Kevin Ward Jr hit and killed by Tony Stewart's car during race

[LB3533]

Based upon video evidence, that I have reviewed:

-Comparing the driving path of the 1st car (blue color) that nearly touched Ward....this blue car continued to stay on his current driving path.

-Stewart's car path (compared to blue car's path) was slightly closer to Ward, but the key evidence is the increase of width distance of Stewart's car driving towards the wall (Ward's stalled car) after contact with Ward was made. This increase in width continues to grow as Stewart's car maintains contact with Ward's body and increases as Stewart's car passes Ward's stalled car.

What the heck does all that mean? It means that Stewart did not stay on his original driving path, he steered closer and closer to the wall (closer to Ward, Ward's car). You can see that after Ward's body is separated from Stewart's car, that Stewart swirves his wheel left to go back towards his original driving path.

Important point - none of the video evidence is proof of any intent or proof of what the heck was actually going on in Stewart's head. Most likely, no one is going to ever know what the heck both Ward/Stewart were thinking/feeling on that race track. (Other than, each individual most likely were thinking and feeling about driving well/winning the race).

The only proof that the video evidence shows is that Stewart was not maintaining his original driving path.

[BballTim]

1 year ago Stewart was involved in a incident that caused a 19 year old woman to suffer a broken back on a track. He said later it was his fault.
He's a hot head. Known quantity in a sport filled with em'

He drifted the kid into the wall, dropped into the inside of the next turn. Would not have seen the car until coming out of the turn as the neck restraining system would have prevented him though the caution flag woulda already have been clear to all drivers.

Stewart comes back around and maybe planned on roostering the kids ride and the kid himself as a _____you. He drove in exactly the manner you would if you were trying to throw dirt on the  walled ride.

I got friends from Seekonk. None see anything but Tony being a prick and either not imagining the kid would get in the way or saw the kid and tried to scare him with a swerve (a.k.a, git off the ____ing track bro)

Nobody thinks he tried to kill him but nobody thinks he didn't see him. They are drivers. They were under caution driving about as fast as you do on the expressway if you follow the speed limit or even slower.

This wasn't F1.

It would be criminal negligent homicide/Manslaughter 1-3rd degree in our non NASCAR world.
We are judged by the rules of getting a license.

NASCAR drivers have other rules. This was adults acting like kids and one very stupid young guy got killed cuz the other adult was acting even dumber.

Yeah, I would equate the spirit of what Stewart did to a brush-back in baseball. Intimidation/dominance.

But because of the toys Stewart was playing with (a car vs a baseball), far more caution is called for. It should be a felony charge, and a serious one.

I agree.  Well  stated .   I've been watching racing and TS since he came to motorsports.   He is born hothead and like Metta world peace , not above ruthless tactics .  One young lady driver was seriously hurt at the SAME track , due to TS getting mad and wrecking the field , which put her in the hospital with major back neck injury.

I'm certain he would NOT  want to kill that driver.     He is not a killer .    But he is not a saint , if you look at his record , he is not above administering pain or payback to ANY driver he thinks may have WRONGED him personally.

I firmly believe he fully I tended to scare the bejesus  out of Ward .  With a close pass,  his is also a intimidation tactic ,  saying don't mess with me boy , I'll put you in the wall any time I want .

During the heat of the moment both got to close .   Tonys mindset was NOT of that as a protector ,  he was looking to punish the kid more .  He should have slowed down or stopped ,  no reason to even chance hitting Ward.  Sure Ward was not being smart , but Tony , being the twice his age and experience , needed to be THE cool adult in this situation , slow down , move away from his crazy mad kid .   Tony is guilty , of poor judgement , not defusing the situation.....one that he started ....by wrecking the kid ......you could argue that Stuart s hot temper actions led to the whole thing .

Tony Steward is a huge jerk ,  and a lot of other words I can post .   

He has this young man death to live with and explain to his maker one day......good luck Tony with that.

  That seems to be the acceptable punishment for hitting and killing someone with your car when you're just trying to scare them, having to live with the guilt. Sounds overly burdensome.

[indeedproceed]

Tim you're being sarcastic, right?

[mgent]

Carl Edwards stood up during the driver's meeting before today's race and pleaded that everybody stop flooring the gas during cautions and try to set an example in racing for getting down to caution speed quicker.  He is one of my favorite drivers, and I applaud him for taking the courage to do that where more famous guys like Johnson and Gordon would not.

NASCAR also made the expected rule change a few days ago:

According to the addendum to the NASCAR rule book (Section 9-16), “if a race car is involved in an on-track incident on or near the racing surface, and is unable to continue to make forward progress, unless extenuating emergency conditions exist with the race car (such as smoke or fire inside the car),” the driver is to remain inside the car until directed to exit by workers on the scene.

[mgent]

Kevin Ward Sr.'s response:

"I think the reason he probably got out of that car is who put him into the wall. He was definitely put into the wall," Ward Sr. said.


Kevin was dressed in an orange and black suit with fluorescent stripes down the sides that glowed under the lights, his father said. There was a caution flag, racers were slowing and moving to the bottom of the track, he said. The other drivers saw Kevin walking, his father said.

"Apparently, Tony Stewart was the only one driving out there who didn't see him," he said.



"Tony Stewart was the best [dang] driver by far on the track that night. Why he had to go up as high as he did and hog my son, there's no reason for it," Ward Sr. said.


"The one person that knows what happened that night is possibly facing 10 years in prison. Is he going to say what he done?" Ward Sr. said.

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/08/kevin_ward_sr_speaks_about_his_son_his_death_and_tony_stewart.html

He sounded like an amazing kid from that article.  I think it's horrible Facebook told them their son was dead 10 minutes before the doctor.

[Moranis]

Tony Stewart will not be charged.

Also, Kevin Ward had enough marijuana in his system to impair his judgment at the time of his death.

[D.o.s.]

Speaking to the press after the announcement, Stewart admitted that he may have misunderstood Ward's request for a hit.

[nickagneta]

Speaking to the press after the announcement, Stewart admitted that he may have misunderstood Ward's request for a hit.

TP