I think he's going about just right. If you have never done any kind of racing on a regular basis at any kind of level, you might not understand what he's going through. To some that believe he hit him on purpose, or was trying to "buzz" him, they don't know what they are talking about. Stewart has a lot more experience that a lot of people know or understand, and this may be the first time he was personally involved in something like this, but probably not the first time he has seen someone hit by a race car or killed on the track. Even with all of his NASCAR experience, it probably doesn't come close to the number of hours and laps he's put in short track sprints, midgets and champ-dirt cars. It is something that you truly do get in your blood. I have been thinking if he didn't get back into a car soon, he might never do it again. I read witness accounts that said it sounded like he hit the gas right before the impact. These cars have very little effective brakes, more or less intended to stop the car in the pits. The chassis set up is such that turning the wheel in the direction you want to go has little or no effect at certain speeds, you have to goose the gas pedal to get the car to change direction. The term often used is "steering the car with the gas pedal" and that is exactly what you do. With the wing and side body set up, you have very little visibilty to the right side of the car, and couple that with the dark shadows and the black driver suit, I don't think Tony ever saw him until the impact. (This is where the practice of wearing white pants at a race track started, trying to add to a person's visibilty) Probably the last thing Tony would think of was that someone would get out of their car and be up-track from him at that point, and that close that soon after the spin. I don't think that Tony could have done anything different, but you probably couldn't tell him that now. The other driver has some responsibilty in this event. I watch all kinds of racing and can't believe how many drivers get out of their cars after crashes, for what ever reason. If it ain't on fire, that is the safest place in the world for you. And whether it's model airplanes or racing, I try to NEVER turn my back to any kind of action going on. I'm very sorry for the victim's family, and very sorry for Tony Stewart. There is a line in the movie "LeMans" where Steve McQueen tells another driver's wife, "This is a dangerous buisness, and it can happen to you." But then again, so is getting in the family car and driving to work, these days. You mourn those who have died, pray for the survivors, and move on doing the best you can.
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee