clarkiefromcanada

August 10th, 2014 at 1:52 PM ^

Long time NASCAR fan and race attendee. Over the years it seems that after the Donnie Allison/Cale Yarborough fight at Daytona in the early 80's that the act of "confronting" another driver has increased following a racing incident:

Tony Stewart, among others, has participated in this sort of thing over the past few years. Below is his helmet bouncing off Matt Kenseth's car a couple years ago:

Here he is brawling with Joey Logano's crew (the incident was Logano's fault, actually, and sent a driver to hospital):

 

He's far from the only hothead in racing though. A few years back Robby Gordon got wrecked by Michael Waltrip he walked out on the track like in this regrettable incident and luckily avoided injury while making his point:

This sort of thing has been increasing at the top level in NASCAR and since the 2010 quote from Brian France (NASCAR's CEO) stating "boys, have at it" the return of more aggressive racing and aggression within the sport has been on the upswing. This NASCAR focus occured due to sliding ratings. Accordingly, what used to mostly be settled on the track is now, all too often, settled by whiny pushing and shoving between teams/drivers, ridiculous passive aggressive comments about "settling" a feud and, eventually, as above, in dangerous on-track behavior.

This sort of behavior and attitude and direction is, naturally, going to trickle down to smaller venues and circuits and particularly with high profie drivers like Tony Stewart competing. NASCAR needs to show leadership here and end drivers fighting etc. and leave it on the track. NFL football is aggressive as hell, draws ratings and nobody fights. NASCAR sells personalities but they need to keep the focus on the racing.

RIP Kevin Ward Jr.; far too young.

clarkiefromcanada

August 10th, 2014 at 2:30 PM ^

Always thought AJ Foyt was a jerk. Met him, thought the same. 

Aggression in the car is one thing. The most aggressive drivers of the past generation Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt Senior, Ricky Rudd, The King before that weren't walking on tracks, throwing helmets, fighting crews etc.

They might have settled it in the garage but it wasn't for ratings, handled privately and not sanctioned by NASCAR.

 

stephenrjking

August 10th, 2014 at 4:13 PM ^

It's even more common than that. Big names, little names, a lot of them come out to confront like that. The above post, while excellent and informative, actually undersells how frequently this occurs across all types of racing, and not just from jerks.

JAG333

August 10th, 2014 at 9:51 AM ^

Unfortunately I've seen the video. Hard to say for certain if Stewart saw him or was careless trying to intimidate the driver for walking out to confront him.

Avoidable never the less and a tragedy.

GoBLUinTX

August 10th, 2014 at 10:27 AM ^

fully expecting to see the driver walking in traffic while sprint cars whizzed by and then stepping in front of TS.  However, that's not what I saw.  Yes, Ward was on the track but cars were slowing down and giving him and his car wide berth...no problem.  Then TS comes into the picture much closer to Ward, instead of moving toward the inside of the track Stewart instantly accelarated and got his car a bit sideways, thus striking Ward sending him flying.  TS might not have meant to hit him, who knows, doesn't matter...I'm no lawyer but were I a juror, I would find him guilty of murder before the first round of coffee and introductions in the juror's room. 

Maize and Blue…

August 10th, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^

What idiot gets out of his car on a dimly lit track thus putting himself in grave danger?  I feel sorry for Ward and his family and friends and they'll be in my prayers, but you've already found a man guilty by watching a video.  Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?  

GoBLUinTX

August 10th, 2014 at 10:41 AM ^

was trying to win a Darwin Award, TS had a chance to avoid Ward and rather than do that, he gunned the engine causing the backend to strike Ward.   This is no different than you coming upon a crosswalk and seeing a pedestrian crossing against his light, gunning your engine to intimidate him and loosing control of your vehicle thus striking him. 

MilkSteak

August 10th, 2014 at 11:37 AM ^

I'm by no means a sprint car expert but from what I have seen it doesn't look like you'd be able to make any effective last second corrections. The cars literally drift around turns due to the slick conditions. The only real argument is that maybe Stewart was going too fast and in that case he's on a race track. This is nothing more than a sad example of letting emotions put you in a dangerous situation.

BlueCube

August 10th, 2014 at 12:10 PM ^

There are other lesser charges if they can't prove intent. Maybe he is proven by other video to be innocent. For his sake I hope there was no intent. What I'm saying is they have rules to keep your car under control under caution. You don't know who may be running out there to help the driver.

It was very stupid of Ward to be on the track going after him but it's not like it's never happened in a race befrore.

Tater

August 10th, 2014 at 11:39 AM ^

I hope you are never on a jury, GoBLUinTX.  Ward walked almost into the middle of the track.  Nobody has any idea what really happened there, but I am not seeing enough on that video to say that Tony Stewart intentionally killed Ward beyond a reasonable doubt.  I am not even seeing enough to say that Stewart was negligent beyond a reasonable doubt.  

In addition, we don't know if he could have pulled to the left without slamming into a slowed or stopped car.  This death was unfortunate and unnecessary, but the only thing we can state with a reasonable degree of certainty is that if Ward had not walked down onto the track, he would be alive today.  

Condolences to Ward's family and may he rest in peace.   I hope the situation isn't compounded by ruining Tony Stewart's life unless there is factual evidence that proves his alleged guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

bluebyyou

August 10th, 2014 at 12:31 PM ^

That Ward walked onto the track is one piece of evidence which will  be evaluated by a prosecutor, but if Stewart acted in a manner to scare Ward by accelerating, which will cause a sprint car to turn, due to its having different size tires, Steward could be charged criminally.

I thnk there is no doubt that Steward didn't intend to hurt Ward, but if Stewart's actions were intended to scare or intimidate Ward, and the sprint car's tail went out further than Stewart intended and inadvertently hit Ward, then Stewart could well face criminal charges stemming from what could be construed as a criminal act.

 

Wisconsin Wolverine

August 10th, 2014 at 12:31 PM ^

Those sprint cars don't turn on dirt the same way your car turns on ashphalt - those drivers actually have to accelerate during turns to force their car inside due to the low friction environment.  Braking causes wobble and a skid towards the outer edge of the track.

It's extremely difficult to interpret the driver's intent based on the behavior of the vehicle.  Perhaps Stewart only had a moment in time to actually spot Ward - what would he do?  If he coolly stuck to his racing instincts, maybe he would gun the engine to turn left and avoid him.  Maybe he panics and slams on his brakes, causing an outward skid.

As a juror, your self-assuredness would be a detriment to a fair and accurate trial.

umumum

August 10th, 2014 at 11:05 AM ^

Since no one here will be on any jury--if there was to ever be one--we are not bound by that juror obligation.  In the everyday world, people will draw conclusions based on what they see and hear.  That's okay--since, again, they aren't jurors.

I trust you never speculated on OJ's guilt or innocence.

LB

August 10th, 2014 at 12:38 PM ^

gets out of trouble by accelerating; it is ingrained and instinctive. They are going too fast for the brakes to do anything other than cause problems. He was driving a sprint car, an overpowered car specifically designed and equipped to get sideways, and driving it on a race track, an environment where one does not typically encounter pedestrians. He was concerned at the same time with a wrecked vehicle that could roll down the bank at any time, and passing vehicles. You are trying to compare that to the driver of a passenger car on the street.

Artie

August 10th, 2014 at 2:22 PM ^

Losing control? You know he's one of the best race car drivers in the world right? Perry sure he didn't lose control. He likely just gunned the engine to keep his tired warm during the caution not knowing the guy was there. You're making a lot of assumptions and don't really sound like you know what you're taking about.

B1G_Fan

August 10th, 2014 at 11:48 AM ^

It's sad that the kid died but, he put himself in harms way. I saw the video and he all but runs in to Stewarts car. Could Stewart have avoided him? Probably but that is for the courts to decide. At best the only thing they will give him in involuntary manslaughter. What made me think about this was the fact Stewart was still planning to race the next day after running the kid over. That seemed evil.

 

OSUMC Wolverine

August 10th, 2014 at 9:55 AM ^

I think it is interesting how this is being reported.  Stewart is known as a hot head.  If not for this, I would think the focus of this coverage would be why would one get out of a car and take the risk of dodging cars on the track--unless of course your car was burning.  It is truly a tragedy and unfortunately easily avoidable.  I bet Stewart's demeanor on the track will be forever altered--either from guilt or worried about the perception that it was a purposeful act.

umumum

August 10th, 2014 at 11:09 AM ^

It doesn't seem to me that anyone here is having a problem noting Ward's role--whether disrespectful or not.  There is no question that Ward did a stupid thing.  But that is largely independent of whether Stewart did a negligent or willful thing.  Someone standing in the middle of Woodward Avenue doesn't give drivers carte blanche to not attempt to avoid that person.

Bluemandew

August 10th, 2014 at 11:38 AM ^

That was in response to osumcwolverine's thoughts on the coverage in the media of this incident. Not in respoinse to the discusion here on mgoblog. I don't think anyone has said that Stewart should have carte blanche to not try and avoid Ward. I think some people are jumping to a lot of conclusions based on scant evidence that Stewart was trying to intimidate Ward or intentionaly hit him.

umumum

August 10th, 2014 at 6:09 PM ^

I don't think that people are--by and large--jumping to conclusions---in fact less so than many subjects on this Board.   It strikes me that most here are simply discussing their perceptions of the video and sharing other generally known info--like Stewart's reputation for confrontation.  Both are fair game on a sport's site.  I'm not sure what you expected when you clicked on the link.  The fact that the person Ward was angry with is the one who hit him--after other drivers avoided him--is also noteworthy--though obviously just one piece of this tragedy.

MaximusBlue

August 10th, 2014 at 9:58 AM ^

R.I.P to to Ward and condolences to his family and loved ones. Regardless of the guy coming onto the track, a full investigation should be done to see if any negligence was involved on Stewart's part.

BlueinLansing

August 10th, 2014 at 10:05 AM ^

if they have a telemetry recording from Stewarts car.  If its determined he accelerated at or just before the point of contact he could be in big trouble.  Not even sure something like that exists.

Can't believe he's even considering racing today.

bronxblue

August 10th, 2014 at 10:06 AM ^

Yeah, I'm not sure what happened there.  Considering the time of day and condition of the track, there's a real chance Stewart didn't really see the driver until it was too late.  Obviously a tragedy, but it seems unlikely that a guy would try to run over a competitor in that circumstance intentionally. 

samdrussBLUE

August 10th, 2014 at 10:11 AM ^

Why would a driver get out and walk around in the middle of a track, in the middle of a race? He continued to make his was directly onto the "field of play". I have no idea if Stewart had any mail a and intent, but it's just not intelligent to do that