It probably won’t be one of his best runs though…
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Source: Jayski.com
Tony Stewart hits walking driver with sprint car; authorities investigating, driver dies UPDATES: #14-Tony Stewart hit driver Kevin Ward Jr., who walked toward Stewart’s car after the two had an altercation at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park, according to spectators at the race. Stewart was racing a sprint car in the Empire Super Sprints series at the half-mile dirt track in upstate New York, about an hour from Watkins Glen International, site of this weekend’s Cup race. He is scheduled to start 13th. The Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff’s Office confirmed there had been an accident and its investigators are at the scene. There was no immediate announcement on Ward’s condition. Racing was canceled for the rest of the night after the accident.(more at the Sporting News)
MORE FOX Sports 1 spoke with the head nursing supervisor at Thompson Health in Canandaigua, who could not confirm the identity, but did confirm that they have someone at the hospital who was said to be a racecar driver with injuries sustained at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. The supervising nurse, Barbara Manning, confirmed that the individual sustained serious injuries and that the condition was not determined at this time. Also, out of respect for the family, she could not confirm that it was Ward.(FoxSports)
AND from Canandaigua Motorspots Park Facebook: Canandaigua Motorsports Park will not have an official statement on the accident that happened in the ESS race until tomorrow. Please pray for the entire racing community of fans, drivers, and families.
UPDATE: Prescott Rossi, Sports Anchor/Reporter for WROC-TV (CBS) in Rochester, NY reported on his twitter (@PrescottRossi): Ontario County Sheriff Phil Povero held a press conference at Ontario County Sheriff’s Office around 3:00am/et some of the tweets:
Povero identifies Tony Stewart as hitting driver on the track. Driver was transported by ambulance. Driver was dead on arrival.
Povero not releasing name of the driver as they try to notify other family members.
Tony Stewart has been cooperative. Believed to be back at Watkins Glen according to Sheriff Povero.
District attorney’s office has been notified. “This is an ongoing investigation of an on-track crash.” No charges pending at this time.
Sheriff Povero: “Mr. Stewart has been fully cooperative… He is very upset and confirmed his continuing cooperation.”
Povero: “People that witnessed it were horrified. They were extremely shocked.. The people at Canandaigua Motorsports have cooperated fully.”
Povero adds that the driver was pronounced dead at 11:15. There will be an autopsy and the investigation continues.
Also see article at WROC-TV’s website.(8-10-2014)
UPDATE 2: A spokesman for Tony Stewart calls the death of a fellow driver he struck and killed at an upstate New York dirt track a “tragic accident.” In a statement released Sunday morning, a representative for Stewart says, “our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.” The statement says Stewart’s team is still trying to sort through the details of the accident.(Associated Press)(8-10-2014)
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It happened too fast to be done on purpose. (especially since Tony was shaken) It would be nice to get Tony’s actual side of the story though before we all get unnecessarily mad at him.