Tony Stewart reportedly runs over fellow driver

[ThePrideofShiner]

Wild news out of New York tonight as Twitter is buzzing with news that Tony Stewart ran over Kevin Ward Jr. under a caution flag during a dirt track race.
 
Lots of reports say Stewart did it on purpose. Police are at the track investigating, and Ward was life flighted to an area hospital.
 
More information here from the Charlotte Observer:
 
http://thatsracinluckydog.blogspot.com/2014/08/police-investigating-incident-involving.html
 
 
 

   The Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Department is investigating an incident at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park involving NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart which occurred on Saturday evening.

   At approximately 11:30 p.m. ET, a spokesman for the department said it had no comment at this time but said a news release would be prepared and available in "two to three hours."

   Posts on the social media sites Facebook and Twitter, including photographs, indicate Stewart was involved in an on-track incident with driver Kevin Ward, which left Ward on the track receiving treatment for what were described as serious injuries.

   Canandaigua Motorsports Park is a half-mile dirt track north of Syracuse. In recent weeks, Stewart has returned to dirt track racing after a breaking two bones in his right leg in a wreck at a dirt track in Iowa last summer.

   There was no immediate response to a request for comment from Stewart's NASCAR public relations representative.

 

 

[mascho]

For example:
 

 

[Ed Hillel]

Holy fuck.

 

[rembrat]

Almost hard to believe. 

 

[mascho]

@adamlongoCBS5  21s
Another fan reported to me that the driver who was on the track was hit and was knocked back about 25 feet. #TonyStewart

 

[AimingForYoko]

Jesus Christ.

 

[mascho]

Easier to just post the link to this Twitter feed:
 
https://twitter.com/_TylerBurnett
 
EDIT: Smoke is Tony Stewart's nickname, FYI.  

 

[mascho]

Another link.  Can't vouch for contents.
 
http://carolinasportsthoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/tony-stewart-runs-over-competitor-in.html

 

[rembrat]

So I assume he's not running at the Glen tomorrow, eh? 

 

[E5 Yaz]

ESPN.com leading with Manziel

 

[ThePrideofShiner]

ESPN.com leading with Manziel

 
Well, to be fair, nothing official has been released. They aren't going to report on this until they have a statement from an official or something.

 

[mabrowndog]

Lots more here and here.
 
Several accounts indicate that as Stewart accelerated his vehicle fishtailed, with the rear end sliding to the right, and Ward got hit by the right-rear tire.
 

 

[mascho]

@adamlongoCBS5  3m
**UPDATE**: One witness tells me they DO NOT believe Tony Stewart hit the driver intentionally, but rather swerved to get out of his way.
 
EDIT:  So that confirms that Stewart made contact with Ward.  Now we (or someone) has to parse out intent.
 
Hard to decipher intent (IMO) when one person is operating a race car and another is a (for lack of a better word) pedestrian.  

 

[Jnai]

Even Aaron Hernandez had the mental fortitude not to kill someone on the field.

 

[mabrowndog]

Update (at bottom)
 

Unconfirmed rumor from @danielfarish: Buddy of mine in PA knows photogs and media people in NY, all confirming Kevin Ward has passed away. Tony Stewart lit the tires and hit him.

 

[soxhop411]

 
@adamlongoCBS5  3m
**UPDATE**: One witness tells me they DO NOT believe Tony Stewart hit the driver intentionally, but rather swerved to get out of his way.
 
EDIT:  So that confirms that Stewart made contact with Ward.  Now we (or someone) has to parse out intent.
 
Hard to decipher intent (IMO) when one person is operating a race car and another is a (for lack of a better word) pedestrian.  
 

Yup... Most people would try and swerve if they were driving and someone ran into the road. 

 

[rembrat]

 
@adamlongoCBS5  3m
**UPDATE**: One witness tells me they DO NOT believe Tony Stewart hit the driver intentionally, but rather swerved to get out of his way.
 
EDIT:  So that confirms that Stewart made contact with Ward.  Now we (or someone) has to parse out intent.
 
Hard to decipher intent (IMO) when one person is operating a race car and another is a (for lack of a better word) pedestrian.  
 

 
This makes much more sense. Tony has always been a hot head but he has mellowed over the years. He'll still get hot and want to have a few words after a race but I don't think he would purposefully drive over a fellow racer.

 

[ThePrideofShiner]

Lots of reports on Twitter that Ward has died.

 

[mabrowndog]

Landon Simon, a fellow sprint car driver, reports:  

UNCONFIRMED
@LandonSimon24 1m
@erikvaldez @Just_AP I was just told Kevin Ward passed away. Horrible situation.

 

[mascho]

Lots of reports on Twitter that Ward has died.

Hearing that as well from multiple outlets.

 

[mabrowndog]

 

[Jnai]

 
I keep seeing this picture. What is this a picture of?
 
Edit: Oh, wow, I didn't even notice the emergency vehicles in the distance. I'm an idiot.

 

[ThePrideofShiner]

Yahoo has a story up now:
 
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/tony-stewart-reportedly-involved-in-incident-under-investigation-at-new-york-dirt-track-042049206.html
 
Ward is only 17? That's awful.
 
Sporting News has an account from a witness:
 

 
 

“People (who could see it better) said the guy got out of his car and was gesturing angrily at Tony Stewart when Tony Stewart came by during the next lap under yellow,” Willis said in a phone interview. “He approached him and evidently when he was driving by the guy standing on the track gesturing at him, he gunned his engine.

“What happened was the back end kicked out and clipped the guy and the guy flew across the track.”

http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2014-08-10/tony-stewart-sprint-car-hits-driver-fight-incident-trouble-investigation-new-york-watkins-glen-kevin-ward?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[LogansDad]

This is awful.... I really don't have anything to add to the conversation other than that.

 

[rembrat]

These aren't regular cars BTW. This is a Sprint car. 
 

 
Don't let the size fool you, these things are scary powerful.

 

[soxhop411]

FOX SPORTS: NASCAR ‏@NASCARONFOX  1m
We are on top of the incident involving @TonyStewart & will pass along CONFIRMED information as we receive it. #NASCAR
 
 
Smart...... Better to be right, then be first

 

[soxhop411]

Kevin Faigle ‏@kevinfaiglewrdw  2m
For those wondering about Tony Stewart. Police are holding a press conference at 1am. here's a link to watch it. http://fb.me/6LqPhoeEZ

 

[mabrowndog]

KevinWardRacing.com
 
The title of the last post there from 4 days ago:
 
"Kevin Ward Jr. Can’t Seem to Catch a Break"
 
 

 

[LogansDad]

 
Kevin Faigle ‏@kevinfaiglewrdw  2m
For those wondering about Tony Stewart. Police are holding a press conference at 1am. here's a link to watch it. http://fb.me/6LqPhoeEZ
 

I clicked on this and got an add for a lawyer who covers automobile accidents as my advertisement. 

 

[Kliq]

Just piecing things together, I think this is what happened:
 
During the race, Stewart aggressively spun out Ward. Ward got pissed and gestured towards Stewart when Stewart came around on the next lap under the caution. This is not particularly uncommon during motorsports, especially on smaller tracks like this one.  Stewart got pissed and (I hope to dear god this is what happened) tried to show Ward up by accelerating and blowing past him, essentially giving Ward the bird and showing him that he doesn't care what the kid had to say. Unfortunately, in a terrible accident, Tony couldn't quite handle his car correctly when he tried to accelerate and ended up striking Ward.
 
Stewart is fucked anyways, but if he actually intended to hit Ward and not just blow past him...There really are no words. 17 years old, god.

 

[soxhop411]

Kevin Faigle ‏@kevinfaiglewrdw  1m
May not have started the presser on time. Keep checking.

 

[JayMags71]

ESPN showing highlights of Manziel's post game. GJGE.

 

[soxhop411]

ESPN showing highlights of Manziel's post game. GJGE.

Well, nothing has been confirmed, so, I would think ESPN is waiting for that before reporting things that might be wrong

 

[AbbyNoho]

Lots more here and here.
 
Several accounts indicate that as Stewart accelerated his vehicle fishtailed, with the rear end sliding to the right, and Ward got hit by the right-rear tire.
 

 
 
I know nothing about racing, does "under caution got out and To show displeasure towards Tony Stewart" mean he wasn't supposed to have gotten out of the car and was doing it because he was pissed off? I'm assuming there are strict rules one way or the other about crashes and people being on the track. If he wasn't supposed to be on the track and he was because he was angry then it seems tough to leap to the conclusion that the driver was trying to murder him.

 

[ThePrideofShiner]

Tom Jensen, one of the best motorsports writers out there, has a story up with confirmation from the police that they are investigating a situation between Stewart and Ward.
 
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/police-investigating-sprint-car-incident-involving-three-time-nascar-champion-tony-stewart-081014

 

[E5 Yaz]

Well, nothing has been confirmed, so, I would think ESPN is waiting for that before reporting things that might be wrong

 
Except that it's pretty clear something happened, and they should acknowledge that fact

 

[AbbyNoho]

Tom Jensen, one of the best motorsports writers out there, has a story up with confirmation from the police that they are investigating a situation between Stewart and Ward.
 
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/police-investigating-sprint-car-incident-involving-three-time-nascar-champion-tony-stewart-081014

 
Someone is dead, of course there is a police investigation. That's a given. 

 

[soxhop411]

 
Except that it's pretty clear something happened, and they should acknowledge that fact

I know that, buts thats the only thing that we know has happened... FS1 and FOX NASCAR both said they will only report when they get confirmed info... So its not just ESPN

 

[ThePrideofShiner]

 
Someone is dead, of course there is a police investigation. That's a given. 

 
Well, yeah. But that is the first confirmation of it. ESPN is still talking about Manziel, Jeter and McIlroy.

 

[JayMags71]

FS1 running a crawl "police investigating Tony Stewart's car allegedly striking driver Kevin Ward outside his car during race at...dirt track."

 

[E5 Yaz]

ESPN.com's NASCAR page is fielding tweets from those wondering why nothing has been reported. The response: They're Twitter, and have no control over TV

 

[soxhop411]

Thad Brown ‏@thadbrown7  4m
Was just told Ontario County Sheriff currently meeting with victims parents. Will talk to media momentarily
 
https://twitter.com/thadbrown7

 

[Darnell's Son]

People's obsession with ESPN is amazing.

 

[ThePrideofShiner]

People's obsession with ESPN is amazing.

 
The Associated Press doesn't have anything either, and it is much more powerful than ESPN.
 
I think that folks would just like the so-called Worldwide Leader in sports to have something on a major sports story, rather than just rambling about Johnny Football.

 

[Mr. Wednesday]

FWIW, the WWL just broke in on SportsCenter to report the situation.

 

[Cellar-Door]

 
The Associated Press doesn't have anything either, and it is much more powerful than ESPN.
 
I think that folks would just like the so-called Worldwide Leader in sports to have something on a major sports story, rather than just rambling about Johnny Football.

I'd think they'd want the "world wide leader" to wait until there was a certain amount of confirmed fact to report things.

 

[E5 Yaz]

 
The Associated Press doesn't have anything either, and it is much more powerful than ESPN.

 
Not anymore, it isn't

 

[E5 Yaz]

I'd think they'd want the "world wide leader" to wait until there was a certain amount of confirmed fact to report things.

 
The tragedy is what has happened to this kid and his family.
 
But ESPN is a network that goes with "sources" all the time before things become confirmed. 

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

 
Well, yeah. But that is the first confirmation of it. ESPN is still talking about Manziel, Jeter and McIlroy.

No Lebron?
 
If what has been reported is true, Stewart is one sick f**k and is really "lucky" this happened in NY state and deserves to rot in hell. .

 

[SemperFidelisSox]

Going to be tough to prove intent if a manslaughter charge is the ultimate goal. Stewart will plead guilty to a lesser charge to avoid jail time, get suspended, lose a few sponsors, and be back in a year.