GRAPHIC: NASCAR Driver Runs Over Competitor During Confrontation, Killing Him

[NilNisiOptimum]

The biggest problem Stewart has here is his own history as a hot head. Without even seeing the video last night, my first reaction was "who was dumb enough to go and piss off Stewart?" While he's mellowed some oer this last few years now that he owns his own race team, the first thing I think of when I think of Stewart is him ramming Jeff Gordon's car on pit row back in 1999 after Gordon made contact in a turn.

Given that a year ago, Stewart broke his leg in a similar race to this, I won't be surprised if NASCAR goes after him to quit the extracurricular racing. No clue what criminal an possible civil charges could come up.

 

[Billy Chubbs]

I counted five cars having passed Ward after he stepped out onto the track before Stewart (the sixth) hit him. In fact, the one just before Ward hits him came perilously close.

Ward is entirely at fault here. He could just have easily been hit by any other of the racers, people who had nothing to do with the fight between he and Stewart. He showed zero regard for any of the other racers by walking out onto the track and acting like a tough guy.

 

[Steve Evets]

It wasn't 'race mode,' the initial incident caused a caution and the cars were not going full tilt by the time Ward got out of his car. Was it dumb for him to wander onto the track like that? Yes. But all the drivers who passed by Ward would have seen him, as slowing down for the caution they were just cruising around, locating where the wreck was. Stewart knew full well what he was doing. In my view he didn't intend to actually hit Ward, only give him a fright or spray dirt his face, which is why he hit the throttle to spin his car out even though they were under a caution. Stewart has been on Ward's end a few times before.


Ultimately Stewart is going to be in some big shit because he clearly sped up when it wasn't warranted, but even still he was only going about 40mph. I don't really see it as a Darwin Award from Wards end because he could have reasonably expected not to be hit or driven at aggressively by fellow professionals who could easily see him driving at low speed. Bottom line is Stewart could have easily driven by like everyone else but didn't.

 

[aSimpNamedBrokeback]

Bottom line is Stewart could have easily driven by like everyone else but didn't.

He was at the top of the track when everyone else went past. He waited for Stewart then put himself in front of his car.

 

[HawkWrites]

It seems like it was truly an accident, though. I doubt that he did it for "unsportsmanlike conduct" or "during a confrontation". It seems like a tragic unfortunate accident.

 

[Goldin Boy]

What charges? The guy was trying to walk in front of his car to yell at him. Hard to feel sorry for him.

Hope Stewart walks but like others said his career with died with that idiot kid.

 

[nigerian]

People act like jail supposed to be punishment. It's intended to be a place to put people who are dangers to society away so they cannot hurt anyone else. I doubt if he walks he is going to run over anyone else.

He should be reprimanded: maybe not let him race anymore, but why do people want to put him in jail? That's taxpayer money.

 

[Faust]

I don't care how safe you think it is. I don't care if other drivers did it too.

If you get out of your car and wander on to the middle of a NASCAR racetrack during a race, you are an idiot, and you deserve what happens to you. I have absolutely no sympathy whatsoever for someone who would do such a thing. The human race is probably better off without him.

 

[Uzisuicide]

Ward had no business being where he was or behaving the way he was. Sorry it happened. ESPN will ban somebody this week for having an opinion on the matter.

 

[username]

Even if he doesn't go to jail, he is going to get raped in civil court for millions.

 

[iknowexactly]

The poor idiot ran out into the middle of a race track. Why is there any question this is death by misadventure?

 

[Lion of Judah]

Why are you guys assuming that he walked out on the track just to get hit? He probably had some kind of traumatic brain injury from the accident and was trying to get help.

 

[Handsome Creepy Eel]

I can't say if the guy in the red car could have swerved safely to avoid the angry pedestrian, but I don't think he is at fault. This guy who got run over is an imbecile. Don't get out of your car and run into a race track with cars blitzing forward at 150 mph and expect them to stop for you. Feelings can't stop highly accelerated tons of steel.

 

[BadWolf]

What idiot gets out of a car and walks into the middle of a busy street? It's not the responsibility of the other racers to avoid his arrogance. He should've walked into the stands like any normal person would have but instead he wanted a confrontation, and that's what he got.

 

[General Stalin]

Not so sure Stewart is particularly liable for criminal charges here. This is a sporting event and there are all kinds of safety waivers and red tape involved. Obviously it was an accident, but I'm sure this sort of thing is probably covered by the racing organization's insurance policy. Motor sports are dangerous and accidental deaths DO happen. As par for the course with any kind of sport/entertainment association, I'm sure Stewart will get some sort of slap on the wrist and have to pay some fine, get taken out of racing for a bit, hell his career may even end, but I don't see there being any serious legal action taken.

 

[bacon]

Out of curiosity what percentage of Nascar spectators go to these events just to watch crashes and accidents like this? It's insufferably boring, having been to a race before the whole time I was there I was just waiting for an accident to bring some entertainment to the race.

 

[Beyond Borders]

^Every time I went to races it was pretty much to hit on women and drink beer.

 

[ElBorrachoInfamoso]

Unintentional suicide on Ward's part? I'm not sure what to call this.

 

[bojangles]

Out of curiosity what percentage of Nascar spectators go to these events just to watch crashes and accidents like this? It's insufferably boring, having been to a race before the whole time I was there I was just waiting for an accident to bring some entertainment to the race.

I can't watch Nascar unfortunately, like you I find it boring, however I enjoy F1 which others would say is boring