Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart struck and killed a fellow sprint-car racer, 20-year-old Kevin Ward, who was confronting Stewart on the dirt track of the Empire Super Sprints in Canandaigua, New York on Saturday.
The altercation began when Stewart pushed Ward into the wall on lap 14 of 25. Ward’s back right tire was flattened as his car spun around one-and-a-half times. Race officials put up the yellow caution flag, warning drivers to slow down to about 40 miles per hour.
Rather than wait for race stewards, Ward stepped out of his vehicle onto the dirt track to confront Stewart. While taunting Stewart, Ward was clipped by Stewart’s back right tire and tossed to the edge of the track, rolling to a stop about 25 feet from the first impact.
The sprint-car is designed with a top-wing that helps it remain stabilized around corners. Consequently, the top-wing hinders the driver’s view. With Ward also walking onto the track wearing black, it’s a stretch to say Stewart is wholly responsible. Although, he did appear to hit the throttle before the accident.
Former racer and worker on car 45 Mark Tychoniewicz defended Stewart on Facebook saying the driver of car 45 saw Ward at the last second and barely missed him and noted that Stewart had even less time to react.
Paramedics rushed Ward to Thompson Hospital where he was pronounced dead 45 minutes after the accident.
Stewart decided to not race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Cheez-It 355 on Sunday.
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