Tony Stewart fatal dirt-track incident to be heard by grand jury

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

35. I believe that is exactly why the DA is convening the grand jury...

Last edited Wed Sep 17, 2014, 05:45 AM - Edit history (1)

... on this incident. It is hard for the uninitiated (to sprint car and dirt track racing) to understand what they see in the somewhat dark and long shot video(s) available. The #45 car (the driver is a former track champion at this particular track, so not a novice) nearly hit Mr. Ward, too.

Getting back to my first sentence, sprint cars are a mystery to most people who have not attended more than a few sprint car races and visited the pits afterwards. As has been mentioned, there is no transmission, only an in/out option. The fact that the cars suspensions are set up with camber, stagger and weight shifting (ie... no two corners of the sprint car will have the same spring rates in the torsion bars or coil over springs, and shock rebound rates). Hence, ideally you want the sprint car to go through the corners with minimal steering effort = they turn themselves. It is a fight between man and machine to get it to go straight where the track is straight, although power steering has helped many (insider joke) to do that.

Here is a pretty good explanation of the mechanics of sprint cars. Note: The right wing panel hanging down and partially blocking view to the right. This is from 1994 or so, and the wing panels are larger and more square now. http://www.chucko.com/racing/the-cars.html


So, that being said and generally known in the die hard sprint racing crowd but not so much elsewhere, the grand jury will allow these physical traits of sprint cars to be better explained. The information in full will be there (hopefully) and an accurate assessment by those concerned and those curious enough at this point can be made.

It is tragic when any life is lost. Especially when the life is such a young and full of vitality one, such as in this case. I have seen drivers killed racing these cars. One with a birds eye view from the press box as the accident occurred on the front straight of a 3/8's mile track (small, up close and personal) and it changed me, too.

As to, "Maybe sprint cars need to be modified from their current form...", Humpy Wheeler of NASCAR promoter fame made such a suggestion once when NASCAR first took interest in putting in small dirt tracks at their major venues, such as Charlotte. Stating that sprint cars/open wheel cars need fenders on them so as to have more space to put advertising. The sprint car fans nearly revolted, and Humpy was never allowed to come close to a sprint car again. Just letting you know that changing the design concept of sprint cars is a no go. Yes, they are dangerous, and at times unpredictable (if a suspension part breaks when the car is at or near full throttle, the flips and spins are what make the weekly highlights films on the racing shows), that is why all that enter the pits at race time are required to sign an insurance waiver or contract and vow to follow the rules as stated at the pit/drivers meeting and as outlined on the form(s).