re: VIDEO: Tony Stewart hits opposing driver; driver has died according to reports

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Even if this is the case, I don't see how TS could ever get charged for hitting a guy who is in the middle of the track.

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I agree. I would be shocked if he was charged with anything.

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I don't think he tried to hit him. I think he wanted to spin some dirt on him and teach him some kind of lesson.

it just backfired. ward was too close and tony misjudged it.

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It sure seems like Tony accelerates. Even though the kid should not have been on the track, if Tony accelerated near the kid to scare him, I think he is guilty of a crime. Problem will be proving that.

What does this have to do with racing? They weren't racing when this happened

He is not racing today

He is lawyering up

fricking trash just like his supporters, or nascar supporters in general

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well since the trolls who dont know shite about racing are out now, this thread is shite.

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My belief that the dead driver had a hot head and disregarded logic means I don't know shite about racing?

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Is Tony still racing today?

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No, to answer your question. He is not. But don't take it from me - I don't know shite about racing.

It was dumb of him to walk that far onto the track, but other drivers - amateur drivers - seemed to see and avoid him just fine.

Everything about this incident is just bizarre and tragic and senseless.

from another witness:

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"I know Tony could see him. I know how you can see out of these cars. When Tony got close to him, he hit the throttle. When you hit a throttle on a sprint car, the car sets sideways. It set sideways, the right rear tire hit Kevin, Kevin was sucked underneath and was stuck under it for a second or two and then it threw him about 50 feet."

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after watching it again, tony rev'd the engine right in front on him and it looks like it fishtailed a bit. Looks like he was trying to throw some dirt when ward got too close.

I don't think he meant to hit him, but there's definitely some negligence involved here. bad for all parties involved. guy shouldn't have got out of the car for sure, but tony should have never gunned it during a caution lap...

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Posted by Message Macintosh504 VIDEO: Tony Stewart hits opposing driver; driver has died according to reports quote: Stewart hit the throttle in order to intimidate Ward. No doubt about that. He should've known hitting the throttle causes those cars to get sideways. this .

Tony let his hothead and his ego get in the way of his logic.

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Hitting the throttle in those cars on dirt is also how they turn, sideways is how they turn.

For the poster who keeps insisting tony was trying to throw dirt on the kid as form of intimidation... Do you realize how hard the grooves are on dirt tracks? He would have to be up by the fence in order to find any loose dirt at all.

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He is lawyering up

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Well, he's not being charged.

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Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said his department's investigation is not criminal and that Stewart was "fully cooperative" and appeared "very upset" over what had happened. . . "This is right now being investigated as an on-track crash and I don't want to infer that there are criminal charges pending. When the investigation is completed, we will sit down with the district attorney and review it. But I want to make it very clear: there are no criminal charges pending at this time."

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Just some general observations about all of this.

The fact that this occurred at a race track during a racing event goes in Stewart's favor. Racing is dangerous and everyone at the track is at risk of injury or death including drivers, pit crew, track workers, and spectators. All of these have been seriously injured or killed when making contact with other cars or parts of them at the track. It is a much different situation than when an incident such as this occurs outside of legal racing. Having said that, this does not give a driver license to purposely run over someone and IF the evidence established this it would be murder. People are frequently prosecuted for various degrees of homicide for deaths occurring during racing but these are unlawful road racing events and not a lawful and sanctioned sports car race.

I've done very little research on the issue but I couldn't find any reported cases where someone was prosecuted under circumstances such as this. I have certainly heard of cases where one driver got angry at another driver and intentionally rammed them. I have heard of this resulting in the other driver's death but it so happens that in most of the publicized cases (usually in NASCAR) the other driver isn't seriously injured or injured at all.

The fact that the other driver got out of his car and approached Stewart to confront him about the wreck goes in Stewart's favor. This happens frequently in racing but is always a bad idea and involves the exercise of poor judgment. Several years ago I vividly remember Ned Jarrett doing a broadcast and commenting on how stupid it was that his son Dale had gotten out of his car throwing his racing helmet at another car for an on track incident (the helmet actually bounced off the passing car). Fortunately, bad things usually don't happen when this occurs but any human out on a race track with cars whizzing by creates a dangerous situation and is one in which the other drivers don't normally expect. Having said all this, again this would not give the other driver license to purposely run over the person.

Stewart's history of temper tantrums and anger goes against him for sure and it goes into the mix as well. Standing alone of course it establishes no culpability on his part with respect to this incident.

Lots of different scenarios are out there--Stewart saw the guy and intentionally ran him over, Stewart saw the guy and gunned the car trying to avoid him, Stewart saw the guy and tried to scare him but didn't intend to make contact with him, or Stewart didn't see the guy at all. It becomes tough to make any case against Stewart if you end up with no concrete proof that he intentionally ran the guy over. You can still have a crime based on recklessness or negligence but I think that would hard to make. In Formula One it isn't that uncommon to see team owners and such charged with crimes when a driver ends up getting killed but you just don't see that much if at all in the US.

The GoPro video could prove significant if it shows anything as it could give the perspective from Stewart's POV. Stewart's statements could prove significant depending on what he said. Intent is seldom capable of proof by direct evidence so it must usually be inferred from the circumstances. His statements would at least be proof of his state of mind. They could be self serving of course but you have to put them in the mix with all else. Interviews with other drivers could be important. What did the people behind Stewart see? I don't think it has been mentioned but obviously Stewart's car would need to be inspected. Is there anything about it following the contact between the cars or anything that could have happened to it during the race that could have contributed to the incident in any way?

It will be a drawn out process and it is way too early to draw definitive conclusions about anything. Most likely I would expect a civil suit to be filed and probably settled but at this point I have my doubts as to criminal charges being filed against Stewart.