Tony Stewart Won't Race After Hitting & Killing Racer

by Staff Reporter

August 10, 20143 Comments

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Tony Stewart struck and killed sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. during a race in upstate New York on Saturday night. Per ESPN:

quote:
Tony Stewart will not race in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race after he struck and killed sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr., who had climbed from his car and was on the track trying to confront Stewart during a race in upstate New York on Saturday night.

Greg Zipadelli, the competition director for Stewart-Haas racing, announced the decision Sunday morning. Regan Smith will race in place of Stewart.

quote:
A video of the crash at Canandaigua Motorsports Park showed driver Ward, wearing a black helmet and firesuit on a dimly lit track, walking toward Stewart's car before being hit and hurtled 50 feet. Povero said the the 25-lap race was under caution when Ward was struck. Stewart's car was behind another before he hit Ward.

"The first car swerved to avoid the driver," Povero said.

Ward, 20, was pronounced dead Saturday night at a hospital in Canandaigua.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. tweeted his condolences to Ward's family on Sunday morning.