[shelbysaleen]

By now most of you have learned of the accident last night at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. Tony was involved in a accident which left Kevin Ward jr deceased.

What started as just another rubbin is racing moment ended IN a life altering event for all involved.

Tony and Kevin got tangled which left kevin in the wall. Kevin got out of the car and started to show his displeasure with Tony.

Even under caution these cars tend to be going quickly. From the video that has flooded you tube and twitter it appears that Tony accellerated and his car fishtailed slightly. In the process his car hit 20 year old kevin ward jr and he was DOA.

The sherriff of Ontario county said Tony was fully cooperating and the investigation was not a criminal one.

Track officials are holding off on comment until later today. They also asked that everyone hold off on speculation until the investigation is done.

Well we all know that is not going to happen. In a day where social media is King and everyone gets to voice their opinion to the world Truth tends to take a back seat. Even when the truth is revealed there will be many yelling cover up,conspiracy etc.

What is known without doubt is kevin ward got out of his car tony hit him and kevin is dead.

The questions are why did Tony accellerate what were his intentions and what went wrong?

The other without a doubt part of this is Kevins life ended, his familys life will never be the same, Tonys life will never be the same.

Some of the opinons out there are calling for Tony to be banned from NASCAR forever. Others are yelling for him to go to jail also forever. They are saying Tony hit him intentionally. Look at his past he knew what he was doing.

Other opinons are saying It was just an accident, he was proably just trying to sling dirt on the kid as to say go away kid your bothering me.

Even the media with headlines that read Tony Stewart Kills another driver. you do not read accident until later in the articles.

My opinion is it was a truly awful accident. An accident that could have been possibly avoided by tony if he had not accellearated [for any reason]. An accident that could have been avoided definatley if Kevin Ward had stayed in his car and not confronted Tony. You see in the video another car going by driving quickly. What if Kevn had slipped and fallen under his car. What if Tony had accellarated for the sole purpose of just going by the kid and hit a slick spot on the track. The following is not meant to be funny but from the moment I saw the video all I could think about was happy days. Most of us have seen the one where Pinky gets out of her car and the malochi brothers hit her. Yea its TV but the point of it was stay in your car. What if Tony really did not see kevin until the last second and the reason he accellerated was to dodge him.

More information will pour out today. Fallout from this will continue for months. What will NASCARs reaction be, will they ban Tony. I doubt it. If he is not held criminally liable there would be no basis. Will they try and ban their drivers from racing different series to prevent NASCAR receiving a black eye for one of their drivers/stars that is a possibly.

There will almost guaranteed be a lawsuit. When people are hurting they want others to hurt. If I cant send you to jail for this I will make you pay. I am not saying that is what the ward family is thinking. I am sayin that is what a lawyer somewhere is going to be trying to tell them. Will they win, no matter what the outcome of a possible trial is you can never say they will have won. In NC they probably would not win due to contributory negligence laws. I do not know about New York.

In a sport that is all about winning there will be no winners in this.

[kevinr]

Excellent article and I agree 100% with you. How many times have we witnessed drivers get out of the car to confront another, it is a terrible tragedy for all involved my prayers go out to all of them.

[slufan83]

I just saw the video on deadspin, and from what I saw Tony looked to be 100% at fault. I understand that no person shouldn't go charging in toward a moving vehicle whether it be at a track or in every day life, but I have a feeling this is going to turn into something huge....especially with the fact that he plans to race today still. My guess is that he just wanted to gun the engine as he drove by, but because of the dirt surface fishtailed out by accident and hit the guy. Even in that situation, I'm still seeing involuntary manslaughter or reckless homicide. I hate to say it, but I think after that video is reviewed further by investigators Tony is going to be indited.

[alstott9adams]

Tony is innocent

[dunnere]

I just read the article on this:

➡️
Tony Stewart will not race Sunday at Watkins Glen after he struck and killed a driver in a dirt track race in upstate New York Saturday night. Regan Smith will replace him.

Stewart-Haas Competition Director Greg Zipadelli announced the decision Sunday morning. Previously, Zipadelli had characterized the team's preparations as "business as usual."

"We talked last night and then realizing going through the night – give Tony some time to sleep on it – and met with him this morning and he feels strongly that this is the right thing to do," Zipadelli said. "We at SHR support it and agree with it. Like I said, it's a difficult time for both parties."

"There's not a lot we can do. The only thing we can do is do what we feel is right and this is what we feel is right and supporting Tony in it."

Stewart hit Kevin Ward after Ward had exited his vehicle during a race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park Saturday night. After the two had a close racing incident in turn two, Ward exited his car and walked down the track to confront Stewart and was clipped by Stewart's car.

The incident was captured on video.

"There aren’t words to describe the sadness I feel about the accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr." Stewart said "It’s a very emotional time for all involved, and it is the reason I’ve decided not to participate in today’s race at Watkins Glen. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and everyone affected by this tragedy.”

NASCAR released a statement that said it supported Stewart's decision.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, and fellow competitors of Kevin Ward Jr. We support Tony Stewart’s decision to miss today’s race and we will continue to respect the process and timeline of the local authorities and will continue to monitor this situation moving forward
Zipadelli said the team hadn't given any thought to the impact the decision would have on Stewart's Chase chances. With five races to go before the Chase, Stewart was likely needing a win to advance to the Chase. Watkins Glen is historically one of his best tracks. He's won there five times.

"No, honestly this is the furthest thing from our minds right now. The well-being of Kevin's family and Tony and the people at our company. That's something when we get home on Monday we will have to look at and evaluate and go through that and make decisions. Today is all about doing what we can today to get through today and do it the best we can as a group and try to do it in the right way. So we haven't even crossed that bridge yet."

NASCAR has a provision built into the new Chase format that gives the sanctioning body leeway to allow drivers who have attempted to qualify for a race the ability to stay Chase eligible despite missing a race. Earlier this season, Denny Hamlin missed a race at California because of an eye issue and NASCAR said Hamlin was still eligible for the Chase.

It's the second-straight race at Watkins Glen that Stewart has missed. He missed last year's race after he broke his leg in a sprint car accident in Iowa. Max Papis replaced him in 2013. Smith drives full time for JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. He has one career Sprint Cup Series win.

---

Ugh, I ran out of character, I guess, it cut me off.

I think that drivers in the Sprint Cup should not be allowed to drive in other NASCAR related events. Period, end of story. No Nationwide, no Camping World, and certainly no dirt track late modifieds, late models, drag races, etc. enough is enough. If Sprint Cup is a legit sport, then it's a job, not a hobby...I don't care if you like to race...then retire and race late models. Other Pro athletes participate in their class only. I have never seen Peyton Manning play in a High School on Friday and then with the Broncos on Sunday.

Testosterone filled sport, full of people looking for respect, either as an old pro or an up and comet...is anyone surprised by this? We've seen punches and helmets thrown, we've seen guys get on the roof and/or airborne, all in the name of respect, and "racin'." It's ridiculous.

And of course it involves, again, my favorite driver. Great...

---

Tony is innocent

Well, he did hit him...on purpose? I don't think so, either...crazy...

[minitracer]

It looked like he swerved at him trying to mess around but it went terribly wrong. Prayers going out to the Ward family.

[spazmatastic]

I think that drivers in the Sprint Cup should not be allowed to drive in other NASCAR related events. Period, end of story. No Nationwide, no Camping World.

I disagree with this part. I think those two Series' need the Cup drivers to compete sometimes. I think there should be a limit to the number of races they can run in though. I like to see how the CWTS and NNS drivers compete against NSCS drivers. It also helps bring more fans to those races when a few Cup drivers are in the field. I do think that they shouldn't be running any of those other types of races though, at least during the NASCAR season. I don't have a problem with someone trying the Memorial Day Weekend double.

[dunnere]

I disagree with this part. I think those two Series' need the Cup drivers to compete sometimes. I think there should be a limit to the number of races they can run in though. I like to see how the CWTS and NNS drivers compete against NSCS drivers. It also helps bring more fans to those races when a few Cup drivers are in the field. I do think that they shouldn't be running any of those other types of races though, at least during the NASCAR season. I don't have a problem with someone trying the Memorial Day Weekend double.

Well, I see your point, but I respectfully disagree. Those races aren't as popular because they are like minor league baseball...nice to see, but not the Show, so...and having Kyle Busch racing in all three races in a weekend doesn't change the number of people attending a race at all...heck, if you want to make Nationwide more popular, have every Sprint driver race in that race, too...being facetious, but I'd love to see some of the Cleveland Indians play a regular season game with the Akron Aeros, err, Rubber Ducks ( yes, serious...that's the Minor League team) that is not a rehab start...

How about instead of 43 cars posting on Sunday, they make it 30 and the top ten from the Nationwide race, all based on where you finished the previous week, etc.? So, when Jimmie Johnson wrecks early and finishes 34th, he has to race the next Nationwide race and finish in the top ten to qualify for the Sunday race...

And that would make it a NASCAR weekend at every track, and the Nationwide race would have meaning...

Else, drive on Sunday or drive on Saturday...be in the Majors or the Minors...

That's just my take...not trying to argue, but I'm not traveling anywhere to see a Nationwide race, but I'll drive to see a Sprint Cup race...but I might be willing to make a weekend of it.......

[spazmatastic]

How about instead of 43 cars posting on Sunday, they make it 30 and the top ten from the Nationwide race, all based on where you finished the previous week, etc.? So, when Jimmie Johnson wrecks early and finishes 34th, he has to race the next Nationwide race and finish in the top ten to qualify for the Sunday race...

That would certainly make NASCAR races more interesting, but also more confusing to occasional viewers.

[dunnere]

That would certainly make NASCAR races more interesting, but also more confusing to occasional viewers.

I think it would be fun, and confusing...and fun!