Tony Stewart Pulls Out of Race After Fatal Accident

Race car driver Tony Stewart’s involvement in the death of driver Kevin Ward Jr. caused him to pull out of Sunday night’s race.

Stewart was competing at the Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Saturday night when he bumped Ward’s car. It was a minor collision, up until Ward got out of his car to confront Stewart.

By that time, Stewart had come around the track again and Ward was right in his path. He hit Ward and sent him flying. In the video prior to the accident, Ward can be seen gesturing at the cars as he walked, and narrowly avoiding being hit by another car before he was fatally hit.

The police were called after the accident and it does not appear any criminal charges are pending. They have not ruled it out pending further investigation, but have stated that the weather, the black suit Ward was wearing and Ward’s actions played significant factors in the accident.

Stewart has released this statement;

“There aren’t words to describe the sadness I feel about the accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. It’s a very emotional time for all involved, and it is the reason I’ve decided not to participate in today’s race at WGI. My thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and everyone affected by this tragedy.”

Media outlets who have spoken with Stewart have stated he’s visibly shaken by the accident. [more…]