260 replies to this topic

[mweb08]

This will likely be tough to prove either way. There is no way I'm reaching a definitive conclusion based on what we know. It may have been an accident, but he may have had intent too. Maybe not to hit him, but to come close to it to prove a point.

[Russ]

Just because he's an asshole sometimes doesn't make him a murderer. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

[SammyBirdland]

Road rage gone wrong. If the deceased could control his temper, he'd be alive right now.

[SBTarheel]

Road rage gone wrong. If the deceased could control his temper, he'd be alive right now.

With respect:

 

Sad, but true.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I admittedly know little about Tony Stewart other than he's one of the more accomplished drivers out there and that he has a history of confrontations. Those two things taken into account plus watching the video, I do believe there was some sort of intent on his part....not to strike, much less kill the guy, but clearly he intended to do more than to just drive past a guy who obviously had an issue with him.

 

That said....yellow flag or not, professional driver or not, approaching a moving vehicle like that is just stupid and had Ward not done that in the first place this tragedy would never have happened.

[tennOsfan]

I doubt anyone can really have an opinion based on that video unless they've driven such a vehicle on a dirt track.

[Nigel Tufnel]

I doubt anyone can really have an opinion based on that video unless they've driven such a vehicle on a dirt track.

 

Hey, I have all sorts of opinions on things I actually know nothing about.  Have you read some of my posts here?

 

I can't see any scenario where Stewart was trying to hurt the guy.  That makes no sense.  And what kind of idiot runs out into fast-moving traffic, at night, wearing all black, where cars have limited visibility?  Still, you can hear Stewart rev the engine as he passes the guy, so something is going on there - maybe he was trying to scare him, maybe kick mud onto him, or maybe it was part of his evasive actions.

[Russ]

I doubt anyone can really have an opinion based on that video unless they've driven such a vehicle on a dirt track.

  Hey, I have all sorts of opinions on things I actually know nothing about.  Have you read some of my posts here?   I can't see any scenario where Stewart was trying to hurt the guy.  That makes no sense.  And what kind of idiot runs out into fast-moving traffic, at night, wearing all black, where cars have limited visibility?  Still, you can hear Stewart rev the engine as he passes the guy, so something is going on there - maybe he was trying to scare him, maybe kick mud onto him, or maybe it was part of his evasive actions.

Or maybe he was accelerating to try to win a race and didn't even see the guy. I don't understand how people can look at a guy who is in the middle of a dirt track race, think he hits the accelerator, and decide that shows any intent other than trying to go faster to win.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Well speaking from just a legal stance, and I'm sure TennFan will back me up here, but proving intent in this sort of situation would be next to impossible, which I'm sure played a huge part in the fact that he wasn't arrested for anything.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Or maybe he was accelerating to try to win a race and didn't even see the guy. I don't understand how people can look at a guy who is in the middle of a dirt track race, think he hits the accelerator, and decide that shows any intent other than trying to go faster to win.

 

It was a yellow flag, though, so I don't think he was supposed to be accelerating at all.  But, yeah, I think the whole thing was basically just a tragic confluence of events with nobody really at fault (except possibly the guy who ran into traffic in the first place).

[Russ]

Or maybe he was accelerating to try to win a race and didn't even see the guy. I don't understand how people can look at a guy who is in the middle of a dirt track race, think he hits the accelerator, and decide that shows any intent other than trying to go faster to win.

  It was a yellow flag, though, so I don't think he was supposed to be accelerating at all.

Oh I wasn't aware of that. Thanks.

[mweb08]

It was a yellow flag, though, so I don't think he was supposed to be accelerating at all.

 

Yep. That's a key that a lot of people (not just on here) are apparently missing.

[SammyBirdland]

Still, you can hear Stewart rev the engine as he passes the guy, so something is going on there - maybe he was trying to scare him, maybe kick mud onto him, or maybe it was part of his evasive actions.

 

I think the revving was obviously him trying to avoid the guy.  That's how you turn in the dirt.  Slamming on the brakes wouldn't help.

[mweb08]

I think the revving was obviously him trying to avoid the guy.  That's how you turn in the dirt.  Slamming on the brakes wouldn't help.

 

Yet his attempt to turn or whatever his intent was seems to be why he hit him. Seems to be of course being a key phrase there. It's not clear that he needed to turn as again, it seems like he would have avoided him basically staying the course, but the fishtail at the last second hit him. It's obviously all very hard to piece together from what we know, and I don't feel like watching the video over and over again in slow motion. I highly doubt he meant to hit him, but would not be surprised at all if there was some intent to send a message. It's unlikely that we'll ever know. 

[Pedro Cerrano]

Those of you entertaining the idea that Stewart intentionally hit him are basically calling him a sociopath. You realize that, right?

[mweb08]

Those of you entertaining the idea that Stewart intentionally hit him are basically calling him a sociopath. You realize that, right?

 

I'm entertaining the thought that he intended to send a message and screwed up. 

 

I also don't know that he would necessarily be a sociopath if he did intend to hit him or come close to it, just someone with severe anger issues, at least in the heat of the moment. 

[BSLMikeLowe]

I doubt anyone can really have an opinion based on that video unless they've driven such a vehicle on a dirt track.

 

People can have an opinion on whatever they want. This place would be pretty damn boring otherwise.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I'm entertaining the thought that he intended to send a message and screwed up. 
 
I also don't know that he would necessarily be a sociopath if he did intend to hit him or come close to it, just someone with severe anger issues, at least in the heat of the moment. 

When you get angry do you try to run people over in your car?

[mweb08]

When you get angry do you try to run people over in your car?

 

No. But I'm a saint as everyone on here can attest to. Never have I gotten angry at anyone.

 

Anyway, the vast majority of people with severe anger issues aren't put in the position that Stewart was in where there is such a small margin of error with how that anger is dispersed. 

[Pedro Cerrano]

No. But I'm a saint as everyone on here can attest to. Never have I gotten angry at anyone.
 
Anyway, the vast majority of people with severe anger issues aren't put in the position that Stewart was in where there is such a small margin of error with how that anger is dispersed. 

The vast majority of people don't have the ability to kill people while driving angry?