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The Final Word at Richmond Belonged to Tony Stewart

Drama, that is what we were waiting for at Richmond on Saturday night. Drama and answers. We wanted to know if Chris Buescher would be close enough to David Ragan and 30th in the standings in order to be eligible for the chase? Could Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, and Jamie McMurray keep from being caught by Ryan Newman for those final Chase spots on points? Could anyone outside the Top 16 win and really tumble up the standings? We had to wait for the final two or three laps to get the answer to that last one. With 38 laps to go, Tony Stewart provided us with the definitive response to the first two.

Newman needed to make up ground, coming in 22 points behind McMurray. As it turned out, he would have had to win to be in considering how those he was chasing finished the night. However, he made a mistake along the way, and that was to run into his former boss and maybe former friend, two or three times. As Stewart swooped gently into a corner, Newman dived to the inside and knocked Smoke to the outside. Next turn, Newman came up and rubbed Stewart again. Oh-oh.

On the straight away, Stewart turned down in front of Newman, who might have been able to take defensive measures if not for Carl Edwards running into him as he slowed down. That caused the contact between Newman and Stewart to be much harder, and pretty much killed all three autos. But wait, that is not all. Others got caught up in the mess, with one of them being David Ragan. As Newman went up the track after the wreck, he wound up directly in front of Ragan, who was left in flames.

When asked later, Newman made some mention about somebody being bi-polar with enough info to Google to explain the mishaps a certain driver had been involved in, no doubt a guy who should retire, and a fellow who purposely drifted down in front of him. Stewart agreed with the latter observation, mentioned that in 10 weeks Newman would get his wish about his retirement and that he got to hit him two times more than anyone else would have gotten away with. By the way, one other guy caught up in the wreck was Brian Scott. Does anyone remember how Darlington went for him?

With that, Buescher, Elliott, and Dillon were in the Chase. As for a first-time season winner ruining the party for McMurray, Denny Hamlin gave us that answer in the end when he dominated two re-starts to walk off with this one, even as a hard charging Kyle Larson tried to be a factor. Kasey Kahne finished sixth on a day he needed to be number one.

Stewart is not leaving a kinder, gentler, passive version of his old self. He is his old self. Scott got dumped last week, Newman this time out. To be fair, he was slowly drifting in front of his old buddy and probably would have taken the brunt of the contact had Edwards not been there to accelerate things. Even if NASCAR got upset with their retiring former three-time champ, we know they refuse to dock points as they transfer to the Chase tally, and other than in the pocket book all they could do is suspend Stewart for a race or two and kill his championship hopes. That is not going to happen, and in this situation, it should not happen.

As for Newman’s comments, I understand that he was angry. However, he came mighty close with his comments to invoking the tragedy and the pending civil case regarding the death of Kevin Ward Jr. in a sprint car accident involving Stewart two years ago. I do not know what their relationship was after Newman was essentially dropped in favor of Kevin Harvick with Stewart-Haas racing, but it can not be very good today.

The Chase for the Championship begins in Chicago this Sunday, where the past five winners there are all current contenders for the title. Brad Keselowski has won twice, Hamlin won there a year ago, with Matt Kenseth and Stewart among the most recent winners.

What are the odds of Tony doing well at Chicago? Maybe that is a question that should be directed to Ryan Newman. Now, wouldn’t that be dramatic?

September 12, 2016
Hot 20 – Bowyer soon to become a free agent as MWR goes part-time in 2016

Hot news this week is headlined by the near-demise of Michael Waltrip Racing. The team has announced that it will not run full-time entries in 2016 and that Clint Bowyer will indeed be a free agent after this season. It has been a bit of a bumpy ride for the team that Mikey built, and Rob Kauffman paid for, and with the money man headed elsewhere, the writing was all over the wall. Kauffman is looking to buy into the Ganassi operation, but that deal is not done. Bowyer could wind up there, or wherever an opening appears between now and next season.

Danica Patrick has a new sponsor. With Go Daddy about to be Gone Daddy, Nature’s Bakery has decided that sponsoring the only woman in Sprint Cup is a great $20 million sponsorship opportunity. With just a single IndyCar win back in 2008 to go with her Budweiser Duel victory in 2013, she is not a great driver, but still a competent one with tons of drawing power. Plus, did you see her latest yoga video? I mean, I am a straight male and I fear the day I find something similar posted by Tony Stewart.

Stewart has had some tough times, with results no better than Patrick’s since he broke his leg driving on dirt in 2013. Then came the tragedy in upstate New York a year ago. The family of Kevin Ward Jr. filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Stewart on Friday. It alleges Stewart drove his car up the track, gunned his engine, causing the vehicle to slide and strike Ward with the rear-right tire. As a father of a couple of lads about Kevin’s age, I understand the family’s course of action. It was either Stewart’s fault or, as what came out of the criminal investigation, their son had enough marijuana in his system to impair his judgement and that in an act of bravado he approached Stewart’s car on foot and simply got too close and was struck. As a parent, what would you want to believe?

The action will be hot on Saturday night at Bristol, one of NASCAR’s fan favorite venues. There should be enough action to satisfy a television viewer who simply finds their way to the telecast, along with those who know what it all means for Kyle Busch, Bowyer, Aric Almirola, Kasey Kahne, and those behind them in the standings.

Our Hot 20 heading into Bristol include…

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS
You know your focus is off when you can’t even remember where your pit stall is.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS
Second in the standings, yet battling Cole Whitt for his playoff position.

3. MATT KENSETH – 3 WINS
Owned Michigan, has a down payment on Bristol.

4. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS
Only three times he has missed finishing in the Top Ten…including Bristol in the springtime.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 2 WINS
Winner at the Brickyard and the Glen…you know, races one might actually remember.

6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS
Man, he feels like a woman. Really. I heard him say so. You can’t make something like this up.

7. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS
Sure, his brother has more wins, but when it comes to points, baby, Kurt rules!

8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN
Finished third and is still frustrated. I wonder if he has ever met Timmy Hill?

9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN
He and Joey no doubt would like their splitters back, splitters back.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN
Kyle and Matt and…what are the names of their two teammates again?

11. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN
Figures he has the car to beat at Bristol. Forty-two other drivers will attempt to prove him right.

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 663 POINTS
70 points up on Almirola, 47 ahead of Bowyer. McMurray remains good to go this Saturday.

13. PAUL MENARD – 654 POINTS
Along with Junior, loses 15 minutes of practice time this weekend due to inspection issues.

14. RYAN NEWMAN – 649 POINTS
Having an actress of the same name is confusing. I do not believe he is dating Jack Griffo.

15. JEFF GORDON – 648 POINTS
When they say “pull those belts tight, boys”, his boys tend to argue for a bit of slack.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 616 POINTS
NASCAR’s own bubble boy.

17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 593 POINTS
It would be a real shame if Clint has another bad day. Yes, it sure would be. Just ask Aric.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 590 POINTS
Now, if both Clint and Aric had bad days this Saturday night…

19. GREG BIFFLE – 553 POINTS
Three races in just over two weeks and he has to win one of them.

20. KYLE LARSON – 548 POINTS
Has done well in the few he has raced at Bristol. Now he needs to be great.

August 19, 2015
Family of Sprint Car Driver Sues NASCAR’s Tony Stewart for Wrongful Death

New York lawsuit says Stewart acted negligently, recklessly in Kevin Ward’s death

LOWVILLE, New York – Attorneys representing the family of deceased sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against NASCAR driver Tony Stewart, who ran over and killed Mr. Ward during a sprint car race at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park on Aug. 9, 2014.

Mr. Stewart is the only named defendant in the lawsuit filed Friday in the 5th Judicial District for the Supreme Court of the State of New York in Lowville. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Mr. Ward’s parents, Kevin and Pamela, who are represented by acclaimed trial lawyer Mark Lanier of The Lanier Law Firm and fellow firm attorneys Judson Waltman of Houston and Richard D. “Rick” Meadow and Evan Janush of New York.

“Our son was truly the light of our lives and we miss him terribly every day,” Mr. and Mrs. Ward said in a statement. “Our hope is that this lawsuit will hold Tony Stewart responsible for killing our son and show him there are real consequences when someone recklessly takes another person’s life.”

Mr. Ward, 20, was killed during the Empire Super Sprint Series at the dirt track course in upstate New York. On lap 14 of the 25-lap race, Mr. Stewart ran Mr. Ward’s car into a wall, causing race officials to issue a yellow caution warning so other drivers could slow down as required by the race rules. Six competing drivers slowed as they passed Mr. Ward while driving on the lower side of the track. Witness descriptions and video of the fatal incident show Mr. Ward exiting his vehicle on the high side of the track and gesturing at Mr. Stewart as he approached. According to witnesses, Mr. Stewart then gunned his accelerator and ran over Mr. Ward, who was pronounced dead shortly afterward at a local hospital.

The lawsuit includes claims that Mr. Stewart wrongfully caused Mr. Ward’s death by acting with wanton, reckless and malicious intent and negligence. The suit says Mr. Steward also caused Mr. Ward to experience extreme terror, pain and suffering. Mr. Ward’s family has requested a jury trial. The case is Kevin A. Ward Sr., et al. v. Anthony Wayne Stewart, No. CA-2015-000280.

“Kevin Ward would be alive today if not for the reckless and dangerous actions of Tony Stewart, who eventually will have to answer for what he did,” says Mr. Lanier. “The past year has been extremely difficult for Kevin’s mother and father, and they’re still trying to cope with their unimaginable loss.”

Neither the Ward family nor their attorneys plan on issuing further comment.

**The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.**

August 7, 2015
Hot 20 – Preparing For Pocono, May They Remember to Just Stay in The Damn Car

Stay in your damn car. Jennifer Jo Cobb did not during Friday’s truck race, leaving the confines of the cab to direct a little displeasure after being wrecked. On Sunday, Trevor Bayne got wrecked and headed onto to the apron to voice his displeasure. According to NASCAR rules brought in last August, unless there is smoke or fire in the cockpit, stay in the damn car until the emergency crew arrives.

I love watching drivers venting steam, challenging those who they believe have done them wrong. Sometimes it is downright amusing, especially if the driver is much smaller than the focus of their displeasure. However, life is not a cartoon. Sometimes what might be funny can become terribly tragic in the blink of an eye.

August 9, 2014. After that date, on a dirt track in New York, with the death of 20-year old Kevin Ward Jr., we learned a very valuable yet costly lesson. Please just stay in the damn car.

Here are our Hot 20 as they take to the track at Pocono on Sunday…

1. Jimmie Johnson – 4 WINS (440 Pts)
Whenever Johnson fails to win at Dover, Miles the Monster gets a Jimmie Johnson trophy.

2. Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS (516 Pts)
Tony just called. He wants his damn car back…and pit crew…and crew chief..and lucky penny.

3. Joey Logano – 1 WIN (440 Pts)
A big believer in Loudon. Unless it is a songwriter named Wainwright, I’m not with him.

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 1 WIN (432 Pts)
Never won at Pocono until last year. Now looking for his third straight.

5. Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN (414 Pts)
Giving a rival crewman a ride is fine after the race, just not during the race.

6. Matt Kenseth – 1 WIN (377 Pts)
As he prepares for Pocono, his boy Ross makes his XFINITY debut later this month.

7. Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN (345 Pts)
Bowyer’s Toyota was going places, causing Hamlin’s Toyota to go to a bad place.

8. Kurt Busch – 1 WIN (340 Pts)
On the track, he makes Gene’s gambit look pretty good.

9. Carl Edwards – 1 WIN (338 Pts)
A drag race is not what one does to a crew member in leaving the pits.

10. Martin Truex, Jr. – 472 POINTS
A 140-point bulge means winning is not everything…but it sure would be nice.

11. Jamie McMurray – 390 POINTS
Miles needs a desperate facelift. After what happened to him last year, Jamie would agree.

12. Kasey Kahne – 385 POINTS
The second best Hendrick driver at Dover? It sure in hell was not Earnhardt or Gordon.

13. Jeff Gordon – 380 POINTS
Then again, a Top Ten is not bad for an old guy…with four titles…and 92 career wins.

14. Aric Almirola – 378 POINTS
Solidly in the hunt, solidly a Top Five guy last weekend at Dover.

15. Paul Menard – 372 POINTS
If no one outside the Top 16 in points wins, he is fine. If not, he will need one of his own.

16. Ryan Newman – 369 POINTS
What goes for Menard also goes for Newman.

17. Clint Bowyer – 332 POINTS
Chasing is fine, but a win is his best bet to make the playoffs.

18. Danica Patrick – 321 POINTS
The Danica-Line used to be 25th. While not yet Chase worthy, it marks a definite improvement.

19. Greg Biffle – 311 POINTS
What’s Buggin’ Biffle? Nothing that a win would not cure.

20. Kyle Larson – 297 POINTS
At 22, elected to sit at the big boy table as a driver rep in chat with NASCAR.

June 3, 2015
Hot 20 – After Dover, it is Over for Four Contenders

According to the Chase, a couple of Penske drivers lead the way in the standings with Sunday’s race at Dover to determine the dozen who advance to the next round. According to our season long standings, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano certainly are worthy of consideration. Penske thinks so, as Logano this week signed a contract extension that should keep the team mates together for some time.

Of course, consideration should also be extended to Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. for their season efforts. In fact, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick are not too far out of the conversation just yet, either, and odds are all will also advance to the next stage of the “playoffs.” The cream continues to rise to the top.

Whatever they do next year, it will be without benefit of private testing sessions. If NASCAR or Goodyear is not testing, then nobody is. In fact, getting caught doing so will result in the harshest penalties NASCAR can hand out. A minimum of a $150,000 fine, 150 points, a six week vacation for the crew chief kind of harshness. The annual three day test at Daytona to clear out the cobwebs is also gone. You get the feeling that they are serious about this.

The reasoning behind it is to reduce costs to teams, and few seem to disagree. It is expected to be a boost for the lesser funded operations. Reduced horsepower and reduced spoilers are also slated for next season in the hopes it creates less down force and thus, more passing opportunities. Anything that makes the action better is more than welcome.

Welcome news that Jamie Little is bound for FOX after the ESPN boat finally sinks. There is nothing wrong with the pit reporters on that network, but their analysts and hosts are a disaster. To borrow the line from Dennis Miller, “…of course, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.” Sorry, I just made myself laugh there.

It is rather enjoyable to have a column such as this. It is merely a fan’s view, my honest observations. It is true that I do not enjoy seeing Logano, Denny Hamlin, or Brian Vickers win. That does not mean they are not lovely gentlemen. I bet if I shared a beer with any of them my perspective could probably change. I honestly do not enjoy the ESPN broadcasts, I think they do a disservice to the sport, but I also doubt my comments are going to cause anyone to fire Rusty Wallace tomorrow. You can agree or disagree, and we can have some fun in doing so. Sometimes, though, real life does jump out and bite us.

I am glad to hear the criminal case against Tony Stewart has ended with the grand jury decision not to proceed. I am sad to hear that the family of Kevin Ward Jr. do not accept the verdict. They firmly believe Stewart intentionally accelerated his vehicle in a bid to intimidate the younger driver and in doing so, struck and killed him.

“This matter is not at rest and we will pursue all remedies in fairness to Kevin.” As a father of sons not much younger than Kevin, I understand the sentiment. If Stewart’s actions did not kill their son, the actions of their son are what got him killed. No father would want to accept that. I sure would not. I do not know if I ever could.

The top nine of our Hot 20 remain in the Chase, and should be there after this Sunday’s action. From Kasey Kahne on back, that is another story. As for who to expect to be among the contenders on Sunday, I think Kyle Larson will continue to show why he is the best newcomer this season. It think we also should have an idea how Johnson will do in his bid for seven, considering he is a nine time Dover winner.

As for a bold prediction, based on past history, expect Kurt Busch, Hamlin, Aric Almirola, and A.J. Allmendinger to miss the Chase, and Greg Biffle to race his way to another set of downs.

Hot 20

*Winning bonus expanded from 3 to 25 points
1 – Jeff Gordon – 3 Wins – 1041 Points
2 – Brad Keselowski – 5 – 1025
3 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 3 – 1017
4 – Joey Logano – 4 – 1004
5 – Jimmie Johnson – 3 – 939
6 – Kevin Harvick – 2 – 916
7 – Carl Edwards – 2 – 872
8 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 854
9 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 837
10 – Kyle Larson – 0 – 821
11 – Kasey Kahne – 1 – 809
12 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 802
13 – Kyle Busch – 1 – 783
14 – Jamie McMurray – 0 – 782
15 – Clint Bowyer – 0 – 781
16 – Austin Dillon – 0 – 759
17 – Paul Menard – 0 – 753
18 – Denny Hamlin – 1 – 727
19 – Kurt Busch – 1 – 717
20 – Brian Vickers – 0 – 701

September 25, 2014
Tony Stewart Cleared of Charges by Grand Jury

The Ontario County Grand Jury met this week and determined that no charges would be brought against Tony Stewart regarding the death of Kevin Ward Jr.

Ward lost his life when he was struck by Stewart’s car during a sprint car race at Canadaigua Motorsports Park on August 9.

Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo announced the findings in a press conference Wednesday afternoon and began by reading the following statement.

“The grand jury has today completed its investigation,” he said. “During the course of the grand jury presentation, approximately two dozen witnesses testified. These included a number of race car drivers, racetrack employees and volunteers, two accident reconstructionists, medical personnel and a number of police officers. In addition, the grand jury reviewed a number of photographs and video recordings as well as other documentary evidence. After listening to and questioning all of the witnesses and reviewing all of the evidence, the grand jury has determined there is no basis to charge Tony Stewart with any crimes. This case was therefore no-billed by the grand jury.”

Tantillo further stated that, “The charges that were submitted to the grand jury for consideration were manslaughter in the second degree and criminally negligent homicide. In New York State, it takes 12 or more grand jurors to return those charges. So while I can’t tell you what their votes were, obviously you can deduce the fact there were not 12 votes for either charge.”

He also revealed that toxicology reports indicated that “at the time of operation, he (Ward) was under the influence of marijuana and that the levels “were enough to impair judgment.”

Another significant facet of the investigation that was presented to the grand jury centered on the two videos that were examined, one of which was posted on YouTube shortly after the accident.

“Those videos were examined in detail. They were enhanced. They were run through programs that allowed the frames to be isolated. They were run at 75%, 50% and 25% speed,” the DA explained. “They were overlaid with grids and data, and they were an important piece of the evidence considered here. The videos did not demonstrate any aberrational driving by Tony Stewart until the point of impact with Kevin Ward, at which point his vehicle veered to the right up the track as a result of the collision. Prior to that, his course was pretty straight.”

Stewart issued a statement saying, “This has been the toughest and most emotional experience of my life, and it will stay with me forever. I’m very grateful for all the support I’ve received and continue to receive.”

“I respect everything the District Attorney and Sheriff’s Office did to thoroughly investigate this tragic accident. While the process was long and emotionally difficult, it allowed for all the facts of the accident to be identified and known.

“While much of the attention has been on me, it’s important to remember a young man lost his life. Kevin Ward Jr.’s family and friends will always be in my thoughts and prayers.”

Brett Jewkes, NASCAR Chief Communications Officer, said of the decision, “There are no winners in tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Kevin Ward Jr. family and Tony Stewart as they as they all cope with this tragic incident at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. This has been a difficult time for everyone involved and we have respected the local authorities responsible for reviewing this case.”

District Attorney Tantillo spoke to Ward’s family and acknowledged that Mr. Ward “was probably disappointed by the outcome, but he was very appreciative of the work that the Ontario County Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s office had put into the case.”

September 24, 2014
Hot 20 – Could the Best at Loudon and Dover be a Non-Chaser?

New Hampshire is the next stop on the Chase tour, and if anyone needs to rewrite expectations it would be Aric Almirola and AJ Allmendinger. Both have not done well at Loudon in the past, though Almirola was fifth in the race 15 months ago and the Dinger has one Top Ten. Still, both average beyond 20th there and after the results in Chicago came in they find their title hopes down to fumes. Yet, it is nothing that an unexpected win would not cure.

Neither are among our Hot 20, based on the season to date. Brad Keselowski is, with back to back wins giving him five on the season. However, he is not the hottest based on this system of providing a 25 point bonus for a win. That remains Jeff Gordon, who despite having two fewer trips to Victory Lane, does have an average finish advantage of 9.7 to 13 over Keselowski in 27 races. Wins are big, especially in how we tabulate these standings, but being consistent also has its rewards. The difference is that Keselowski has finished outside the Top Twenty seven times this campaign, Gordon only three.

Something tells me Brad is not too concerned, with last weekend’s win locking him into a Chase spot for the next five events. However, it is still too early to hand him the trophy just yet. No matter what he does at Loudon and Dover, Keselowski will have the same 3000 points as the other 11 gents left in the Chase when they move on to Kansas.

Marcos Ambrose missed the Chase, and next year we will miss him as he returns to his native Australia. He is a fun guy with talent, especially when left hand turns lead to more to the right. Ambrose has a couple of Cup wins in 218 starts, both coming at Watkins Glen, and leaves to raise his family back on their native soil.

Nothing is more important than family. The Ward family lost their young son Kevin in an accident involving Tony Stewart, a case that will go to a grand jury to determine if the case should proceed to trial. While what video evidence I have seen leads me to believe this was a tragic accident Stewart was not responsible for, I was not there nor do I have knowledge of all the facts. A family lost their young son that day, and they deserve a thorough, transparent review of what took place. I pray for justice for all involved.

Sixteen drivers remain involved in the Chase, but do not expect much to change in the standings between now and the conclusion at Dover. Based on their track records, both Almirola and Allmendinger are done, with Greg Biffle in a fight for survival. I would expect over the next couple of weeks to see Jimmie Johnson absolutely shine. I would expect, based on past results, strong efforts from Gordon, Carl Edwards, Keselowski, and Matt Kenseth, with Ryan Newman coming on strong to beat out Kasey Kahne for the final spot to the next round. Of course, depending on who wins these races, all my speculation could wind up all out the window.

There is a reason why non-Chaser Kyle Larson is among our Hot 20. Based on results from earlier this season, expect him to be the star on these tracks once again this weekend and next.

BOLD = Current Chasers

*Points awarded as during the regular season, except the winning bonus is 25 rather than 3 points.

Hot 20
1 – Jeff Gordon – 3 Wins – 1023 Points
2 – Brad Keselowski – 5 – 987
3 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 3 – 982
4 – Joey Logano – 3 – 935
5 – Jimmie Johnson – 3 – 900
6 – Kevin Harvick – 2 – 873
7 – Carl Edwards – 2 – 845
8 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 831
9 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 811
10 – Kasey Kahne – 1 – 788
11 – Kyle Larson – 0 – 779
12 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 774
13 – Clint Bowyer – 0 – 764
14 – Kyle Busch – 1 – 747
15 – Jamie McMurray – 0 – 742
16 – Austin Dillon – 0 – 726
17 – Paul Menard – 0 – 724
18 – Denny Hamlin – 1 – 719
19 – Kurt Busch – 1 – 709
20 – Brian Vickers – 0 – 701

September 18, 2014
District Attorney Will Present Tony Stewart/Kevin Ward Case to Grand Jury

Tuesday afternoon Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo announced that the evidence gathered from the investigation into the fatal crash of Kevin Ward Jr. in which Tony Stewart was involved, will be submitted to a grand jury.

Kevin Ward Jr. was fatally injured in a crash that took place on August 9 at Canandaigua Motorsports Park during a sprint car race. The accident occurred after an on-track incident between Ward and Stewart after which Ward climbed from his car, walked onto the track to confront Stewart and was struck by Stewart’s car.

It will be the responsibility of the grand jury to determine what action will be taken concerning the case.

The complete statement is below:

“Over the past several weeks I have reviewed with members of the Ontario County Sheriff’s Department their investigation, as it progressed, in the Tony Stewart matter. Recently that office concluded its work and forwarded the complete case file to me. Upon my review of all of the information contained in the entire investigation, I have made the determination that it would be appropriate to submit the evidence to a grand jury, for their determination as to what action should be taken in this matter. Accordingly, the evidence developed in the investigation will be presented to an Ontario County grand jury in the near future.

“As grand jury proceedings in New York State are strictly confidential by law, I am unable to state when the matter will be scheduled, other than to state that I intend to present the matter in the near future. Similarly, because of the confidential nature of these proceedings, I cannot state who will be called as witnesses, or what any witness’s expected testimony will be. When the presentation has been completed and a determination has been made, I will advise the public and the media at that time of the results.”

Stewart-Haas Racing confirmed that Stewart would race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire this weekend.

Tony Stewart also issued a statement saying, “I respect the time and effort spent by both the Ontario County District Attorney and the Sheriff’s Office in investigating this tragic accident. I look forward to this process being completed, and I will continue to provide my full cooperation.”

NASCAR Chief Communications Officer Brett Jewkes responded to the announcement from the DA’s office stating, “We are aware of the completed investigation and the announced next steps. First, our thoughts continue to be with all who have been impacted by this tragedy. We will monitor this process and stay in close contact with Stewart-Haas Racing. It would be inappropriate for NASCAR to comment on this case so we will continue to respect the process and authorities involved.”

September 16, 2014
Investigation into Death of Kevin Ward Jr. Complete

The Ontario County Office of Sheriff released a statement Thursday stating that its investigation into the death of Kevin A. Ward Jr. is complete. The investigation began after the fatal crash that took place on August 9 at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in upstate New York during a sprint car race. Following an on-track incident between Ward and Tony Stewart, Ward climbed from his car, walked onto the track to confront Stewart and was struck by his car.

The results of the investigation have been submitted to the district attorney’s office. They will review the findings and are expected to make a statement next week “advising what action will be taken regarding the investigation.”

The complete statement:

Final Press Release from Ontario County Sheriff Regarding the Death of Kevin A. Ward Jr.

The Ontario County Office of Sheriff has completed its’ investigation into the death of Kevin A. Ward, Jr., which occurred August 9, 2014, at the Canandaigua, New York, Motorsports Park. The entire thorough investigation, including a forensic video enhancement recently received from the New York State Police Laboratory in Albany, has been submitted to the Office of the Ontario County District Attorney for review. The District Attorney’s Office, which has been meeting throughout the investigative process with members of the Sheriff’s Office, will make a statement late next week advising what action will be taken regarding the investigation.

Philip C. Povero, Sheriff
Ontario County, New York

*Please note that comments will not be accepted for this post.

September 11, 2014
Stewart Issues Public Statement, Cleared by NASCAR to Race

A subdued Tony Stewart addressed the media at Atlanta Motor Speedway Friday for the first time since the fatal accident that claimed the life of Kevin Ward Jr. His voice reflected the emotional toll that the events of August 9 have had upon him.

He began by saying, “This has been one of the toughest tragedies I’ve ever had to deal with both professionally and personally. This is something that will definitely affect my life forever. This is a sadness and a pain that I hope no one ever has to experience in their life.

His next thoughts were for the Ward family and the stark realization that his pain is miniscule when compared to the sorrow of the Ward family.

“With that being said,” he continued, “I know that the pain and the mourning that Kevin Ward’s family and friends are experiencing is something that I can’t possibly imagine. I want Kevin’s father, Kevin Sr., and his mother Pam, and his sisters Christi, Kayla, Katelyn, to know that every day I’m thinking about them and praying for them.”

Stewart also took the time to thank his friends and family as well as the NASCAR community for their support.

“I want to thank all my friends and family for their support through this tough emotional time, and the support from the NASCAR community, my partners, all of our employees, it’s been overwhelming,” he said. “I’ve taken the last couple weeks off out of respect for Kevin and his family and also to cope with the accident in my own way. It’s given me the time to think about life and how easy it is to take it for granted.”

Although Stewart did not answer any questions because of the ongoing police investigation, he did say that, “There will be a day when I can sit here and answer the questions.”

Brett Frood, executive vice president of Stewart-Haas Racing, answered a few questions after Stewart’s statement and said that the decision to race was “100 percent Tony’s.” He spoke to Stewart’s mental state explaining that “being in the racecar right now is about him getting through what has been a very emotional two weeks, what his next step is in coping with this. There’s been a great deal of empathy and sympathy for that family and what they’re going through. For Tony, it’s just been extremely emotional. This is what is going to help him.

Frood went on to say that “Tony is ready to be in the racecar. He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t.”

The video of Stewart’s full statement can be viewed on nascar.com. http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2014/8/29/tony-stewart-statement-atlanta.html

NASCAR president Mike Helton spoke to the media at 2 p.m. ET to reiterate that Stewart had been cleared to race. He also announced that Stewart has been granted a waiver (after missing three races) that will allow him to participate in the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, if Stewart can earn a spot by winning one of the next two Sprint Cup races.

Helton did not offer any specifics on the process of clearing Stewart to drive but said, “I refer back to Steve O’Donnell’s release yesterday or statement on behalf of NASCAR that, as you know very clearly by now, we have cleared Tony to return as part of the normal process when a driver has been absent from participating.”

He then addressed the issue of Stewart’s eligibility to participate in the Sprint Cup Playoffs, stating, “As you can imagine, once Tony was cleared to return and he decided to come back, the question goes to his possible eligibility in the Chase. I’ll remind everybody back earlier this year when we announced the format for the ’14 Chase, that announcement included some responsibility about the routine participation in the season in order to be eligible in the Chase.”

“Along with that importance of routine participation also came the asterisk, so to speak, about, except in rare instances,” he continued. “This has been a very unique set of circumstances to Tony and to our sport. As the league, it’s our responsibility to try to make decisions that are correct and right. Sometimes we evaluate circumstances that are given us and then make those decisions as correctly as we can.”

Helton concluded by saying that, “This was a very challenging, a very unique situation. I think the earlier press conference with Tony’s statement that he read was evidence of how overwhelming these set of circumstances have been. I think particularly those of us that follow this sport every weekend know that driver’s healing processes are unique, but they are racecar drivers, and a lot of times getting back in a racecar is something they shoot to do as quickly as they can.”

August 29, 2014