Tony Stewart

[lavacarancher]

That is a good point about the flagman. I don't know how things are today but when I was racing 40 years ago all the yellow meant was no passing. Most people did slow down a little but they fell in single file, no passing. Back to the flagman, if he was paying attention as soon as the idiot stepped out of the car the flagman should have thrown the red flag. That means that everybody stops - period.

 

[larryshoat]

The safety record of sprint car racing in recent years has been greatly improved by several new mandatory safety regulations including the use of roll cages to protect the drivers, fuel tank bladders to prevent fuel leakage, alcohol fuel, requirements to use a six or seven-point safety harness seatbelt two years old or newer, and driver suit standards to consist of two layers and rated at least SFI 3.2A/5. In addition, drivers must wear nomex driving gloves. Other equipment requirements include: helmets must be full coverage and must exceed Snell 2000 rating; arm restraints systems must be used; cars must have a 1/8 inch wire debris/rock screen in the front roll cage opening covering the entire opening; and headrests mandatory on the right side of the drivers seat. Some sanctioning bodies are also requiring a head and neck restraint system.

All these great safety innovations surrounding the driver and he climbs out and walks down the track to shake his fist at another driver and shout bad names. Not a place for "macho". But maybe he did learn it from Stewart. They all know better.

I think some of that kind of behavior has been going on in racing for a long time. It's been allowed for the excitement in it. Some of it should have been stopped before now.

Larry

 

[dun]

I think some of that kind of behavior has been going on in racing for a long time. It's been allowed for the excitement in it. Some of it should have been stopped before now.

Larry

There are a couple of dirt tracks that have alredy instituted a change of attitude about it. Fines or suspension if you get out of your car and confront another driver in his car. NASCAR is talking about doing something about it too. I know it strikes people as funny when 1 driver will walk out on the track and throw his helmet or moon another driver passing by. This incident pretty much changes the picture!

I wonder if Tony will drive again and if he does if he'll still have the old fire. I've seen a lot of drivers have a really terrible wreck and they just never really seem to push the envelops again afterwards. Others seem to not be seriously affected by it. Rciahrd Petty being one of the latter and Rusty Wallace being an example of the former.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I think some of that kind of behavior has been going on in racing for a long time. It's been allowed for the excitement in it. Some of it should have been stopped before now.

Larry

There are a couple of dirt tracks that have alredy instituted a change of attitude about it. Fines or suspension if you get out of your car and confront another driver in his car. NASCAR is talking about doing something about it too. I know it strikes people as funny when 1 driver will walk out on the track and throw his helmet or moon another driver passing by. This incident pretty much changes the picture!

I wonder if Tony will drive again and if he does if he'll still have the old fire. I've seen a lot of drivers have a really terrible wreck and they just never really seem to push the envelops again afterwards. Others seem to not be seriously affected by it. Rciahrd Petty being one of the latter and Rusty Wallace being an example of the former.

Same thing crosses my mind. He's clearly shaken

 

[larryshoat]

Yeah I wondered about that too. In no way do I think Tony Stewart meant to kill anybody, but he will live with the whole thing for the rest of his life. And you know the lawsuits will be endless. I think it will be difficult at best for him to continue in racing.

Larry

 

[chorewife]

I'm taking this quote from a kid I race against, I totally agree with him. Just to give a little insight to things that we do in the car during a caution.

My final take on the Stewart incident: as a driver, I have been in both positions. I've been mad and walked down the track, and haven't realized how in danger my life was in until recently. I have also been in the drivers seat, and people don't realize that there are times we don't see cars, let alone dark clothes people. I remember about drilling a car under yellow(not naming the track because it's not important) because it was poorly lit, black car, no graphics, black chassis, black fuel cell, and a black rubbered down track. As a spectator, in the stands, on the trailer or anywhere else, your view is much more open than that of someone behind the wheel. Especially a sprint car looking to their right. The motorsports world is a family, and we just lost a brother. So instead of blaming tony, which I initially did, we need to send prayers. And be thankful that it hasn't been you yet, because this is a reality check on how easy it could've been. Godspeed 13.

Step back and looked at it from the drivers seat.... fans either don't realize or forget what its like to be in the cockpit and how difficult it is to see things.

That and we are constantly doing stuff. I hate to say it but I rarely pay attention to track crew unless they are pointing us where to go. To busy reading the track, keeping tires warm, motor from loading up, deciding if I need to make brake adjustments, tightening belts, checking gauges, warming brakes, looking for dad giving signs for track conditions, and that's all at once. And if your leading looking for the best place to pick up throttle in 3 & 4. Drivers stay very busy

Here is a pic from a seat of a sprint car: your view of anything isn't very good

 

[chorewife]

Add darkness and being busy thinking about racing and the blind spot from the right side wing and you cant see much

 

[greybeard]

Keep trying--other drivers had no problems seeing Ward.

Arguably, the driver most experienced on the track that night was Tony.
Tony, is also the person who most knew EXACTLY where the wreck was going to be found when he made his way around the track on lap after the wreck occurred--(this is because he was also involved in that wreck) .

The other drivers saw Ward and missed him--saw him well enough to see his facial expressions and demeanor.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nationa ... -1.1900545

Paul Kinney, who was racing Saturday night, said he saw Kevin Ward Jr. get out of his car and walk onto the track before Tony Stewart struck the driver. 'I drove right by him,' Kinney said. 'He looked a little bit angry. I didn't think much of it. A lot of drivers do that.'

 

[chorewife]

That's fine you don't agree with me, I'm just trying to throw out a point of view on how easy it can happen. To be honest im surprised it hasn't happened more often then we hear about. Or are we just hearing this much about it cause its a house hold name that it happened to? Ive had another driver come up at me on foot once and to be honest its a dumb thing to do. We had a similar contact like the accident we are talking about. Under caution coming back around the drive ran up the track from the infield at me, I a first didn't think much of it cause whats he going to do on foot while im cursing around the track at 30 or so mph. Well the dip stick didn't stop I had to swerve to miss him. What if I took my eye off him for a split second and not swerved? I may have been in the same boat tony is in now. I don't believe the initial wreck was tony's fault or fault of Kevin Ward jrs. its racing and it happens, tires will touch, some one will come out on the short end of it all. I don't feel either party should be blamed for the end result, that's why they are accidents.

And in the video that I don't care to see again the car in front of Tony about hit him as well....then he took a few more steps and then the tragic happened. jmo I know we all have our own but I hate seeing people trash someone for something that was an accident

 

[slick4591]

No criminal charges to be filed at the moment.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Whether we all agree or not, it is still tragic.

I've only driven in a few. And I was racing a 6 cylinder class. Pedal to the floor until the race was over. The way you drove was the difference in winning or losing and it was all about coming out of the corner. Precisely where the incident occurred.

You are going to get bumped or hit. That's just how it is. We rebuilt that car every week. I was on the pit crew all season for a few seasons.

I hate that the kid went out on the track, wearing black.

I hate that this happened to Stewart.

Watching that video I can only postulate what was going on in everyone's heads. I still don't believe anything was intentional.

 

[TexasBred]

That's fine you don't agree with me, I'm just trying to throw out a point of view on how easy it can happen. To be honest im surprised it hasn't happened more often then we hear about. Or are we just hearing this much about it cause its a house hold name that it happened to? Ive had another driver come up at me on foot once and to be honest its a dumb thing to do. We had a similar contact like the accident we are talking about. Under caution coming back around the drive ran up the track from the infield at me, I a first didn't think much of it cause whats he going to do on foot while im cursing around the track at 30 or so mph. Well the dip stick didn't stop I had to swerve to miss him. What if I took my eye off him for a split second and not swerved? I may have been in the same boat tony is in now. I don't believe the initial wreck was tony's fault or fault of Kevin Ward jrs. its racing and it happens, tires will touch, some one will come out on the short end of it all. I don't feel either party should be blamed for the end result, that's why they are accidents.

Good post.
And in the video that I don't care to see again the car in front of Tony about hit him as well....then he took a few more steps and then the tragic happened. jmo I know we all have our own but I hate seeing people trash someone for something that was an accident

 

[Alan]

TB x2 and the media is really beating Stewart up. :?