NASCAR driver kills competitor on track.
Discussion
A grand jury has decided that NASCAR driver Tony Stewart will not be charged in the August death of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. at a race in upstate New York.
On August 9 at the Empire Super Sprints series race in Canandaigua, New York, Tony Stewart cut-off Kevin Ward Jr. and sent him crashing into the wall. Ward, who was only 20-years-old, got out of his car and waited for Stewart to pass back around as he walked on the track throwing his hands up. As Stewart passed by, Ward was clipped by Stewart’s back tire, throwing him into the air and hitting his head.
Ward died from massive blunt force trauma.
Speculation led the public to believe that Stewart may have run into Ward on purpose. But after video footage of the race and a toxicology report showing that Ward was high on marijuana at the time, the grand jury found no evidence of a criminal act.
Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo said:
“Those videos were examined in detail. They were enhanced. They were run through programs that allow the frames to be isolated. They were run at 75, 50 and 25 percent speed. They were overlaid with grids and data and they were pretty important piece of the evidence here. The videos did not demonstrate any aberrational driving by Tony Stewart until the point of impact with Kevin Ward, at which his vehicle veered to the right, up the track as a result of the collision. Prior to that his course was pretty straight.”
Stewart could still face a civil suit, such as a wrongful death lawsuit.
On August 9 at the Empire Super Sprints series race in Canandaigua, New York, Tony Stewart cut-off Kevin Ward Jr. and sent him crashing into the wall. Ward, who was only 20-years-old, got out of his car and waited for Stewart to pass back around as he walked on the track throwing his hands up. As Stewart passed by, Ward was clipped by Stewart’s back tire, throwing him into the air and hitting his head.
Ward died from massive blunt force trauma.
Speculation led the public to believe that Stewart may have run into Ward on purpose. But after video footage of the race and a toxicology report showing that Ward was high on marijuana at the time, the grand jury found no evidence of a criminal act.
Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo said:
“Those videos were examined in detail. They were enhanced. They were run through programs that allow the frames to be isolated. They were run at 75, 50 and 25 percent speed. They were overlaid with grids and data and they were pretty important piece of the evidence here. The videos did not demonstrate any aberrational driving by Tony Stewart until the point of impact with Kevin Ward, at which his vehicle veered to the right, up the track as a result of the collision. Prior to that his course was pretty straight.”
Stewart could still face a civil suit, such as a wrongful death lawsuit.
RacerMike said:
StuartMcKay said:
Sorry MarJay but that's simply not correct. A yellow flag is universally known in Motorsport to mean that you have to slow down (the norm is half race speed). For example, drivers are penalised if they set a faster sector/lap time during a yellow flag. That's why you will hear Martin Brundle talk say how that yellow has ruined someone's lap...
Not strictly true. The rule only specifies that you need to:MSA Blue Book Q.15.1 e said:
Yellow flag – Stationary: Danger, slow down sufficiently to ensure that full control of the vehicle can be retained. No overtaking.
SourceSo it means 'just below full race pace'. Not half speed. F1 and general FIA/MSA regulations are two very different things. Also, the rules for stock car and US racing is subtly different again.
You get used to getting the car away from the limit but under control without slowing down massively, only backing right off for double waved yellows. Indeed it can be very surprising and frustrating when you're taking part in a club race and the car in front slows down to 40 or 50 mph when there's a car parked off the side of a straight with a green flag just past it.
With this being a local circuit with a pro driver involved, there's every possibility that he would be going faster than other cars without breaking any rules.
On another note, the jab on the throttle to me sounded like it was during or after the poor guy went under the back wheel. It's grim but entirely possible that the force of the bump twitched his foot onto the throttle, particularly with such a powerful and responsive engine. I've had instances in the past going through rough pieces of runoff where it was difficult to keep my foot on the brake, and instances where hitting a kerb on part throttle has lit the wheels up.
New interpretation of the footage here that makes it look like Kevin Ward actually grabbed onto Tony Stewart's Wing and was injured as he fell.
I'll leave you to make your own judgement, but if valid then it more or less clears Stewart of any wrong doing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmusFB_Q8nk
I'll leave you to make your own judgement, but if valid then it more or less clears Stewart of any wrong doing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmusFB_Q8nk
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