Kevin Ward dead at 20

[knkali]

Tony Stewart should NOT be criminally charged for killing Kevin Ward. The hot headed 20 yo sadly got what was coming to him. You don't go running into the middle of a racetrack during a race and not assume a lot of risk doing so. Typical self indulgent behavior that so many young people show today. Me me me. News flash Kevin, there where other race car drivers participating in that race too. Did Kevin really think that he is so important that making a strong, committed effort to wave his index finger in the middle of the track has the power of authority to halt the race because he was possibly wronged? Unfortunately, he found out the very hard way that he was not as important as he felt he was.

Thoughts?

[muggsy]

One thing is for sure. He'll never do it again.

[TheTman]

I didn't hear about this, someone was stupid enough to jump onto the track during a race? Well that is a little chlorine in the gene pool if you ask me.

OK, I read the story. He was still an idiot. You fight AFTER the race. Not during it, unless you're in your car and driving and bumping the other car. Any dirt tracker knows that.

[Longitude Zero]

Dumbutt kid should never have gone downtrack. Sad but he earned his departure. Natural Selection.

[DubDubU]

Maybe he was playing the race card.

[Dave800]

http://deadspin.com/reports-tony-ste...ing-1618893708

judge for yourself

[CJB]

Looked at two video clips.

In review, Stewart is slightly ahead of Ward, right next to him. Both cars go into the turn - where its basically one big controlled skid due to the nature of dirt track racing. Stewart clips Ward, who was already having trouble in the turn. Ward hit the wall, gets out, gets onto the main area of the track and "seemingly" points toward Stewart who is coming around the loop again. Stewart was in almost exactly the same track position he was in when he went through the turn the previously. One driver swerved to miss Ward. Stewart did not, or could not, swerve. The "could not" should clearly be considered, because in that turn its a rather tricky situation. Stewart was outside and moving faster, in a place that requires greater control - inside drivers are slower, drift less, and are more easily able to keep control.

From the video, I'd call it a stupid ass mistake on Ward's part. Could be emotionally driven.... that finger pointing and his stride suggest it. As a professional driver - or an accomplished amateur - he KNEW he should not have ventured onto the track. He did, he got killed. That Stewart hit him... coincidence, as it could have been any driver, but ... he was probably wanting to call out Stewart, got too close and for the second time that day, didn't judge just how much Stewarts car was going to drift in that turn.

Stewart blameless? No, he killed a man. At fault, culpable? Equally no, while he did kill Ward, there is no fault but Ward's alone. He didn't get what he deserved. He was just the recipient of the consequences of his own ill thought out actions.

[Bawanna]

Was it Stewart that clipped Ward or the driver in front of him. He seemed to be focusing his finger pointing on the car in front of Stewart and didn't seem to be aware of Stewart approaching. I might have the players mixed up.

[ripley16]

What a waste, but typical of today's blight of road rage that infects many people, including professional drivers. Having an argument with people in fast moving machines is just plain stupid.

[CJB]

Dunno who he thought clipped him, but it looked like Stewart in the previous lap that caused the original accident

[hardluk1]

Most all drivers get pissed at some point and get out on the track. Tony has been known to throw his helmet off another drives windshield a time or two. Sprint cars are twitchy at best and with no brakes or clutch they can be a hand full most of the time. That young man just got to close to tonys car just as tony tapped the throttle to set the car for there rest of the curve and they came together. One young drive gone and another that may not get over this.

[Longitude Zero]

What a waste, but typical of today's blight of road rage that infects many people, including professional drivers. Having an argument with people in fast moving machines is just plain stupid.

Precisely.

[Rob K]

You said it all brother,

[mser]

He didn't get what he deserved. He was just the recipient of the consequences of his own ill thought out actions.

Agreed

[muggsy]

Every driver knows the risk he takes when he takes to the race track. If he had stayed with the car he'd be alive today. Nuff said.