Tony Stewart is on my mind this week. I started motor racing in 1968. went to SCCA Drivers School and competed in more than 200 events: all wheel-to-wheel. We were taught many things and one of them is when you spin out...keep your hands on the steering wheel or fold them over your chest if you feel the car turning turtle. I once knew a driver who threw his hands over his head...another motion we were taught to signal to corner workers an okay. The car rolled over on his arm. Another thing we were taught is to stay in the car. Another is to stay calm and think. After all, at 120+mph passing on a long and relatively narrow pavement the last thing anyone wants is thinking that the other guy is not thinking. Tony Stewart is a passionate driver. He has, at times, expressed immaturity in less than becoming ways. So has Peyton Manning, Tiger Woods...the list goes on. May God Bless Kevin Ward, his mother and father, crew, sponsors and friends. Yep, he spun out or was spun out. That is called a racing incident. This this case, his decision to leave the safe confines (he survived the incident) of the racing cockpit created a racing accident. There is nothing safe about motor racing...nor facing a 100mph baseball...nor jumping from a 100 meter ski jump...or running a jet ski at 65mph. May God Bless Tony Stewart ... and may as well ... all those who seek to imagine that he did this with intent to kill...stop and think again. As Drivers, the most important thing to us is awakening on Monday morning and knowing we can enjoy our family and do it again. Dont make the living pay for a bad decision. May we all learn from the experience and may youth not emulate bad decisions of role models. I believe that Tony Stewart has matured...as we all may have. Allow him also the dignity of a life of peace. Give Kevin Ward, Jr. the respect he deserves...and dont create something is not or does not deserve in his tragic death. Finally, dont tag motor racing with these impressions...it is no better or worse than any professional or amateur activity where the key to success and longevity is individual responsibility, skill and maturity.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 15:10:25 +0000
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