New York - The father of the 20-year-old racing driver struck and killed by Tony Stewart told The Syracuse Post-Standard that there was “no reason” for the crash that led to his son's death.
Kevin Ward Jr hit the wall when Stewart's car bumped his in a dirt track race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Saturday.
On his next lap Stewart's vehicle collided with Ward, who had angrily climbed out of his car and was walking down the track pointing his finger in the direction of Stewart.
Ward's father, Kevin Ward Sr, told the Post-Standard that even in the dim light other drivers were able to avoid hitting his son.
“Apparently, Tony Stewart was the only one driving out there who didn't see him,” said Ward, who also said there was no reason for Stewart to bump his son's car during the race in the first place.
“Tony Stewart was the best damn driver by far on the track that night,” Ward said. “Why he had to go up as high as he did and hog my son, there's no reason for it.”
Police said Monday they had found “no criminal behavior” on the part of Stewart, but they are still soliciting witnesses and video and expect their probe to continue for some time.
They said Stewart, who was unhurt, had cooperated with their investigation, but Ward seemed unconvinced the star driver had given a full account of himself.
“The one person that knows what happened that night is possibly facing 10 years in prison,” Ward told the Post-Standard. “Is he going to say what he has done?”
Stewart, one of the most popular drivers in America's Nascar stock car racing circuit, pulled out of last Sunday's Nascar Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen and has also withdrawn from a non-Nascar race in Indiana on Saturday.
It wasn't yet clear if Stewart would compete in a Nascar race at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.
AFP