Everyone feels terrible about what happened to Kevin Ward, Jr. last Saturday night. I always hate to see anyone, racer or spectator, hurt or killed during a race.
There is so much pressure in NASCAR racing for performance, to try to find sponsorship and to have the fans like each driver. That pressure takes a lot of the pleasure and enjoyment out of racing. But through it all a racer is relaxing when he’s racing because he loves what he is doing. That’s where he wants to be. That’s what these Sprint Car racers want, to have the fun with no pressure and Tony had no motive, what so ever, to hurt anybody. We all are passionate about what we do but none of us wants to hurt anyone, certainly not kill anyone! Tony was just there to have fun. What happened was tragic but as far as that being intentional, there is no possible way. I’ve never driven a Sprint Car but I spoke to a Sprint Car driver this morning about this. If you watch the video, Tony’s right rear tire barely clipped Ward’s left front. A Sprint Car runs 8 to 12 pounds of air in the right rear tire and I’d be willing to bet Tony didn’t even know he touched that guy. He probably just thought he was hitting the cushion. Kevin was out above the cushion. He couldn’t have exited the corner anyway even if Tony’s car hadn’t hit him. Tony probably thought he was clear.
Sprint cars don’t have radios, mirrors or spotters. And there’s that big wing that hangs all the way down on the right side. You can’t see through the right side of the car. And the right rear tire is 10 to 12 inches bigger than the left rear tire. If you mash the throttle at all the rear end of the car is going to go to the right. That’s the reason when they go through the corner turning left the steering wheel is turning to the right. That’s because the rear tires are driving the car. And when your driving around during a caution, with the wing you can’t see even in front of you.
If you notice in the video, it’s a dimly lit race track, it was dark and Ward’s suit was black. The blue and white car ahead of Tony almost hit him, then he came down the track before Tony’s wheel caught him. It is just asinine for anyone to think Tony would do anything like this on purpose. I, personally, was fined for throwing the HANS Device at Ashton Lewis at Memphis. And Tony got in trouble for throwing his helmet. Robby Gordon got in trouble for throwing his helmet and Dale Jarrett has thrown his helmet but they were on the inside edge of a well lit race track and showed their displeasure there, not out in the middle of traffic especially on the right hand side of the race car.
Tony was on pitroad but he was over close to the wall when he threw his helmet at Kennseth. That was a different deal. That affected points, championship, money and sponsors but that wasn’t the case last Saturday night. Tony was there to have fun and relax, definitely not to hurt anyone. If that kid had approached Tony after the race, Tony would probably have helped him fix the car. He would have helped the kid in someway.
Tony has helped so many people. He helps people who helped him get to where he is He doesn’t have to announce that. He doesn’t have to put it on Twitter or on the news. He does it because he wants to help these people. He helps them from the heart and not for the publicity he would get. Yes, as drivers we all are tough and we have to carry some of that with us at all times but most everyone there has big hearts. To me when you help people and don’t make a spectacle of it, that means you have a big heart. I know racers Tony helps to this day because of what they have done for this sport. Tony appreciates that because it helped him get his opportunity, so someone with this kind of mind set is not going to go out there to intentionally hurt some 20 year old kid. To think anything like that is ridiculous. These people are quick to make these judgement calls and they’ve never even sat in a stock car, which is hard enough to see out of . And on a dark Saturday night with a dimly lit track those Sprint cars are much harder to see out of.
I have almost hit emergency vehicles, people cleaning up the race track and not even know they were there. I’ve had some serious wrecks because of being so close to someone that I couldn’t see ahead and then they moved and there it was. This was not intentional. The front of Tony’s car never went towards that kid and the right rear tire sticks out 2 feet past the car. That’s what people don’t realize.
Tony has given his life to this sport. He has faced serious difficulties and adversities, suffered some serious injuries and most people would have quit, been done with racing. I’m sure he has helped plenty of short tracks with track promotions and made attendance stronger. A super star racer would not do something like some people are suggesting.
This was a terrible, tragic accident. I can’t imagine how Ward’s family feels or how Tony feels. He didn’t race Sunday and I know he has raced when he was sick, injured and held back tears when he was in pain. That tells you how much this weighs on him. It was the right thing to do. He has to live with this now but he knows it was a horrible accident. As a racer you just don’t expect someone to be standing on the race track, especially up above the middle of the track. It just makes me sick to think some people would think this was something else. And as a driver it makes me wonder if it’s worth trying to put on a show to entertain people.
To me these news people and reporters are out to get a story, the biggest story and it doesn’t matter at who’s expense. I know we’ve all done things we wish we hadn’t but there is not a doubt in my mind that any of us drivers would not hesitate to stop and help get someone out of a burning car or to help anyone in any way we could. Again this was a horrible accident. I’ve seen Tony do everything he could to keep from getting in to someone who was in his way. I, personally, might have moved them out of my way. Just don’t beat this guy up who’s done so much for so many people and given his life to racing. The new drivers need to realize they have a lot to learn from drivers like Tony.
