How can Tony Stewart race today after killing a fellow driver

pitboss

I could not do it even though it was probably not his fault. The guy never should have got out of his car and challenged him.

SumoMenkoMan

I agree and how could NASCAR even let him drive? His mind wouldn't be in it.

Unfortunately, this doesn't bode well for him. He clearly wasn't driving like you should under caution and his "trying to send a message" by driving close to him and gunning the engine backfired. A tragedy and I wouldn't be surprised if Tony is out of the car for a while. Will be interesting to see how the sponsors react.

TNP777

IMO, Stewart is in deep Schmidt. The video shows that Stewart gunned his engine right before hitting Ward. That burst of speed caused the car to fishtail to the right. I could see this causing Stewart his career, LOTS of money and possibly a police record.

pitboss

He has always been a hot-head!
This time he went too far it looks like.

SumoMenkoMan

I agree. Killing someone with your car, and a race car nonetheless, probably spells doom for his NASCAR career. I'm not sure how NASCAR could even let him compete in the foreseeable future in one of their races with that background.

SumoMenkoMan

<< <i>This was written about Tony Stewart long before last nights event.







For the first 30 years, NASCAR was ruled by guys who could drive. Pearson, Petty, Allison, Foyt and the rest ruled the sport with fire in their bellies. Anyone who stood between them and victory got smacked, on or off the track. Drive, desire and determination and raw talent were all it took to get to the top.

Now days you need to be able to massage the media, the fans and the sponsors in order to make it in the sport. Driving skill is still important but in addition you need to represent yourself, and your sport in the best possible light all the time.

I have a lot of respect for Tony Stewart's driving abilities. When he's strapped into the driver's seat he can take it to the front and keep it there. If it's not handling, he has the ability to communicate what the car needs to make it better and can adjust his driving style to accommodate an ill-handling car until his crew gets a chance to work on it. Behind the wheel, Tony Stewart is the complete NASCAR Winston Cup series race driver.

However, in the current NASCAR Winston Cup era it takes more than driving skill to get to, and stay in the pinnacle series of American motorsports. In today's commercialized, overexposed, multimedia version of NASCAR what you do off the track is just as important as your on track ability.

Tony Stewart simply doesn't have what it takes to thrive in today's NASCAR.

There has been a long series of incidents where Tony Stewart let his temper get the best of him going all the way back to his rookie year when Tony tried to climb in Kenny Irwin's window to get to him after an incident in Martinsville. Other incidents include post race run-ins with Jeff Gordon, shoving incident in Daytona with Robby Gordon, multiple incidents with reporters... and the list goes on.

Recently Tony was fined and put on probation by both NASCAR and Home Depot for an incident with a photographer after the Brickyard 400. Now we have Tony Stewart being investigated by the Sullivan County, TN sheriff's department for allegedly shoving a woman after the race in Bristol, and a safety worker from New Hampshire is accusing Tony of punching him after Stewart wrecked out of the July race.

Tony Stewart just doesn't have it in him to make nice when he's upset. Worse than that, his outbursts always seem to be physical. If he were yelling at reporters, fans and safety workers that would make for a good story, but wouldn't be worthy of fines and suspensions. However punching, shoving and hitting with his car just can not be tolerated.

Given Tony Stewart's long history of problems it's just a matter of time before Home Depot forces Joe Gibbs to make a change. If/When that happens it will be sad that NASCAR lost a talented driver because he couldn't keep his head, but there are thousands of bright, young, talented drivers out there who can and one of those will quickly take his place, relegating Tony Stewart to a sad footnote in NASCAR history. >>



Scary accurate.

MGLICKER

First thought is why did the other driver walk onto the track. Don't know if TS was responsible, but idiotic move on part of other driver.

grote15

Sounds like TS is a real hothead..

Dave99B

First thought is why did the other driver walk onto the track. Don't know if TS was responsible, but idiotic move on part of other driver

Agreed. A tragic event, for sure, but walking on the track was a very poor decision. So sad....

Dave

lawnmowerman

<< <i>He has always been a hot-head!
This time he went too far it looks like. >>



Yep. He's a world class richardhead for sure.

CNote

<< <i>First thought is why did the other driver walk onto the track. Don't know if TS was responsible, but idiotic move on part of other driver. >>



My thought exactly. The track was poorly lit, and visibility isn't helped by track conditions, yet the driver proceeded to get out of his car and do....well, whatever he planned on doing. It's a tragedy he died, but this accident appears to have multiple people at fault, least of which may be Stewart.

Purfrock

Glad to hear he's not racing today. Just didn't seem like the right thing to do.

05GHBRETT

Bad move
Getting out of his car and standing in the flow of traffic on a racetrack
Saw the replay and it was worse than I thought.

orioles93

<< <i>

<< <i>First thought is why did the other driver walk onto the track. Don't know if TS was responsible, but idiotic move on part of other driver. >>



My thought exactly. The track was poorly lit, and visibility isn't helped by track conditions, yet the driver proceeded to get out of his car and do....well, whatever he planned on doing. It's a tragedy he died, but this accident appears to have multiple people at fault, least of which may be Stewart. >>



That's the first thing i though as well. It was a tragedy that he died, but you'd think a race car driver would know better than to walk straight towards a moving car on a racetrack. Isn't that just kind of common sense? When you do what he did, you're just asking for trouble in my opinion.

BLUEJAYWAY

I would'nt be surprised that if Tony were to be cleared of any charges, that the dead drivers family may initiate a civil suit. Much like along the lines of OJ. Using past infractions by Tony to establish a pattern of poor behavior. Proof of intent is the key to this incident.

ChiefsFan1st

I havent followed NASCAR in a few years now. So I dont really know what is being talked about here. But
it sounds terrible. A driver got out of his car and walked out on the track???

(As a sidenote, ole Smoke is part of the reason I quit following it. When he went to Toyota, I
bailed. What year was that?)

MGLICKER

Though Ward was fool, looks like Stewart was attempting a brush back with the rear of his car.

telephoto1

<< <i>Though Ward was (a) fool, looks like Stewart was attempting a brush back with the rear of his car. >>



+1. I think he was trying to kick some dirt on him. You have two hotheads here...

The original car to car contact wasn't that big; the kid just didn't recover control properly and hit the wall. He obviously got P.O.d and ironically did the kind of thing Stewart would have done. Had he not stormed down the track like that he'd be alive today. Obviously Stewart didn't INTENTIONALLY run the guy over and anyone thinking so on some of these nascar fan sites is an idiot.

JoeBanzai

I am not a racing fan.

Do drivers often get out of their cars and walk out into the middle of the track?

I can't believe anyone would do that!

In watching the video it is hard to say if Stewart could/should have avoided him, but my gosh walking towards race cars, especially on a dirt track!?!?!?!?!!?!?

BAD DECISION!