Kevin Ward dead at 20

[knkali]

Tony Stewart should NOT be criminally charged for killing Kevin Ward. The hot headed 20 yo sadly got what was coming to him. You don't go running into the middle of a racetrack during a race and not assume a lot of risk doing so. Typical self indulgent behavior that so many young people show today. Me me me. News flash Kevin, there where other race car drivers participating in that race too. Did Kevin really think that he is so important that making a strong, committed effort to wave his index finger in the middle of the track has the power of authority to halt the race because he was possibly wronged? Unfortunately, he found out the very hard way that he was not as important as he felt he was.

Thoughts?

[muggsy]

One thing is for sure. He'll never do it again.

[TheTman]

I didn't hear about this, someone was stupid enough to jump onto the track during a race? Well that is a little chlorine in the gene pool if you ask me.

OK, I read the story. He was still an idiot. You fight AFTER the race. Not during it, unless you're in your car and driving and bumping the other car. Any dirt tracker knows that.

[Longitude Zero]

Dumbutt kid should never have gone downtrack. Sad but he earned his departure. Natural Selection.

[DubDubU]

Maybe he was playing the race card.

[Dave800]

http://deadspin.com/reports-tony-stewart-ran-over-opposing-driver-during-1618893708

judge for yourself

[CJB]

Looked at two video clips.

In review, Stewart is slightly ahead of Ward, right next to him. Both cars go into the turn - where its basically one big controlled skid due to the nature of dirt track racing. Stewart clips Ward, who was already having trouble in the turn. Ward hit the wall, gets out, gets onto the main area of the track and "seemingly" points toward Stewart who is coming around the loop again. Stewart was in almost exactly the same track position he was in when he went through the turn the previously. One driver swerved to miss Ward. Stewart did not, or could not, swerve. The "could not" should clearly be considered, because in that turn its a rather tricky situation. Stewart was outside and moving faster, in a place that requires greater control - inside drivers are slower, drift less, and are more easily able to keep control.

From the video, I'd call it a stupid ass mistake on Ward's part. Could be emotionally driven.... that finger pointing and his stride suggest it. As a professional driver - or an accomplished amateur - he KNEW he should not have ventured onto the track. He did, he got killed. That Stewart hit him... coincidence, as it could have been any driver, but ... he was probably wanting to call out Stewart, got too close and for the second time that day, didn't judge just how much Stewarts car was going to drift in that turn.

Stewart blameless? No, he killed a man. At fault, culpable? Equally no, while he did kill Ward, there is no fault but Ward's alone. He didn't get what he deserved. He was just the recipient of the consequences of his own ill thought out actions.

[Bawanna]

Was it Stewart that clipped Ward or the driver in front of him. He seemed to be focusing his finger pointing on the car in front of Stewart and didn't seem to be aware of Stewart approaching. I might have the players mixed up.

[ripley16]

What a waste, but typical of today's blight of road rage that infects many people, including professional drivers. Having an argument with people in fast moving machines is just plain stupid.

[CJB]

Dunno who he thought clipped him, but it looked like Stewart in the previous lap that caused the original accident

[hardluk1]

Most all drivers get pissed at some point and get out on the track. Tony has been known to throw his helmet off another drives windshield a time or two. Sprint cars are twitchy at best and with no brakes or clutch they can be a hand full most of the time. That young man just got to close to tonys car just as tony tapped the throttle to set the car for there rest of the curve and they came together. One young drive gone and another that may not get over this.

[Longitude Zero]

What a waste, but typical of today's blight of road rage that infects many people, including professional drivers. Having an argument with people in fast moving machines is just plain stupid.

Precisely.

[Rob K]

You said it all brother,

[mser]

He didn't get what he deserved. He was just the recipient of the consequences of his own ill thought out actions.

Agreed

[muggsy]

Every driver knows the risk he takes when he takes to the race track. If he had stayed with the car he'd be alive today. Nuff said.

[Planedude]

Sad for the family, but it was Wards fault and he should have stayed in the race car. Arguments should have been saved for the pits. What happened was just sprint car racing, bumps and spins are a fact of racing life.

We all can wish that the young man had made a far better choice. RIP young Mr. Ward.

[codegeek]

Ummm yea. Staying in the middle of a race track during a race is a bad idea.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk

[codegeek]

double post.

[Dave800]

reading some comments on the interweb from people who were there (supposedly)
tony stewarts car had a go pro camera on it - we will see if thats true and the pit crew supposedly changed his right rear tire in the pits after the accident

yes, the kid shouldnt have been out on the track being a hothead, it cost him his life, but is Tony Stewart at fault somewhat?
time will tell

[ltxi]

Ummm yea. Staying in the middle of a race track during a race is a bad idea.

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.....and running further into it, especially in the dark wearing a black track suit. I do understand where Ward was coming from. I've been there. His choices, tho, were particularly young, adrenalin fueled bad.

[tv_racin_fan]

Watch the video closely. Learn about sprint cars.

No transmission, no clutch, no starter.

Some people claim Tony hit the gas from the sound on the video. How they can tell which car revved from across the track I got no clue. Watch the video closely.

Comments from people who got no clue is quite interesting.

[Planedude]

Sprint cars are rocket ships on tires. The entire suspension is designed to get the car to turn left under throttle. Goosing the gas was Tony's best shot at turning down (left and away )from the young man.

Think jet boat/ski, no throttle = no turn...

[Longitude Zero]

Sprint cars are rocket ships on tires. The entire suspension is designed to get the car to turn left under throttle. Goosing the gas was Tony's best shot at turning down (left and away )from the young man.

Think jet boat/ski, no throttle = no turn...

Precisely.

[ltxi]

x3.....

[tv_racin_fan]

I dunno what Tony saw or why he did what it appears he did.

I admit I don't want to believe that he did it on purpose and it might color my opinion.

I had to go back and re watch the video or another one or something and it sure looks to be Tony who hit the gas..

Perhaps he was coming around, saw which car was "in the wall" and was looking to see how the driver was. Not expecting that driver to be out on the track. He's looking at the car, perhaps higher on the track than he would have been otherwise. When suddenly he sees something and hits to gas to attempt to avoid it. I understand you steer these things with throttle quit a bit.

Just the same I don't want to believe it so maybe I don't believe it...

Way back in the day. Richard Petty went drag racing. Was not a long career doing so and there was an accident where someone was killed. A spectator.. I imagine that that is very hard to live with.

[SlowBurn]

I don't know anything about racing, particularly these cars. The only thing I'd point out is that Ward was "aiming" at Stewart, moving deliberately toward him, not the others. So other drivers who avoided Ward were not necessarily in the same situation as Stewart.

[DeaconKC]

I have seen this several times and I keep coming away with the same thought. If you are so stupid to run into traffic, you deserve to get run over.

[knkali]

the attorneys are saying that 2nd degree manslaughter is probably gonna be levied on him. He will probably get off criminally but will be sued into the ground in the civil matter.

[Planedude]

It saddened me to see young Kevin's Father lashing out at Tony for racing his son "that way". He was, in effect saying that Tony (and I assume all the other "adults" on the track) should have shown Kevin the curtsy and giving him extra room when passing him? Sprint cars have somewhat random numbers painted on them, not drivers ages. Kevin Ward was a remarkable, but very young driver. He ran the front straight hot and carrying that extra speed into turn one, pushed high through the corner. He left the door open and he got "Smoked". With two cars bouncing in the rough, rutted and potholed corner, who knows who's move caused the touch of spinning wheels that caused Ward to go around. Tony has been on the wrong end of open wheels clawing at each other before and he would never choose to do that on purpose.
I understand the terrible grief that the Ward family has to live with and they will remain in my prayers this week. I do however feel this latest attack on Tony by the boys Father is out of line with the facts and is something of a disservice to Kevin's memory as a racer. I'm sure that Kevin would demand that no one race him a boy, but as a fellow, equal, racer. I will give the young man that do and we will all stand fast in the wish that Kevin had just stayed in his car...
Charges against Tony in this matter, criminal or civil, are absurd and in my opinion a waste of the courts time. If any sort of trial happens here, it will be all about politics and money. No justice would be served.

[knkali]

if this goes to court, the race world will be forever changed. I can see it now---blinkers on race cars and ads on TV....If you have been injured in a race car during an event...call 444 4456 for justice now!.................................

[Bawanna]

I don't watch much now but if this goes to a trial or there's any civil award of any kind I won't watch it at all. That will show em huh?

It's a sad thing but it was just a sad accident. Kid was stupid. He should have been stupid in the pits, then he probably would have only suffered a broken nose.