We can no longer ignore the violence in our sporting culture. From Ray Rice, to OJ Simpson, to Mike Tyson, to Aaron Hernandez and now Tony Stewart.
All are just thugs who because they are professional athletes, thought they were above the law and could hurt or kill others.
a promising young and now dead driver who should have stayed in his car.. but NOoooOOooo... he had to show how macho he was..
I have been around racing since I was about 17 & I am now 74, almost 75.
I have followed drag racing, midgets, sprinters, NASCAR, drag boats, Trans Am, Can Am, & Indy cars.
I have enjoyed many a day & a night at the races.
I have known some of the top drag racers—Don Garlits—Don Prudomme—Paula Murphy- Tommy Ivo & countless others. Chris Karamesines—”The Greek” is one of long time friends & favorite person. He is over 80 & still driving Top Fuel dragsters and he passes the annual physical exams with flying colors.
The event where this accident occurred was a night time event. IT WAS NOT DAYLIGHT!!!
The dead driver was wearing a dark colored driving suit, based upon the pics shown on ABC this AM.
While there are lights at the track, trying to see a driver in a dark driving suit who is walking on the track during an event must be impossible.
Then, I ask myself this question:
WHAT DRIVER anywhere in the world is expecting to have a PEDESTRIAN on the racing surface?????
I don’t care if is a straight line of racing—like drag racingsuch as Pomona Winternationals——
OR a road race course like Sonoma——
OR an oval like Daytona——
Or a dirt track small oval-—
NO DRIVER ever is expecting a PEDESTRIAN to be on the track.
ABC stated that the young man exited his car—which was up against the outside wall & cushion, with a flat tire.
HE DELIBERATELY walked into the field of racing drivers.
Another car swerved & missed him. I don’t think Tony even saw him until it was too late....if at all.
I don’t know a single driver who is NOT competitive.
I also don’t know know a single driver who would deliberately run over another driver.
For those in the media who are saying that NASCAR should NOT let Tony race today are showing the highest degree of ignorance I ever thought I would see from them.
NASCAR had nothing to do with last night’s race.
USAC runs those Sprint Car races, I think.
IF USAC wants to make a rule that drivers are NOT to leave their cars—except perhaps in the case of fire—& are NEVER to enter into the racing surface like this young man did—then let them!!!
Otherwise-—The media can just plain shut up.
A ‘commentator’ on ESPN early this AM was in a rant about how Tony should not drive today & hinted that if Tony did drive, it would be so disrespectful to the driver who got killed. I was chewing my teeth. If I could have I would have called this ‘sports expert’ and told him off.
It was glaringly apparent that this ‘sports expert’ doesn’t know a thing about motor racing & doesn’t have any connection to any of the drivers.
I hope Tony drives today & for many more days & nightsfor the rest of his life.
The same for all the others who race.
From the time we are able to toddle—we ALL are told NOT TO PLAY IN THE STREET or in THE TRAFFIC!!!
What’s amazing here is Tony Stewart is such a household name. Even if one doesn’t follow Nascar, one has probably heard of him.
My thought is Tony Stewart being called out by this kid decided to give him a dirt shower. Instead he ended up giving him a dirt nap.
ABC News World “News” Tonight at 6:00 PM Eastern time made it seem like this happened during a NASCAR race.
They showed clips of drivers throwing things at the cars of other drivers; from the looks of one of the cars, that particular clip was from the early 1970’s. Plus, they aired the argument that Joey Lagano had with Stewart in 2013.
Sensational, inaccurate, mistaken, misguided, and half-a$$ed “journalism” pretending to be an accurate news story. It was pathetic reporting. Makes me wonder if the individuals putting together this story have ever left Manhattan island in their life.
After watching and listening to the video its clear that Stewarts car sped up just before impact. He might even have swerved into him.
Maybe there’ll be another video that will come out, or some analysis of this. But until then IMO, Looks like manslaughter.
I raced stock cars for several years and one of the things they always stressed in the driver’s meetings is to stay in your car until the safety team gets there unless your car is on fire.
I’m never surprised that the people that know the least about a subject have the most to say. Who was it that said it is better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you are stupid then to say something and PROVE IT !