Stewart-Ward video

[SWC75]

Ward was an idiot for walking onto the course to shout at Stewart but it does seem as if Stewart turned, not avoid him, as he should have, but to hit him.

Anger makes you stupid. Two guys got angry and made stupid decisions. One was in a car and is alive. the other was not and isn't.

 

[PeteCalvin]

You run out onto a dark track, at night, wearing a black fire suit, right down into the middle of the area where cars are still flying by...that's just not smart. He's still alive today if he stays near his car. I honestly don't think that Stewart saw him until the last minute.

 

[Crusty]

He was what - 20 years old. Twenty year-olds do stupid things. It hurts when I think of all the dumb things I did when I was 20. How I survived is a small miracle.

At those speeds and I think it was just after coming out of a corner turn wasn't it? Hard to see anyone much less a guy in black who you never expect to see.

It will stay with Stewart the rest of his life. Tragic for everyone.

 

[MSOrange]

You run out onto a dark track, at night, wearing a black fire suit, right down into the middle of the area where cars are still flying by...that's just not smart. He's still alive today if he stays near his car. I honestly don't think that Stewart saw him until the last minute.

Yep I agree. I'm glad someone has some sense in Stewart-Haas to not have him race today and act like he at least gives a crap that someone died. But ultimately I would be shocked if Stewart was charged with anything - just my opinion, not based on any actual legal knowledge.

 

[Toga]

You run out onto a dark track, at night, wearing a black fire suit, right down into the middle of the area where cars are still flying by...that's just not smart. He's still alive today if he stays near his car. I honestly don't think that Stewart saw him until the last minute.

I'm not convinced one way or the other and short of some sort of confessional, we will never know. I do think Stewart intentionally forced him into the wall and Stewart allegedly has had a history of anger management issues. The fact he (initially) indicated it wouldn't affect his plans to race today at Watkins Glen, shows a callousness of personality. Sad situation.

 

[will6786]

like tony as a sprint cup driver not sure what he was doing before that checking guages etc but one thing when u hit the throttle that will make car fishtail but it was not intentional.. and last year he caused a big wreck at same track that left a female driver which left her a compression fracture in the back.. but if y'all look at the tape it could of been any one of them as they where still going a pretty fast clip on the caution..

 

[PeteCalvin]

I'm not convinced one way or the other and short of some sort of confessional, we will never know. I do think Stewart intentionally forced him into the wall and Stewart allegedly has had a history of anger management issues. The fact he (initially) indicated it wouldn't affect his plans to race today at Watkins Glen, shows a callousness of personality. Sad situation.

Agreed. That was definitely not a smart thing to say. He's always been known as a hot head, but I still don't believe he ran the guy down on purpose. The authorities have asked for other spectator videos to see if they can view the collision from different angles. Someone else has to have a video.

 

[PeteCalvin]

like tony as a sprint cup driver not sure what he was doing before that checking guages etc but one thing when u hit the throttle that will make car fishtail but it was not intentional.. and last year he caused a big wreck at same track that left a female driver which left her a compression fracture in the back.. but if y'all look at the tape it could of been any one of them as they where still going a pretty fast clip on the caution..

I think the fact that Stewart was running close to the car in front of him, which also got pretty close to Ward, Ward being dressed in a dark suit, and then Ward encroaching further down the track right after the first car went by...I don't see how Stewart would have seen him at the last minute.

 

[victor]

Live in NASCAR country. Never have cared for the sport. Unfortunate accident, although Stewart has a reputation for being a hot head.

 

[SWC75]

The first car managed to avoid the guy. The visibility doesn't seem that bad, even for a guy dressed in black. Stewart's car definitely swerves to the right while the guy ahead of him went left.

I'll subscribe the to theory that Stewart wanted to spray the hot head with some dirt and mud but got too close to him.

 

[HOFCeluck]

The first car managed to avoid the guy. The visibility doesn't seem that bad, even for a guy dressed in black. Stewart's car definitely swerves to the right while the guy ahead of him went left.

I'll subscribe the to theory that Stewart wanted to spray the hot head with some dirt and mud but got too close to him.

That's what I think...both guys acting like 'bags.

 

[Toga]

The first car managed to avoid the guy. The visibility doesn't seem that bad, even for a guy dressed in black. Stewart's car definitely swerves to the right while the guy ahead of him went left.

I'll subscribe the to theory that Stewart wanted to spray the hot head with some dirt and mud but got too close to him.

Exactly my thinking - though of course not provable.

 

[Ghost]

Eh, no way to know, but I also go with the theory that no way he was trying to hit him, but he was trying to goose him - and accidentally killed him in the process. Good job race car driver!

 

[Blaster]

I believe this death happen for to reasons.
1. Ward lost his cool
2. He wanted to attract some attention by going on the track and mouth off to the millionaire nascar driver.

The blue car almost hit him. You can hear the brakes and see the car jerk left and ward side steps it.

Stewart is a hothead but there is nothing for him to be mad at in that situation. He probably didn't even knew that he bumped ward off the track until he drives by him. The drivers don't wear headsets or have any communication with pit crew like nascar.
It had to be hard to see ward and that is even if he was looking for him. He could have been looking at wards car and bam there is ward running at him. Almost looked like ward was gonna reach right in Stewarts car.

My condolences to his family

 

[#FRANchise]

I live in Canandaigua, a mile from the track, and this is not the first time he's caused havoc while racing here. Last year on the same weekend he caused a multi-car crash that resulted in a 20 year old girl racer, who's car cartwheeled into the wall of turn 1, break her back. So in two years he's pulled two dirty moves, one causing a broken back and another ultimately leading to a death. There was plenty of room between Ward and the bottom of the track, and it seemed to me that Stewart cracked the gas to intimate him, causing his car to slide into Ward.

Should Ward have been pissed off for Stewart blatantly riding him up into the wall, yes. Should he have gotten out, probably not. But could Stewart have hugged the bottom of the track while on caution, like he's supposed to and not be a cocky a$$-hole, of course.

Edit: now see that Will already pointed out last years incident

 

[SWC75]

I live in Canandaigua, a mile from the track, and this is not the first time he's caused havoc while racing here. Last year on the same weekend he caused a multi-car crash that resulted in a 20 year old girl racer, who's car cartwheeled into the wall of turn 1, break her back. So in two years he's pulled two dirty moves, one causing a broken back and another ultimately leading to a death. There was plenty of room between Ward and the bottom of the track, and it seemed to me that Stewart cracked the gas to intimate him, causing his car to slide into Ward.

Should Ward have been pissed off for Stewart blatantly riding him up into the wall, yes. Should he have gotten out, probably not. But could Stewart have hugged the bottom of the track while on caution, like he's supposed to and not be a cocky a$$-hole, of course.

Edit: now see that Will already pointed out last years incident

The 2013 incident:
It's at the beginning followed by a pre-race interview with Tony, which is why there are smiles and laughter), followed by a home video of the evening's activity with the accident and it's aftermath at the 6:20 mark. One guy has some pointed comments about Stewart.

One more comment: I realize they perform a function but those hats on the race cars look really dorky.

 

[ImperialOrange]

I don't have a dog in the fight and obviously the result is tragic but the wreck itself is light weight and something that happens every weekend at every race.Stewart appeared to think he was by him and pulling a slide job coming out of the corner. Ward shouldve probably feathered the throttle and given him room to complete the pass.

As for Stewart hitting the guy himself, why is the guy out of the car instead of trying to get himself restarted? Once he's out its bad, walking down the track is worse. Wearing black in a cloud of dust is had news and even though the cars were under caution at that point the dust cloud is still there. Looked/sounded like Stewart tried to goose the throttle and turn the car to the right after he saw him. Have to think if he knew the guy was on the track he'd have been hugging the bottom.

 

[Guinness]

The mistake folks are making is in thinking that hitting the gas or the breaks on a car like this running on dirt is the same as doing it in a car on pavement. These cars react totally different than anything I would bet most everyone here has ever driven.

I also find the idea ridiculous that just because the first car saw him and missed him that means Tony should have as well. There are plenty of examples of the first car in line missing an accident only for someone further back in line to get caught up in it.

Quite honestly I find it repulsive that people with no racing experience either as a driver or even as a fan are commenting on this as it being intentional.

 

[ImperialOrange]

It comes down to how many things you think the driver can see at a given point. Hes got no radio, no mirrors, and is stuffed into a cockpit where the wing blocks a fair amount of what he could see to the right.

I'm not a driver but i grew up going to quite a few races. In my mind I'm watching the car in front of me, the emercency crew queuing up on the infield, my gauges and glancing to see where the spun car is at to not hit it. You ride in the middle of the track to avoid buzzing the emergency crew whom are trying to get up the track asap.

 

[Finwad32]

I know the Ward's. The father has been a client of mine for years. This was their life. Jr., was a great kid with a very bright future.

There are alot of devastated individuals in regards to this situation.

Nobody left in the situation knows the details except for Tony Stewart. As with most situations in life there is more than likely fault on both sides in regards to the whole thing. Tony Stewart might have done everything in his power for this not to happen, Ward may have been completely out of line for coming down the track. It doesn't matter. The results are final.

A young man died too early, another man has to carry this on his conscience for the remainder of his life. We can put fault and blame wherever we want as a society and as individuals, it just doesn't matter.

 

[CuseCPT]

IF Stewart was trying to intimidate Ward with the engine rev, I think that video shows either criminally negligent homicide or manslaughter 2.

 

[Guinness]

IF Stewart was trying to intimidate Ward with the engine rev, I think that video shows either criminally negligent homicide or manslaughter 2.

You do understand how those types of cars work on dirt right? He wasn't gunning the engine to hit him but rather to try and miss him.

 

[Cuseregular]

You do understand how those types of cars work on dirt right? He wasn't gunning the engine to hit him but rather to try and miss him.

then it was his fatal mistake because it caused his car to slide more and the rear wheel went toward and over Ward. The initial incident was simply a "racing thing" with no blame IMO on Stewart, and the guy coming down the track was sheer stupidity no doubt, but Steward then either #1 hit the gas to try and avoid him (can't imagine he doesn't know what happens when a dirt car gets gas on an oval, so this is doubtful), or #2 more likely, knowing his past history as a hot headed Dbag he's gonna teach the kid a lesson and spray him or scare him with the rev and when Dbags do such things out of emotion anything can happen including killing a guy.

I'm sure he's remorseful now, but being a long long time avid follower of the sport, going to races, actually meeting some of the drivers over the years and seeing them in action I give Stewart zero slack. It's going to be a long protracted legal deal and his life and career will never be the same.

 

[ImperialOrange]

IF Stewart was trying to intimidate Ward with the engine rev, I think that video shows either criminally negligent homicide or manslaughter 2.

If he was then yes. I was hesitant to watch the video knowing the outcome but after I did I feel it wasn't intentional. Looked as if he hit the throttle to try and rotate the back of the car away from the guy after he saw him.

 

[maxxyz]

Stewart had a car right in front of him, correct? Could he even see Ward ? The lead car with a huge wing on the tail could have obstructed his view?