When I woke up this morning, I had no intention of writing a piece about auto racing and there’s a huge part of me that clearly sees the hypocrisy of even attempting such an exercise. 

I don’t like auto racing. I don’t know crap about open wheel racing, restrictor plate racing or Grand Prix events. I won’t watch NASCAR, Indy, Nationwide or Formula One. For a person who does not discriminate in my love of sports, I would rather watch a marathon of Lifetime Television, about emotionally-troubled bulimic women, than watch ten minutes of auto racing. 

But I find the personalities that make up auto racing completely engrossing. NASCAR is populated with a slew of drivers, crew chiefs and owners who are a rich source material for magazine articles, documentaries and reality television. What I find fascinating about auto racing is the characters that will abandon all thoughts of personal safety, for an adrenalizing rollercoaster ride, and the spoils that come with victory. The lucrative sponsorship deals, the interviews on ESPN, and the deluge of young and attractive women looking to spend an evening with the latest young gun on the track. 

Tony Stewart, 43, is the racer in the black hat. He is an intimidator. That has been the narrative, and that will not change after the events of Saturday night. 

Tony Stewart’s sprint car drove into fellow racer, Kevin Ward, Jr. Ward was 20. He was young, inexperienced and a competitor. Stewart wrecked Ward’s sprint car at a race in Canandaigua (NY) Motorsports Park. Visibly incensed, Ward climbed out of his car and then made his way down through race traffic to challenge Stewart’s oncoming car. In the dark of an upstate New York night, Ward’s life was ended by Stewart’s sprint car traveling approximately 35 mph on a dirt track.

Game over. There is no replay review needed. Can’t call a time out or ask for a do-over. Kevin Ward, Jr.’s life is snuffed out in the blink of an eye. 

Blame Tony Stewart. I don’t know.  

Blame Kevin Ward, Jr. I don’t know. Youth can make us lose sight of what is safe and prudent. The kid was competing, and there was no way he was going to let Mr. NASCAR drill him into a wall and not let Mr. NASCAR hear about it. The kid showed some balls and a lot of fight. As a society, we laud those traits in our sons and daughters, but was this simply the act of reckless youth immune to the inherent dangers that surrounded him on a dark, dirt track?

There are no simple answers. Auto racing is a dangerous game practiced by people with outsized ambitions and an apparent lack of fear. Tony Stewart’s love of racing – at all levels – will come under serious scrutiny. Stewart may decide he has enough of competing in the minors of racing and stay with the big boys of NASCAR. 

Will fans leave Tony Stewart or NASCAR because of Saturday night’s avoidable tragedy? Probably not. Auto racing fans understand that death is part of the gig. When a driver gets strapped in, he or she is quite aware that they are putting their life on the line. Crashes sell. NASCAR knows that. 

I’m more interested in what comes out of this. Will Stewart be vilified and made a pariah? Will the racing community politely refuse to acknowledge the recklessness of Kevin Ward, Jr.’s actions? 

This isn’t a sport for the faint of heart. One lapse of concentration or judgment, and tragedy can’t be so easily averted. Tony Stewart is going to have to wade through a crucible of suffering and introspection that could ruin his life and career; but more importantly, a young man’s life was lost.

Sprint Car Racing