Tony Stewart Apparently Hits Walking Driver With Sprint Car

[Grue]

I was a kid. We just moved on and had pleasant experiences with guys like Ricky Rudd and Dale Jarrett.

If it would have happened now, I would have spit some baccer juice in his general direction and gave him the number 1 sign.

Would have been cool if you spit baccer juice on him then.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Kyle Petty tried to kill Davey Allison. I have nothing for him.

Dale Jr is my favorite driver. I've had the privilege of meeting him online and being able to race with him a good bit. He was such a humble person and a likeable person even outside the spotlight. I didn't really choose to make him my favorite driver, at times I wanted to beat him so badly online. But I couldn't help myself from pulling for him even when he wasn't doing well. Funny enough, I raced with the #20 back then because of....

I raced with Martin Truex Jr a good bit as well. Mostly right before he got a cup ride. I don't care for him at all, he was a spoiled brat who cried constantly when things didn't go his way. I've seen that boy totally melt down because his car blew up online in a fixed setup race.

When Dale Sr died, I had a choice to make as to who my new favorite would be, Dale Jr or Kevin Harvick. I went to the Atlanta race a few weeks after Dale's death and Harvick edged Jeff Gordon in a win eerily similar to Dale Sr's win at the track a year earlier. I knew then that Harvick was my favorite. Also pulled for Ward Burton for unknown reasons.

I never disliked Dale Jr, I would pull for him at times, but since his move to Hendrick I've been more or less indifferent.

 

[dirtboy068]

You should call the police conducting the investigation. I'm sure once they've heard your story, Stewart will be arrested within the hour. Think they'll go for the death penalty?

tony most likely wont be charged with anything, he'll have to live with what happened the rest of his life.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Would have been cool if you spit baccer juice on him then.

If only I started dipping and chewing 3 years earlier than I did.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

its going to be impossible to prove that

fify

 

[williewilliejuan]

tony most likely wont be charged with anything, he'll have to live with what happened the rest of his life.

It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.

 

[Chewbaccer]

I don't mind Kyle Busch. I love his passion and he's a damn good racer. I understand why people hate him, but he reminds me of a young Dale Sr - but not as cool headed.

I don't think other drivers are genuinely intimidated by Kyle either. Kyle's been in the sport for nearly 10 years now. Dale was a 3 time champion in his first 10 years.

He's a great talent, but he has never learned to control his emotions, and that has cost him a chance in many races, and why I don't think he'll ever be a champion.

 

[4down20]

I said anything is proven? Interesting. I said YOU can't prove he either a) saw him or b) went on a line to scare or intimidate him.

Well when nothing is proven and you call someone out on that, it would seem to me you are putting your place in the opposite.

His car went right after hitting him. It went SHARPLY right at the time it hit him. Those who have seen the reverse angle say the kid was tied up in the wheel and actually got driven over. I'm no expert on driving, but I'm sure that could cause a sudden turn.

The car bobbled after he hit him, but that's also what the car would do after getting off the gas while being in it. The kid was under the tire for a second, and that is also what spit him out.

The notion that YOU know what he did see is absurd.

The camera was able to see him just fine from the grandstands. Thus, it being dark and him being in a black suit was not a real factor here.

And he was coming out of a turn so there wasn't much of a chance to see straight at him.

He was in the middle of turn2.

You do seem to be an expert on this situation and all things driving. Which car do you drive for again?

Instead of telling us Pitman is wrong in how these cars work at pace, how about asking HIM for clarification on that since he has DRIVEN THESE SAME CARS and his kid still does. Have YOU ever driven a sprint car?

People are saying Stewart was driving too high to have been on a normal line, but the only time I can measure where he was based on the camera only coming back to see him just at the collision point is where the nose of his car was AFTER it jumped to the right after it hit Ward. Hardly proof he was taking a line at him. Ward steps back up the track slightly to avoid the car in front of Stewart and then back down again toward Stewart's line. He was CLEARLY walking INTO that line and got hit.

For starters, I am a member of 2 forums. 1 of which I have been a member of for over 10 years, and this one. In the one that I've been a member of for over 10 years - it's a basically private racing forum with people who drive local dirt tracks over the weekends and even go so far as to post their go-pro videos for the rest of us to see. When I heard about the accident, it was the first place I went too for obvious reasons.

Believe it or not, but many race car drivers race online and hang out in places online as well.

One of those people is someone who has been racing dirt tracks since the 70's in a variety of cars. So, if I'm going to listen to an "expert" on things, no offense to pitman, but I'm going to listen to that guy. The only defense I've seen from other drivers is with them pointing out the kid had a part in it and should have stayed by his car(which I agree with). Those drivers don't really want to say much in either direction and don't want to make a judgement.

Aside from that, it's a matter of physics in terms of knowing if hitting the gas will help the car turn or not. Do I have experience with car physics? Yes.

I don't know anything about him taking a higher line or whatever. I don't see much fault with that, although I guess some might say it shows intent. I don't know. What I do know is what I've said in that the car at those speeds doesn't need to be sideways to turn, and that Stewart hitting the gas and slinging the rear end around is what caused the kid to get hit.

 

[4down20]

Dude, don't you get it? It's 4d20. He's an expert on everything and doesn't need to have ever driven one of these cars to know more about them than those who have. He really is that smart. Just ask him. You'll see.

Are you ever going to remove your head from my ass?

 

[4down20]

Okay, I will not get into the physics or 'intent' of Stewart.

My post regarding the futile attempt in arguing with ignorance is just that......not a single one of us reading this thread know anything but opinion of what they think happened. As many of you have pointed out, the video is inconclusive from the angles presented thus far and trying to claim any malicious intent of Stewart is ludicrous. Trying to bring up his reputation in previous incidents have no bearing on the facts.

Here is what we do know as fact:

A preliminary investigation that includes law enforcement and experts have concluded that based upon the evidence presented thus far (i.e. - the video we all agree to be inconclusive), that Stewart will not be charged. if the police receive further evidence that can lead to charges, then certainly they would take Stewart into custody.

This is the only fact so far. The rest is conjecture and in my opinion, it is stupid to know without a doubt that your opinion is 100% correct and that anyone who disagrees with you is wrong. This opinion of mine reaches far beyond this thread and one of the reasons you do not see me arguing with trolls.

If I were to lean one way regarding this particular case, I think it's pretty telling that the experts in the field are in no way condemning Stewart the way so many in this thread are doing without any fact to back up their opinion.

Well I don't disagree it's all opinion. But I'm not so quick to embrace the legal side of things, as what is provable and what likely happened are different things.

Was O.J. Simpson innocent? I mean, if we go by the "experts" and all that which even went so far as to go to trial, then by the above thinking the answer is yes. And while I'm not an expert in those things, if you ask me - he got away with murder. Is it only my opinion? Yes. But it's not without merit.

 

[4down20]

I don't think other drivers are genuinely intimidated by Kyle either. Kyle's been in the sport for nearly 10 years now. Dale was a 3 time champion in his first 10 years.

He's a great talent, but he has never learned to control his emotions, and that has cost him a chance in many races, and why I don't think he'll ever be a champion.

He'll grow up eventually. Kurt has quit a bit, even if he doesn't really sell it well(He seems uncomfortable with it).

Dale would wrec....er move you. Kyle is much cleaner as a whole.

Also, it's a bit of a different era between the 2. It was easier back when Dale was winning championships for a good team like to do so well. I remember when basically every race it was going to be the #2 and #3 fighting for the win. There wasn't this huge push to make cars like IROC back then, so teams held advantages for longer. It's why I kinda roll my eyes when people mention Richard Petty's wins. Yes he won them all, but he did it as basically the only car/driver with manufacture backing.

 

[wildturkey]

They didn't have the video out when I went to sleep last night. From what was reported, I had envisioned what I've seen at many tracks from local all the way to Cup; angry driver stands a couple of feet away from his car and shakes his fist but this time Stewart buzzed him and hit him by mistake.

That's not what I saw on the video. Ward gets out of his car and moves into the racing line. While that's dangerous, its not unheard of (though most don't go this far). He keeps moving down the track and is almost hit by a car. Despite almost being hit, he goes even further down the track towards an oncoming Stewart. At the time of collision, they're practically on the apron. Given that these types of cars are almost totally blind on the right side, it's entirely possible that Stewart never saw he was that low and blipped the throttle because he caught a glimpse of him at the last micro second. Point is, the video showed me there's a lot more nuance to the situation than what was described. There's really no way any of us can determine for sure. Only people that would have insight would be Stewart and the guy that almost hit Ward.

Still, I'm a little surprised no charges have been filed as of yet. I figured the least Stewart would face is an involuntary manslaughter charge and then let the courts decide what sticks.

 

[4down20]

When Dale Sr died, I had a choice to make as to who my new favorite would be, Dale Jr or Kevin Harvick. I went to the Atlanta race a few weeks after Dale's death and Harvick edged Jeff Gordon in a win eerily similar to Dale Sr's win at the track a year earlier. I knew then that Harvick was my favorite. Also pulled for Ward Burton for unknown reasons.

I never disliked Dale Jr, I would pull for him at times, but since his move to Hendrick I've been more or less indifferent.

I like Dale Sr and wanted him to win at Daytona, and I enjoyed him at the plate tracks. The sport was better with him and will likely never be the same. But I was never really a fan of his.

Harvick is ok. I think Gordon was probably pulling for him deep down in that Atlanta race(not enough to give away the race, but I doubt he was all that disappointed in the result).

 

[4down20]

Still, I'm a little surprised no charges have been filed as of yet. I figured the least Stewart would face is an involuntary manslaughter charge and then let the courts decide what sticks.

I thought it would manslaughter as well.

 

[4down20]

I like Dale Sr and wanted him to win at Daytona, and I enjoyed him at the plate tracks. The sport was better with him and will likely never be the same. But I was never really a fan of his.

Harvick is ok. I think Gordon was probably pulling for him deep down in that Atlanta race(not enough to give away the race, but I doubt he was all that disappointed in the result).

1 thing I should mention about Sr. Any fool can go around and wreck people to win. It doesn't take a good race car driver to apply the chrome horn.

The thing about Sr was he could take it as much as he dished it out.

 

[BF4L]

Guy is a hot head and probably wanted to buzz the kid to teach him a lesson.

Not gonna argue it but obviously the lesson back fired.

 

[HammerDown]

Guy is a hot head and probably wanted to buzz the kid to teach him a lesson.

Not gonna argue it but obviously the lesson back fired.

But even IF this is true (good luck proving it) no jury in their right mind would convict Stewart of manslaughter. Kid went looking for trouble and got a world of it. Tony Stewart didn't create this situation.

 

[4down20]

But even IF this is true (good luck proving it) no jury in their right mind would convict Stewart of manslaughter. Kid went looking for trouble and got a world of it. Tony Stewart didn't create this situation.

It's true that the kid has his part in it and created the situation. If he stayed at his car it wouldn't even be talked about today remotely, not a single post about Tony Stewart and sprint cars.

But I don't see how it absolves Tony in the matter.

It's him hitting the gas right before it happened that gets me.

 

[BF4L]

But even IF this is true (good luck proving it) no jury in their right mind would convict Stewart of manslaughter. Kid went looking for trouble and got a world of it. Tony Stewart didn't create this situation.

I never mentioned anything related to criminal charges nor a civil suit. Not interested in that debate.

I just believe that Tony wanted to buzz the kid and made a mistake. Ward is also at fault obviously for getting out of that car. In the end a horrific ending to a young mans life over literally 2 people's ego's.

IMO.

 

[HammerDown]

It's him hitting the gas right before it happened that gets me.

If that's the issue, where is the outrage from everyone? If he tried to hit this kid or even just wanted to "teach him a lesson" then why are experts saying he probably never saw him until the bitter end and then bipped it to avoid him?

Put it this way, is ANYONE who doesn't have a dog in this fight condemning Tony Stewart for going after this kid? If so, I'm not seeing it.