Father of fallen driver lashes out at NASCAR racer Stewart.
The headline above is from http://www.momomotorsport.com and the link is above so you can read the story. Below is my commentary. I invite your comments.
I have to say this is very sad. A young racer lost his life and a veteran driver will forever have to live with that incident. There is no judgement here as I’m able to know what actually transpired other than what a couple of video clips may or may not show.
Moving forward, I think racing organizations should take a look at two aspects of racing – the pit maneuver (the bump) and the conduct while on the racing surface (track and pit row). Suspension and banning maybe appropriate when a driver intentionally bumps another and/or a driver leaves his car after an accident and approaches cars in motion either on the track or pit row. (For example.. throwing your helmet at a moving car!!)
I understand the intensity of the moment. As a police officer and a racer I’ve felt the same type of emotions under specific conditions. i
If you lack the internal tools to be able to avoid a physical confrontation, then yourself grab a camera crew (so the world can see you defend your honor – or lack of it) and take it back into the pits or the winners circle and punch it out there!!
Intentionally hitting another car or otherwise needless endangeringyourself and other drivers or track crew, should get you banned…someone will come along and fill the void….there are lots of hungry drivers out there.
Racing organizations, racing teams and race track officials…get some backbone and stop this behavoir or pack it in!!!
Thanks for reading.
Tim
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) — NASCAR added a rule Friday ordering drivers to not approach the track or moving cars after accidents. The announcement comes less than a week after a driver was struck and killed during a dirt-track race in New York.
If a car is involved in an accident and can no longer keep going — and no extenuating circumstances exist such as smoke in the cockpit or fire — the driver should not loosen any personal safety equipment until directed to do so by safety personnel or a NASCAR or track official.
After being told to exit the car, the driver should proceed to an emergency vehicle or as otherwise directed.
“Really, we’re formalizing rules that have been there,” Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president of competition and racing development, said at Michigan International Speedway. “It’s reminders that take place during drivers meetings with drivers about on-track accidents. We’re just formalizing this and it’s something that we worked on this week.”
The rule takes effect immediately and applies to all of NASCAR’s series. Violations will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
NASCAR star Tony Stewart is skipping this weekend’s Sprint Cup race at MIS. Last Saturday, Stewart’s car hit and killed Kevin Ward Jr. at a sprint car event in Canandaigua, New York. After Stewart appeared to clip Ward’s car, sending it spinning, Ward left the car during the caution period, walked down the track and was hit by Stewart.
“Through time you have to recognize when you get a reminder or tap on the shoulder, something that may need to be addressed,” Pemberton said. “This is one of those times where we look outside our sport and we look at other things, and we feel like it was time to address this.”
Let me first say that ‘accidents happen’. Even I being a victim of a bike vs car accident due to some simple mistakes has not made me callous. It is just a fact of life that accidents happen.
Having said that, I am sure Stewart goosed the ‘loud pedal’ as he passed Ward to add some fuel to the flames as this is ‘expected’ in this kind of sport. There should be no criminal charges against Stewart.
If I were in Stewart’s shoes I’d make sure the family has his support without any legal mobo jumbo right now. It is the right thing to do.