Nascar driver Kevin Ward Jr. dies

[nissangirl74]

http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/l ... n-y-track/

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion (Tony Stewart) was involved in an accident Saturday night at Canandaigua Motorsports Park that resulted in the death of 20-year-old racer Kevin Ward Jr.
Stewart was competing in the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints event at the half-mile dirt oval when he was involved in an on-track incident with Ward. Following the incident Ward exited his car and was then struck by Stewart’s sprint car as he passed by. Ward was taken from the track and transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival according to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Department.
Ontario County Sheriff Phil Povero said early Sunday morning that Stewart is cooperating with the investigation and stated that no charges have been filed at this time. It is not known if Stewart will compete in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen Int’l, where he is scheduled to start 13th.
Ward is a New York native who competed regularly with the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints, a 360 sprint-car series. He won two races last year with the series while finishing sixth in the series championship standings.

There have been a lot of rumors swirling tonight, but apparently, Kevin's death was just confirmed. Whether you follow Nascar or not, this is a sad tragedy. May he RIP.

[darylzero]

WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja7TlxpPb_8[/youtube]

RIP

[Bubba1]

http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/l ... n-y-track/

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion (Tony Stewart) was involved in an accident Saturday night at Canandaigua Motorsports Park that resulted in the death of 20-year-old racer Kevin Ward Jr.
Stewart was competing in the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints event at the half-mile dirt oval when he was involved in an on-track incident with Ward. Following the incident Ward exited his car and was then struck by Stewart’s sprint car as he passed by. Ward was taken from the track and transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival according to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Department.
Ontario County Sheriff Phil Povero said early Sunday morning that Stewart is cooperating with the investigation and stated that no charges have been filed at this time. It is not known if Stewart will compete in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen Int’l, where he is scheduled to start 13th.
Ward is a New York native who competed regularly with the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints, a 360 sprint-car series. He won two races last year with the series while finishing sixth in the series championship standings.

There have been a lot of rumors swirling tonight, but apparently, Kevin's death was just confirmed. Whether you follow Nascar or not, this is a sad tragedy. May he RIP.

Agree, A sad tragedy, but I doubt charges will be filed against Stewart. Unless Ward's car was on fire or leaking fuel, when he stopped, (neither of which appeared to be the case I believe) Ward should never have exited his car on a live track until the safety vehicles arrived and instructed him to get out, even under a yellow flag. That's Racing 101. But if you do feel you the necessity to exit your own car on track, the single worst thing you can possibly do is walk away from that car into the path on-coming racecars even under a yellow flag. Insanely reckless. I suspect the press is going to tee off on Stewart as he's perceived as some sort of bad boy, but I don't think he's at fault here.

[OriginalWheelman]

I agree Bubba. I have seen a lot of people blaming Stewart for this. All I could think watching that video was "What is that idiot doing?" He had no business getting out of the car, let alone attacking Tony Stewart's. People were saying he hit the gas and intentionally hit him. Watching the footage I don't think that was it at all. Stewart doesn't hit the gas until the guy is right next to him. I think the guy attacked Stewart, and Stewart hit the gas trying to get away. It is terrible that this happened, but blaming Stewart doesn't seem right.

[gwoods]

Very sad, Stewart if at fault is only very marginally so. It appears to me from that video that Stewart did everything he could to avoid Ward. It almost looks like Ward kicked Stewarts car and then got caught in the rear wheel?

The sad thing for Stewart is I think his dirt track days are over at the very least completely changed. He will also have to live with that kid being killed by attacking his car and he may feel guilty.

The lesson here is don't leave your car until it is safe to do so. I see people on the street who get in an accident and then are walking around in the street outside their car before the police have arrived. If you get in an accident and it is safe to leave your car get out of the street. If it is possible and reasonable to move your car under its own power move it out of the street too.

[BusyBadger]

I've been to 100+ sprint/WoO races in my life and have routinely seen incidents far worse than this on a regular Saturday night. This feels like nothing more than someone trying to get their 90 seconds on Sportscenter by playing the tough guy.

If there's anything positive to be gained from this tragedy it's for drivers to let their skills and not their antics get them in the spotlight.

And stay in your damned car.

[R/T Hemi]

Leaving your car, in a black suit, at night, in the middle if an ongoing race (albeit yellow flagged) and walking to the center of the track with other cars swerving to avoid you is Darwin list stuff. A tragedy, but one that was 100% avoidable by Ward.

[OriginalWheelman]

No charges for Tony.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/sto ... /13857523/

The Sheriff says there was no criminal intent.

[Bubba1]

No charges for Tony.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/sto ... /13857523/

The Sheriff says there was no criminal intent.

I think if there is to be any good coming from Ward's death, the sanctioning bodies, whether it's ESS or NASCAR create (or strengthen) a "Ward"rule that severely penalizes a driver for exiting their car on a live racetrack until the safety crew arrives or if it's a life threatening situation like fire. I understand ESS, the sanctioning body in this case, has no such rule. I think making it a serious enough offense will make a driver think twice before getting out of their car in anger. That is exactly what doomed Ward.

You would think a rule involving simple common sense should not be necessary, but Ward showed that there may be a need for it.

[metalmagician]

A terrible tragedy and I agree. I think stewarts intentions were to swerve out of the way. to turn those sprint cars they need to break loose and from what it looks like that's what he tried to do.

[Dattebayo]

There's too much going on there to realize some guy is out of his car on the track acting out like that...

Why would anyone assume Stewart hit the gas in attempt to hit the guy? It's a f*cking rich man's sport, there's nothing but joy and thrills when you're in the race, now somebody has to go in a spread this ignorant BS and attempt to ruin it all. FU*K whichever idiots said that. It was already tragic enough the way it ended up, whats the deal with that?

[Bubba1]

There's too much going on there to realize some guy is out of his car on the track acting out like that...

Why would anyone assume Stewart hit the gas in attempt to hit the guy? It's a f*cking rich man's sport, there's nothing but joy and thrills when you're in the race, now somebody has to go in a spread this ignorant BS and attempt to ruin it all. FU*K whichever idiots said that. It was already tragic enough the way it ended up, whats the deal with that?

Why? Because Stweart was heard hitting the gas just before hitting Ward. Problem is, very few people realize that turning hard in a sprint car on dirt requires throttle as well as steering input. If Stewart used only steering to swerve, he would have understeered and hit Ward head-on instead of clipping him with a back tire. To make matters worse, many of the people doing the reporting also did not know anything about sprint cars. And accusing/blaming a celebrity for murder is gonna generate a whole lot more interest than reporting a 20 yr old guy getting himself killed by doing something dumb while angry.

[darylzero]

Why? Because Stweart was heard hitting the gas just before hitting Ward. Problem is, very few people realize that turning hard in a sprint car on dirt requires throttle as well as steering input. If Stewart used only steering to swerve, he would have understeered and hit Ward head-on instead of clipping him with a back tire. To make matters worse, many of the people doing the reporting also did not know anything about sprint cars. And accusing/blaming a celebrity for murder is gonna generate a whole lot more interest than reporting a 20 yr old guy getting himself killed by doing something dumb while angry.

People are saying he sped up, but who the hell knows what car was heard revving up. This is video from some guys phone, it could of been a car on the track next to the guy filming this hitting the throttle.

Also, I heard that as well that you have to hit the gas to get power steering. They had someone on ESPN who said he raced these cars and said the power steering pump in the in rear of the car and you have to give it gas so that you get power steering.

[mixeds14]

I been to a lot of dirt races here at Charlotte, n I have to say that the people talking crap have never been to a dirt race or don't understand how these cars work..
even at the stands, is hard to see the back strecth of the track, there s*** load of dirt flying everywhere, I cant imagin the view from a drivers seat with the helmet cover in dirt, s*** visibility and that big wing that hangs on the right side then u have a kid wearing a black suit with a black helmet wich probably had dirt on his visor coming towards you? Hell he probably misjudge how close he was to the car in the first place.

Yeah he hit the gas but u have to, that's how they get the car to turn. Even on an article that I read one of the sprint drivers said that if he would hit the brake, it would of been worse, he would of hung under the car. If it was intensional, Stewart would of keep goin but he didn't he stop immediately afthe he felt it but nobody sees that.
The ONLY reason these is blowing out of proportion is because he's a know around the world professional driver. If its was a no name driver,I bet you see it on the news maybe one time and that's it.

[float_6969]

^ exactly. This is just another example of the media sensationalizing BS and not reporting on the stuff that matters. I think people forget that news reporters are businesses. As such, their main purpose is to make a profit. Claiming Tony Stewart killed somebody gets way more clicks than reporting on the deaths in the middle east.