role in this incident. I never thought he did or would ever intentionally hit someone with his car, but he does get into a lot of confrontational situations. The New York media is all over this as a NASCAR issue, they don't care that NASCAR has nothing to do with this track or series. And no one is writing how stupid the dead young driver was only how the hot headed Tony Stewart "ran down" his rival. It just isn't going to play well for the sport or Tony Stewart.
Steve
Yea the kid acts just like Tony Stewart yet has no responsibility in this?

Can I change the subject title to something like Tony Stewart Accident?
 
Re: Something really wrong with Tony Stewart

steveespo said:
Yeah honestly I am backing off a little about Tony's role in this incident. I never thought he did or would ever intentionally hit someone with his car, but he does get into a lot of confrontational situations. The New York media is all over this as a NASCAR issue, they don't care that NASCAR has nothing to do with this track or series. And no one is writing how stupid the dead young driver was only how the hot headed Tony Stewart "ran down" his rival. It just isn't going to play well for the sport or Tony Stewart.
Steve

That is the problem with most news now, (however tragic) the guy got out of a perfectly safe car and walked into traffic. If this happened on the free way like someone suggested would the poor SOB that hit the person be under such scrutiny? There is also another article vindicating Tony http://www.roadandtrack.com/features/tony-stewart-kevin-ward-crash-steven-cole-smith-analysis?src=soc_fcbks . Like someone else said it doesn't sound like Tony could have seen the kid since he was in a blind spot, wearing black, at night.
 

steveespo

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Re: Something really wrong with Tony Stewart

Rick
Change the title. But I do still think TS's attitude that he is a real racer and all the young guys out there (like Kyle Larson, Joey Logano) should stay out of his way if they know whats good for them, is a part of the story. It sucks that he killed someone even if totally by accident and that is why the focus will be on his past anger issues and maybe not what happened that night. My last post on the subject. Really was very disturbing for me and that is why I vented in this post.
Steve
 
I've been to and watched hundreds of races and I've never seen someone get so close to another car on the track. That kid was really worked up over such a minor racing incident. I think the kid had seen Tony do that before so clearly Tony was a poor role model for him. Such a tragedy that didn't have to happen. True if this wasn't Tony Stewart we may never have even heard of this. Thanks for posting the article link Brandon.

sprint-car-racing.jpg
 
NFSBOSS said:
I've been to and watched hundreds of races and I've never seen someone get so close to another car on the track. That kid was really worked up over such a minor racing incident. I think the kid had seen Tony do that before so clearly Tony was a poor role model for him. Such a tragedy that didn't have to happen. True if this wasn't Tony Stewart we may never have even heard of this. Thanks for posting the article link Brandon.

I can imagine the kid did this because Tony was possibly a role model, however that can be such a cop out for doing something stupid. It is also sad that if there is nothing to sensationalize then most people won't hear about it.
 
Re: Tony Stewart Accident

NFSBOSS said:
Yea the kid acts just like Tony Stewart yet has no responsibility in this?

Can I change the subject title to something like Tony Stewart Accident?

Just tragic and a waste of a young life. Two golden rules when things go wrong: Don't get out of the car unless it's on fire, and if you have it, never select reverse on a hot track. The rules need change.....
 
That's Placerville Speedway about 40 minutes from my house. It's been a while since I've been there but showing my son the video I'm sure I'll be going soon. I live 3 miles from All American Speedway and was there just a couple of weeks ago. I much prefer watching dirt track action though. IMO sprint cars on dirt tracks is one of the craziest forms of auto racing but it sure is fun to watch.

http://www.allamericanspeedway.com/News/Save-the-Speedway-Details/index.html#Speedway_History_
 
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I've been to Placerville! As I recall you use one hand to hold your beer, and the other to shield it from the dirt marbles being thrown at you through the fence. Good times!
 
I agree with a lot of you guys on the whole "Tony probably didn't see him thing" based on the points made, but one other thing to consider in this deal is Ward's role in his own demise. We have all seen racers ger out of their wrecked cars in order to show displeasure with another driver (heck, I love it when they do that!), but I have never seen a driver "charge" the racetrack/cars like Ward did. I feel that not only are we talkng about a 20 year old, 10 foot tall and bulletproof kid, but maybe someone looking for their 15 minutes of fame, by showing big shot NASCAR driver Tony Stewart that you don't come into my house and spin me out.

I am looking to see if NASCAR will continue to allow their drivers to participate in races outside of the santioning body, and also if NASCAR starts laying heavy penalties on drivers who get out of their cars before the safety crews get there (car being on fire notwithstanding).

RIP Kevin Ward Jr, and hang in there, Tony.
 
As I continue read comments about Tony's accidents around the internet it pains me to see so many point the blame to him. In the video I have seen Tony's car doesn't even touch Ward's car. It cannot be assumed Tony even knew it was Ward that crashed. Then as Tony rounds the corner it is near impossible for him to see up the embankment or to the right. Anyone familiar with sprint cars knows this. Ward walking out in front of Tony was just a much a surprise Tony as a child running into the street. IMO Tony did all he could to avoid Ward, but it was just too late. Still my heart goes out to the Ward Family, RIP Kevin
 
Did you guys see this yet?

http://powernationtv.com/post/fellow-sprint-car-racer-comes-forward-with-details-following-death-of-kevin-ward-jr#.U-piMklOrDt.facebook

Fellow Sprint car racer comes forward with details following death of Kevin Ward Jr

"A story from TWC News in Rochester reports that investigators have now reviewed two videos of they incident involving Tony Stewart and Kevin Ward Jr. Ontario County Sheriff Phil Povero said in the story that there are two different angles of Ward walking on the track after a crack at turn two on the 14th lap, and then being hit by Sewart's winged sprint car.



Investigators still say that there are no facts to support criminal behavior or conduct, or probable cause in the crash; however, they emphasized that the investigation is open, the story said.



Sprint car driver Cory Sparks has come forward with his side of the story, telling about the angle he witnessed of the event. "From what I saw, Tony did everything in his power to turn down away from Kevin to avoid him," he was quoted in the story. "People say that they heard the engine rev up and he gassed it. In a spring car, the only way to steer is you steer with the rear wheels as much as you do the steering wheel. In my opinion, what he did was he gassed it to turn down away from him."



He also noted in the article that the videos posted online don't give an accurate portrayal of what happened. There was no video in Stewart's car.



Multiple sources reports that an autopsy conducted yesterday by the Ontario County coroner found that Ward's cause of death to be massive blunt trauma."
 

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