Possible on-track homicide at sprint car race in upstate NY

[Ex Lurker]

Last edited Sun Aug 10, 2014, 04:40 AM - Edit history (1)

Other reports state that Ward is now deceased.

http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/police-investigating-sprint-car-incident-involving-three-time-nascar-champion-tony-stewart-081014

The Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Department confirmed to FOXSports.com late Saturday night that it is investigating an incident involving three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and another driver during a dirt-track race at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park.

According to multiple – but unconfirmed – social media reports, Stewart was involved in an on-track incident with driver Kevin Ward, with Stewart's car allegedly striking Ward after he got out of his car to confront Stewart about earlier contact between the two.

Police would only confirm that they are investigating an undisclosed incident that took place at approximately 10 p.m. during a sprint-car race at the half-mile dirt track north of Syracuse.

After the incident, racing for the evening was cancelled, police were dispatched and fans were told to leave the track.

"Tonight's racing events were suspended due to an accident," the track posted on its Facebook page. "Please hold off on any speculation until we have further information to share."

Police said they could provide no additional details because the incident is active and ongoing. As of midnight, there was no information available about the severity of Ward's injuries.

Calls placed by FOXSports.com to both the track and Stewart's public relations representative went unanswered.

[octoberlib]

1. This is insane.

[HereSince1628]

18. Sorry, but I'm not sure what you think is insane, a little help please

Is speculation that it was a deliberate act insane?

Are you suggesting that a driver on foot confronting another driver in an on-coming car was insane?

Are you suggesting Stewart's behavior/driving insane?

Or is it just a general reference to the outsized incomprehensibility of how such things occur

Other or more than one of the above?

[PAProgressive28]

2. Wasn't sure this could be posted here

Not a NASCAR fan at all but I saw this an hour ago. (Potentially) Crazy story.

[octoberlib]

3. Sports and showbiz are allowed in this forum if it concerns something that's currently in the news.

[HooptieWagon]

4. Holyy shit... heard it on radio an hour ago.

They've been giving updates, but haven't reported the driver died. Pilice are investigating.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. there should be plenty of video of the incident

[HooptieWagon]

6. Reported on a forum that the family posted on fb the driver died.

Not confirmed by the media, hospital, or the track.

[Elwood P Dowd]

7. Here is a YouTube video

[conservaphobe]

8. Fuck.

That's horrible.

[tammywammy]

10. From the video it looks like he purposely hit him

Reserving judgment, but that looks awful. Thoughts for his family.

[Punkingal]

12. I agree...I thought it looked on purpose, too.

I want to vomit. The kid died. It's so sad.

[eShirl]

21. youtube: video removed by user

[Elwood P Dowd]

9. Please edit OP: It was not a NASCAR race.

It was a local dirt track where open wheel sprints and midgets race. Stewart got his start in Indiana racing those types of cars on dirt and then moved to Indy Car racing. Later he moved to NASCAR stock cars and won multiple races and a few championships. He now owns his own team with two other drivers besides himself. He also likes to continue racing sprints on dirt at local tracks around the country as a hobby. The company Sprint sponsors NASCAR's top division that is racing in Watkins Glenn, NY on Sunday. Sprint cars have no relation to NASCAR Sprint Cup other than they have always been called sprint cars.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

13. Kevin Harvick (4), Danica Patrick (10), and Kurt Busch (41) are the other

drivers of Stewart-Haas Racing.

This will definitely be an interesting day in Watkins Glen.

[Elwood P Dowd]

14. Correct. I forgot KB (41).

BTW, the YouTube video has been taken down, but ESPN ran that exact same video w/o sound at the start of the 3:00 PM Sports Center segment.

[conservaphobe]

11. The sheriff just confirmed he has died.

[Cha]

15. Full Moon Insanity?! Damn!

[DAMANgoldberg]

16. I saw the video before it was pulled...

IMO, this was avoidable. Stewart put the guy in the wall in Turn 1, Mr.Ward is not happy about it and goes to confront Tony. These driver confrontations are nothing new, most of the time they happen in the pit area/paddock or even the parking lot, but it's rare on the track itself. Since this was a dirt surface with winged Sprint cars, any acceleration causes the rear to swing wildly, and that is what happened. Whether it was on purpose or not, Tony Stewart is essentially finished as a driver and could do hard prison time for this as Manslaughter. It is so tragic in many ways, but the flameout is occurring before our very eyes.

When they cancel the rest of the race card and send the crowd home, it's mostly a death at the track that gets announced later. I was at Charlotte Motor Speedway when a tire flew off an Indy-style car into the stands and killed 3 people in 1999. This led to no more Indy races @ Charlotte and a 21-foot catch fence being installed.

[Are_grits_groceries]

17. I doubt that Stewart is finished.

I also have doubts about him being charged or doing time. His lawyer is probably already working on his defense. Stewart is a champion Sprint car racer, but accidents happen even to the best.

His lawyer will probably point out that Ward was in the middle of the track and that he was approaching Stewart's car. Stewart fishtailed and his wheel hit Ward. You have to prove intent and that is going to be hard to PROVE.

I believe Stewart lost his temper and misjudged what would happen. What I think, what you think, and what can be proved are different things altogether.

This will follow Tony. As I said, I don't think it will finish him.

[HereSince1628]

19. Certainly a lawyer will be involved, too much at stake for too many people

Lawyers are expected to provide the best defense possible...so arguments will be constructed.

I know nothing about dirt track racing so I'm not sure whether the standards that might be used by the race track or a dirt track racing organization would require the same issues or same level of 'proof'. Recent news from other sports suggests that expected standards of behavior, proof, and disciplinary consequences within a sport can be quite different from what would be considered under the law.

[TorchTheWitch]

20. Deadspin has the video here

http://deadspin.com/reports-tony-stewart-ran-over-opposing-driver-during-1618893708/+orlove

I watched it over and over and it happened so fast I just can't tell. Another car went passed him just before Stewart did, but it looked to me that they both drove on the same path. It almost looked like the guy walked into the car maybe trying to force him to stop? I'm just not seeing where it looked like he purposely turned toward him to hit him.

I don't think manslaughter would stick. Not with this video. Ward put himself at risk by purposely walking into the path of vehicles he knew didn't have all that much control and going at a high rate of speed. And his getting out of his own car and going into the path of these vehicles seems to me as his intention was to force Stewart to stop so Ward could confront him. Madness. I don't know, it seems to me that purposely putting yourself in the path of vehicles on the track is so high risk it's suicidal. Plus, how crazy would it be to purposely point the car at him and run him over in front of crowds and cameras? That doesn't make any sense to me at all.

It looked like a really bad hit. Hard to tell but I thought the car went right over him and dragged him a short way as well. I wish there was a way to slow the video way down so you can really see what happened. The whole thing occurred in a split second. I just doesn't look to me as though Stewart's car behaved any differently then that first one that blew by just in front of Stewart.

Actually, just watched it again, and Stewart's car did a really slight swerve but that was because of the impact of hitting Ward. I'm just not seeing at all that he hit Ward on purpose, and it's just complete madness to purposely hit him in front of so many people. Besides, it was Ward that was the angry one of the two who acted so irrationally by getting out of his car and walking right into the path of the oncoming cars.

[eShirl]

23. thanks for the link

another car passed close to Ward just ahead of Stewart's car; could it be Stewart didn't realize exactly how close Ward was until it was too late?

[TorchTheWitch]

24. entirely possible

Then again it also looked like Ward practically walked under his wheels. Why else did he walk into the middle of the track other than to try to force Stewart to stop? And how else to do that other than putting himself in Stewart's way?

I feel bad the guy died, but what on earth was he thinking? Madness.

[MohRokTah]

27. If I was on a jury and watched that video, I'd vote for conviction.

It was at least manslaughter. Looking at the video, though, a case for first degree murder could be made.

[alphafemale]

25. The last I heard he is actually racing.....Today.

Which seems both incredibly bad judgement and tremendously disrespectful.

[TorchTheWitch]

22. Just read that Ward was only 20 years old

I didn't think he'd be so young. Seems to make it that much worse.

Same article also said that police aren't looking at the incident as a crime and that they talked with stewart who was terribly upset. They're also requesting any other videos of the incident that people took.

I hope he died quickly and didn't suffer.

http://news.yahoo.com/nascars-stewart-hits-kills-driver-ny-track-072428432.html

[Historic NY]

26. Rule 1 stay with your vehicle unless there is fire...

trying to confront another driver on an active raceway, is stupid.