2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bull!!

[Priceless]

Ward wasn't using a public crosswalk at the time.

Neither is a jaywalker.

Accidents like this during sporting events are seen as slightly less important than similar accidents in public. For example, if a hockey player beats the snot out of a fellow player on the ice causing the player to need medical treatment, that's considered "a good hockey play." If that same exchange between two players happened in the parking lot of the ice arena or even the concourse of the arena, the local police could (and mostly likely would) be called in and charges of assault would be filed.

This was just a "racing accident," whereas had Tony Stewart run over a fan with his SUV leaving the race track, he'd be sitting in lockup right now facing vehicular manslaughter charges or worse.

This was just a "racing accident"? That must be why it happens so often...

[dxmnkd316]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

This was just a "racing accident"? That must be why it happens so often...

It does?

[Priceless]

It does?

I assume it happens as often as fighting in a hockey game. Right?


Meanwhile, NASCAR shows how it handles a tragedy

With heavy hearts, we turn our attention to today's #CheezIt355.

#NASCAR Countdown begins now on @ESPNNASCAR.

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 10, 2014

When I think "CheezIt" I think "vehicular homicide".

[alfablue]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Neither is a jaywalker.
.

Pedestrains are killed by cars. If someone walks out in front of me, am I at fault automatically? Do you really think you would see time? No, what would happen is that the circumstances would be examined, and THEN guilt would be assigned. Just like what should happen here.

When I saw the video, (and I only saw it once on ESPN) I saw a driver trying to avoid the other driver. I could be just as wrong as you seem to think that he tried to hit him. We will find out.

One thing- does everyone realize that the back of the this kind of sprint car is a whole lot wider than the front? It's just as possible that Stewart saw him, thought he was too close, and tried to avoid him. One other thing- particularly on these kinds of sprint cars- they are just as steered with the throttle as the front tires. Even at those speeds.

That is why we all see slightly different things in the video. I honestly don't see the logic that Stewart was trying to "teach a lesson" by dusting him- that makes no sense at all.

In the end, the investigators will take a whole LOT more than a video and a brief morning to sort things out. They will figure out what happened.

What sucks- no matter what they decide, someone will think it's some kind of conspiricy. Are they out to get Stewart? Or out to save NASCAR?

[alfablue]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I assume it happens as often as fighting in a hockey game. Right?


Meanwhile, NASCAR shows how it handles a tragedy

With heavy hearts, we turn our attention to today's #CheezIt355.

#NASCAR Countdown begins now on @ESPNNASCAR.

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 10, 2014

When I think "CheezIt" I think "vehicular homicide".

So all of racing should stop?

What would you suggest actually happen? NASCAR should cancel the race? ESPN should not cover the race? Life should stop as we know it?

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Nah. He'll be just fine sponsor and career -wise. The Danny Heatley of NASCAR if you will...

Not an entirely fair comparison, but probably as good of one as you can find in pro sports.

Heatley probably should've been jailed for what he did, even though it was accidental (as opposed to the road rage that led Stewart to do what he did). By that measure, Stewart should be in jail for quite a while (which he would be if he weren't rich and famous). Heatley's plea deal was pretty generous, but not horribly so. Stewart avoiding jail time for this would be a crime in itself.

[unofan]

Ward wasn't using a public crosswalk at the time. Accidents like this during sporting events are seen as slightly less important than similar accidents in public. For example, if a hockey player beats the snot out of a fellow player on the ice causing the player to need medical treatment, that's considered "a good hockey play." If that same exchange between two players happened in the parking lot of the ice arena or even the concourse of the arena, the local police could (and mostly likely would) be called in and charges of assault would be filed.

This was just a "racing accident," whereas had Tony Stewart run over a fan with his SUV leaving the race track, he'd be sitting in lockup right now facing vehicular manslaughter charges or worse.

This was just a racing accident the way mcsorley just made a hockey play on brashear. Which, btw, led to criminal charges.

No one is saying Stewart intended to hit the other guy. But I do think it's within the realm of possibility he intended to spray him with dirt. And that could be enough to move forward with at least a civil action.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

So all of racing should stop?

What would you suggest actually happen? NASCAR should cancel the race? ESPN should not cover the race? Life should stop as we know it?

We should probably give this through Monday before making a judgement, but it is odd that NASCAR hasn't made a disciplinary statement yet (even if only to say "we're investigating and will decide what sanctions to place on Stewart".

[solovsfett]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Nah. He'll be just fine sponsor and career -wise. The Danny Heatley of NASCAR if you will...




It was a tragic set of mistakes on the part of both parties. Ward for getting out of his car to show displeasure at the "NASCAR *hole ruining the up-and-coming drivers night" and for Tony Stewart to act out by playing chicken and trying to rooster the 20-year-old kid with dirt.

What I find most interesting is someone on Deadspin re-tweeted a pic of Tony Stewart's dirt car in the paddock area after the race, surrounded by a couple cops. A few commenters pointed out that the right-rear looks a little small and the rim and back of the car are a little too clean for just being raced.

The Dany Heatley comment is way off base. But I won't argue further on that here

...Obviously Ward shouldn't have walked right down to the cars, most of those guys (Juan Montoya @ Iowa) walk toward the racing line but stay a good 10-15 feet away from the cars and they either point, salute or throw a helmet. Ward just kept going as if he was going to pull Tony out of the car

that said, Stewart has the obligation to move his car away from this kid toward the inside retaining wall to avoid him. it certainly doesn't appear that Tony moves his car to avoid contact at all. In fact upon reviewing the video it appears Tony's front tires move to the right as the kid is right on him....I've never driven a sprint car obviously...someone w/experience on dirt racing or in sprints would have to explain what that final move might portend...

[dxmnkd316]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

So all of racing should stop?

What would you suggest actually happen? NASCAR should cancel the race? ESPN should not cover the race? Life should stop as we know it?

Nuke Daytona and Talladega.

[dxmnkd316]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

In fact upon reviewing the video it appears Tony's front tires move to the right as the kid is right on him....

Perhaps you should watch the video again. The car in front of stewart makes the same maneuever. It's subtle, but it's there.

[alfablue]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

We should probably give this through Monday before making a judgement, but it is odd that NASCAR hasn't made a disciplinary statement yet (even if only to say "we're investigating and will decide what sanctions to place on Stewart".

So you already know without a shadow of a doubt what happened? Man, that video sure was clear.

More likely, NASCAR has no idea what actually happened, so they can't react. And their punishment will follow what the investigators find out.

Here's the problem with the road rage idea- why? The leading incident really didn't put them together- it just pushed one car up the track and into the wall. Stewart probably had no idea who we even was. Didn't hurt Stewarts car in anyway, and didn't really have an impact on if he could have won the race. Still, what would the point of reacting to the other driver from the car? I've never really seen a driver do anything toward a driver not in their car.

That make no sense to me what so ever.

Possible, sure. among a whole lot of other possibilities.

Yet your reaction does illustrate my point that whatever the result of the investigation is- it will be a conspiricy, even if 100% factual.

[solovsfett]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Perhaps you should watch the video again. The car in front of stewart makes the same maneuever. It's subtle, but it's there.

I reviewed 10-15 times for what you're pointing out and I just don't see that first car changing his line at all

[Priceless]

So all of racing should stop?

What would you suggest actually happen? NASCAR should cancel the race? ESPN should not cover the race? Life should stop as we know it?

Maybe they could show a little compassion instead of saying "Someone died. Oh well, time for green!"

[alfablue]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Maybe they could show a little compassion instead of saying "Someone died. Oh well, time for green!"

Which tells me that you didn't see the ESPN pre-race show, since they spent a lot of time covering the tragedy of the crash. You also don't actually know what NASCAR has done behind closed doors- could have done nothing, as you imply, or could have had a moment of silence- since most racers mourn deaths regardless of what series they run in. And even with all of those deaths, races are still run. Even if someone crashed in qualifying, the race would have started on time. That HAS happened in racing, and has been as long as I can remember. It's not actually that common that a race is halted when someone died. Heck most of a 24 hour race was run AFTER 88 spectators died in a horrible accident. (most being that the rest of the 24hr race was before the accident- the race never stopped)

Honest question- what compassion would you have been happy with?