Tony Stewart and NASCAR

[aitm]

I am not a racing fan but still,,, who the fuck would have saw that coming eh? That mo-fo could be in prison in a couple months. I don't mean to sound mean but HA! What a fucking hoot. Rednecks all over the country are fucking spanking it.

[PickelledEggs]

I am not a racing fan but still,,, who the fuck would have saw that coming eh? That mo-fo could be in prison in a couple months. I don't mean to sound mean but HA! What a fucking hoot. Rednecks all over the country are fucking spanking it.

Huh? I guess I'm out of the loop. What happened?

[GrinningYMIR]

He hit another driver on the raceway, the dude got out of his car and Stewart smashed into him

[PickelledEggs]

OK... I found this which shows everything up to where the guy gets out until before he gets hit (it doesn't show him getting hit)

I have watched motorsports since I was little and even participated in some as well. While this is definitely a sad thing that happened, the guy should have not got out out in the middle of the racetrack. It's a dirt track that the cars are primarily sliding sideways through. There is no way Tony Stewart was at fault, although I can understand him taking off from racing for a while because what happened was probably devastating to him.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2014-08-10/tony-stewart-sprint-car-hits-driver-fight-incident-trouble-investigation-new-york-watkins-glen-kevin-ward

[Solitary]

When I was young and raced, you don't get out of your car on a race track, especially a dirt track. I haven't seen what happened, but hearsay is saying Stewart gun his motor going past him, which means the car would have gone sideways. I'm sure he was trying to avoid him when he saw him getting out of the car, and the rear end slid out and the rear tire hit him. It doesn't pay to get pissed off driving a race car, and getting out on a dirt track during a race is stupid. It's still very sad for everyone involved. Shit happens doing dangerous things. Solitary

[stromboli]

I've said it before and I'll say it again- horsepower kills. 

[Hydra009]

I have watched motorsports since I was little and even participated in some as well. While this is definitely a sad thing that happened, the guy should have not got out out in the middle of the racetrack.

Agreed.  Standing in the middle of an active racetrack isn't the smartest idea in the world.  Apparently, his temper got the better of him.  Shame.

[PopeyesPappy]

I've not seen the incident either, but from what I read the guy was standing in the middle of track shacking his finger or fist or something at the on coming cars. Stewart in particular as it was he that was involved in the incident that put him in the wall to start with. Stewart was second in line. Probably following pretty damn closely. The car in front of him had to swerve to miss the guy. Chances are Stewart never saw him. That doesn't mean it happened that way, but I would be surprised if there are any charges. Even more surprised if there is a conviction.

Drivers walking down into the racing line to express their anger at other drivers is all to common. I've seen Tony Stewart do it himself. It is dangerous as this incident showed, and the sanctioning bodies should have done something about it a long time ago like fining the drivers that do it in order to discourage the behavior. But they haven't, and unfortunately it usually takes a death, serious injury and the threat of lawsuits and financial penalties to motivate most of them to do anything concerning tightening the safety regulations. I wouldn't be surprised to see some new rules come out of this...

[PopeyesPappy]

I wouldn't be surprised to see some new rules come out of this...

I'm a fucking prophet!

NASCAR expanded its rulebook Friday, barring drivers from leaving their cars until ordered to do so by series, track or safety officials.

http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2014/8/15/robin-pemberton-nascar-incident-rule-change.html

[aitm]

I will admit that I am not the smartest apple in the cart, but getting out of your car in the middle of a race was never a rule? Wow. Maybe thats why that always say a prayer before the race.

[PickelledEggs]

I think part of it's reason for it never being a rule was because if the car is on fire, it can explode. You need to be able to get out of the car and to safety. This guy was just very stupid about how he went about it.

[PopeyesPappy]

The reason it has never been a rule is because it is part of the show. Tony Stewart getting out of his car and throwing his helmet at the car that just wrecked him sells tickets, and God forbid that something takes a chunk out of NASCAR's multi billion dollar a year profits. Mike Helton and Brian France are after all only billionaires. They can't afford not to make every penny possible.

[Hydra009]

Still, I'd imagine that stopping the race early because of a serious injury/death wouldn't do wonders for profits, either.

[Ro3bert]

I'm a fucking prophet!

http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2014/8/15/robin-pemberton-nascar-incident-rule-change.html

And about damned time too.