HARTFORD--- NASCAR Sprint Cup driver withdrew from the Cheez-It 355 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday in Watkins Glen, N.Y. after being involved in a sprint car incident during an Empire Super Sprint race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park, a dirt track about an hour-and-a-half drive from the road course at Watkins Glen.
The Canandaigua incident resulted in the death of fellow driver Kevin Ward Jr.
“A tragic accident took place last night during a sprint car race in which Tony Stewart was participating,” public relations representative Mike Arning said. “Tony was unhurt, but a fellow-competitor lost his life. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.”
Stewart issued this statement regarding the tragedy:
Amateur video captures when Tony Stewart's car collided with Kevin Ward Jr.'s race-car causing it to spin-out into the outside wall of turn two at Saturday's super spring feature race in upstate New York.
Ward climbed out of his car, apparently looking for Stewart as he angrily crossed the track.
One car swerves before nearly hitting him, but Seconds later--- Tony Stewart's car hit the 20-year-old driver and killed him.
"Tony had nowhere to go, the guy was down the track, instead of walking down the side of the track towards the vehicle ike they do when they get hot-headed," said Dawn Miller of Rocky Hill.
Fans Chicago's Sam's sports bar in Cromwell Sunday say they stand behind Tony Stewart despite what happened on Saturday.
Many were on-hand to watch the Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen, a race run without Stewart.
"Even though I do like tony, I do agree with him not racing today," said Les Miller of Rocky Hill.
"We`ll never know what was going through Tony`s head whether he was trying to scare him a little bit--- maybe went to rev the motor and the backside of the car kicked out, it`s hard to tell," said Shawn Courchesense,
Courchsense is the editor of a racing website which covers the sport in Connecticut.
He says this deadly accident should serve as a wake-up call to short track racers and track operators. Many similar short-track races happen at tracks in Connecticut, such as Waterford Speedbowl, Stafford Speedway and Thompson Speedway.
"You probably see every other week an incident where somebody gets out of their car and they go after another guy while that guy is still driving around the track," Coirchsense said.
It remains to be seen whether short-track racing operators and NASCAR officials will take steps to ban or limit driver's ability to exit their cars during a race.
One fan says it's something that needs to happen.
"I don`t think there going to let the drivers come out of the cars anymore when they wreck, they're going to have to stay in their cars," said Les Miller.
The New York County sheriff's office said there was no evidence at this time that would cause it to file criminal charges against Stewart.
