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Tony Stewart struck and killed driver at New York dirt track

August 10, 2014

Tony Stewart struck and killed another driver after the driver exited his car to confront Stewart following an accident Saturday night at a dirt track in Upstate New York, according to the Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Department.

Povero identifies Tony Stewart as hitting driver on the track. Driver was transported by ambulance. Driver was dead on arrival.

— Prescott Rossi (@PrescottRossi) August 10, 2014
The sheriff's department declined to identify the driver, who was pronounced dead at 11:15 ET, but according to multiple witnesses it was 20-year-old Kevin Ward.

The incident took place at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. Stewart and Ward were racing into Turn 2 when they made contact, sending Ward's car spinning into the wall. According to multiple witnesses, Ward got out of his car to confront Stewart. As Stewart drove by, his car struck Ward.

Video of the incident was posted on YouTube Saturday night, but has since been taken down.

The OCSD said there were no charges pending as of early Sunday morning and that Stewart has been cooperative.

District attorney's office has been notified. "This is an ongoing investigation of an on-track crash." No charges pending at this time.

— Prescott Rossi (@PrescottRossi) August 10, 2014
Sheriff Povero: "Mr. Stewart has been fully cooperative... He is very upset and confirmed his contiuning cooperation."

— Prescott Rossi (@PrescottRossi) August 10, 2014
Stewart, a three-time champion in NASCAR's premier Sprint Cup Series, was racing in the sprint car race at the dirt track north of Watkins Glen, where Sunday’s Sprint Cup race is being held.

Michael Messerly, who said he attended the race with his son Saturday night, told Yahoo Sports that he saw Ward get out of his car and go down towards Stewart's car.

"I just know that he was in one spot and when Tony went by, he wasn't in that spot any more," Messerly said.

Here's how a witness described the details of the alleged incident to the Sporting News:

“People [who could see it better] said the guy got out of his car and was gesturing angrily at Tony Stewart when Tony Stewart came by during the next lap under yellow,” Rich Willis said in a phone interview with Sporting News. "He approached him and evidently when he was driving by the guy standing on the track gesturing at him, he gunned his engine.

"What happened was the back end kicked out and clipped the guy and the guy flew across the track."

Ward, 20, is from Port Leyden, N.Y. and according to his website, he started racing when he was 4.

The track posted to Facebook that it would not have an official statement until Sunday.

Canandaigua Motorspots Park will not have an official statement on the accident that happened in the ESS race until tomorrow. Please pray for the entire racing community of fans, drivers, and families. Please be respectful in any comments.

Stewart made his return to sprint car racing this year after suffering a broken right leg in a sprint car accident just over a year ago. After last year’s crash, he missed the rest of the 2013 Sprint Cup Series season. This season in the Cup Series, he hasn’t won a race and is 19th in the points standings.

There is no word on Stewart's status for Sunday's race.