I grew up watching sprint car races at Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. I have a relative that races one (I think at Sears point now?) and my dad's company was going to build one for me to race until I saw "Big" John Viel crash and literally burn in his car (he survived). I've sat in a few sprint cars and this picture jogged my recollection of the limited vision these cars have. The officials really had to bend down to an unnatural position to make contact with the driver from the right side. Even from the stand you cannot see the drivers very well as they pass in front of you.

This form of racing is pretty aggressive and exciting to watch. I've seen one of these things do several endo's out of turn number 4 and launch in the air and literally land on the fence in front of me bending the fence completely down. I've seen them flip down the back straight away through the barriers. These guys are going over a hundred MPH down the straights. I cannot recall a race in which there were no flips or crashes or getting run into the wall. I think it is inherent of this type of racing. Ward should have understood and expected to experience this at some point in his career. It happens.

Watching the film I see nothing out of the ordinary with regards to how they are racing. Even the throttle blips seem normal. The sprint cars seemed to do that all the time when they were lining up. I'm assuming it has to do with the right tire being larger than the left? I don't know about that though.

It is arguable that TS actually knew that he was running Ward into the wall. Ward started his line high and TS went low and drifted. He was simply passing Ward like the countless races I've watched.

I think it is ludicrous for anyone to think TS meant to kill the kid. It is more likely he didn't even see Ward until it was too late. It is more likely Ward misjudged speed, terrain and visibility and literally tripped into TS car and was run over. It's not like it's smooth dirt - there are deep ruts. I've actually walked the tracks after the races. It's not smooth at all. TS probably didn't even feel Ward being run over because of the ruts. If he did blip the throttle it could have been to get out of a rut.

This was simply an accident that could have been avoided had Ward stayed in his car. Stupid, sad and senseless and should serve as a lesson to keep ego's and tempers in check - it's just a game. In my opinion it is completely Wards fault.

My analysis puts tripping as highly likely, that, or Ward was trying to jump onto Tony's car and missed. His helmet relative to the background accelerates rapdily in the two frames before you cannot see him behind the wing of Tony's car. Either he lunged into Tony's path, or tripped into his path. Tony did not drive up into him.

Tony loves sprint cars, he runs more sprint races than he does NASCAR. They are not comparative sports as they are incredibly different. You could say that Tony use's his NASCAR career to fund his sprint car. Tony runs 1-2 sprint car races a week as his schedule allows. It just rarely makes the news that he does it. Sprint cars have their own set of hot drivers, and Tony is perhaps their equal, but he does not outclass them. He isn't winning all these races.

I don't think anyone on earth is saying that TS killed him on purpose, (I'm sure not), just that he might have blipped the throttle to spray him with dirt or scare him or who the **** knows....

Tragic accidents happen when people are engaged in dangerous activities but this was a freaky accident and the fact that it involved the biggest name in NASCAR(?) is crazy.

Truly talented people practice their craft every chance they get. Pianists, golfers, even race car drivers. Maybe he was using this race to limber up and get focused for the bigger race, or maybe he just likes racing.

Or maybe he was a complete egomaniac who was out to teach some small town nobody's who the real racecar drivers are. Is this what you mean to imply?

Stewart owns a few dirt tracks. He has a passion for racing. Not all racing involves a road course. Try not to look down on those that don't drive "sports cars".

.

Tony was at 36 sprint car events last year prior to having it cut short from breaking a leg, he raced in less than 25 NASCAR races in that period, just an FYI. SmileWavy

All that and then some :D. Not to mention that TS is also VERY talented on road courses too. He's just a gifted "racer" that's found the means to earn a VERY nice living doing what he loves and is very good at imo. I remember the Rennsport Reunion down in Daytona several years ago. I think a few "road course" racers found a new respect for those that have the balls to go "roundy-round" at 200+ mph. It takes WAY more skills than I have...that's for sure!

Very sad. Prayers to all involved.

Wrt Stewart's running these cars, he's a racecar driver. It's all about seat time.
“Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting.”... McQueen

Given the opportunity, I'm guessing many of us would race a LOT.

I ran a formula vee. I tried my hand in one of these a number of years ago. A micro sprint. Waaayyy harder than I thought it would be. Running a little too close for comfort in an open wheel car. Things happen a hell of a lot faster than on a road course. It scared the crap out of me. Same thing, I gained a whole new respect for people that run those cars.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1407860285.jpg

I thought this was a good article

The Godfather's Blog: COMMENTARY: In Defense Of Tony Stewart

Excellent...

I think the sanctioning bodies bear some responsibility for putting up with this bullsheiat for as long as they have. Fines won't do anything, send them home.

Approach a racing surface, surrender you license so we can tear it up, pack your crap and get the hell out. Come back in 6 months, and you can start the licensing process from the beginning.

If you throw something at another car, make it a year. If anyone gets hurt, never come back.

The organizers have let this crap go on so long it has become part of the culture. Frankly I am suprised it has taken this long for someone to get killed. Examples, all from one track in NC over the past year:

Racing Road Rage Leads To A Guy Getting Dragged Along The Track

Watch This Benign Racing Accident Turn Into A Crazed Demolition Derby

Watch The Worst Pit Lane Exit Of All Time Forever And Ever


That is a big part of how you steer a sprint car. Direct drive, spool rear end, short wheelbase and staggered tires.

And any suggestion of "wanting to spray dirt on him" are idiotic. Hard packed rubbered in clay isn't spraying anywhere. Sprint cars sometimes do wheelies on that stuff. If they "sprayed dirt" every time the tires spun, the turns would be trenches halfway to China.

Ha ha. Yes and wouldn't the crowd be dirty as well?

As a matter of fact, we wear goggles when we go to watch the sprint cars up at our Skagit Speedway. We do wind up covered in dirt.

The thing is, though, there is no visible roost coming off of the cars. The dirt in the air is from the marbles around the racing line, as this incredible vortex generated by the cars going around in circles in such relative small confines lifts it right up into the air. Walking up to the track at night, from outside the grandstands it can look like a funnel cloud coming out of the track. But the cars actually spraying a roost, like bikes on a motocross track? Never seen it.

If a driver assaults a car with his person - the guy on foot needs a permament good bye. Car to car, or driver to driver, but not driver to car.

I have met most of the kids in the videos you just linked. They have parents that are simply (to me) inexplicably throwing money at the kids. The kids, with a money tree, have absolutely no idea of personal responsibility. They will NEVER make it as a racing driver even if they win every event.

Can you enlighten me a little on where mom and pops money comes from? I'm curious.

We had a local short track 15 minutes from my house. I loved going there but they sold the property to a developer. There was a mix of self funded teams running cars that looked like junk, better heeled retirees/semi-retirees and pay to drive teams clearly designed to launch careers (they had the nicest cars).

Also, we have a local guy in our PCA region that claimed to race late models like at BG and participated in wrecking folks. Then throwing them a wad of cash to fix their car. He's an adult (older than me) and dad has a lot of money.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j2...if_serious.jpg

If a driver pulls that chasing each other around crap seen in those videos, he should be frogmarched off the property, and arrested for trespassing if he returns. Better yet, arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

If a driver assaults another driver, he should be arrested and charged with assault.

If you can't control your anger, seek professional help, but stay the hell off the race track.

From "The Godfather's Blog" link above, it sounds like at least some tracks are getting it.

+1 to emcon's idea.

After reading the Godfather Blog, I have been wondering if he had been reading this thread.