Stewart confronts heckler at Chili Bowl (2nd Update)
Several videos have emerged of NASCAR star Tony Stewart, getting into an altercation with a heckler in the stands at the Chili Bowl. Witnesses on Twitter said the confrontation that occurred earlier this week, kicked off when the unidentified man flipped Stewart off at the Tulsa indoor track. At the beginning of the video, Stewart, wearing gray, walks up to the racing fan, wearing a red sweatshirt, as he shouts at the NASCAR star, and appears to say, 'You're a p***y, aren't you?'
It sounds as though the man says, 'No, I'm not', before appearing to grab Stewart's forearms, starting a physical altercation. Fans surround the altercation, cheering and chanting Stewart's first name and filming the incident on their phones. The pair exchange several words, which are incomprehensible through the crowd's noise. Security eventually breaks the pair up, causing the unidentified man to fall to the ground.
He gives the guard a stern look and Stewart leans in close, and appears to continue speaking with the man. The comments are still incomprehensible. Several other people also circle in on the fan, still cheering for Stewart. The video is cut off before the altercation ends. Events for the Chili Bowl, one of the most prestigious dirt sprint car events in the world, kicked off on Tuesday and end on Saturday. Stewart, who is a two-time Chili Bowl champion, is not competing in this year's event, but instead, assisting with track preparations.
01/16/16 Tulsa County Sheriff's Office is investigating a corporals conduct after a video shows the officer and NASCAR driver Tony Stewart involved in an apparent altercation at the Chili Bowl. Deputy Justin Green identified the man in the video as Cpl. Kyle Hess, who was off duty during the incident. Green said the Sheriff's Office is investigating Hess's conduct at the event to determine if he acted inappropriately. "We're all held to a higher standard, even off duty," Green said. Sheriff's office investigators have watched the video and are working to gather more information about what started and ended the apparent altercation, Green said. Green said it's too early in the investigation to speculate about possible repercussions for Hess.
"We had a race fan that probably had too much beer from my observations after speaking with him," said Tulsa Deputy Police Chief and Expo Square Liaison officer Dennis Larson. "He kept taunting Tony Stewart as Tony would pass by. Tony came up to the stands and decided to have a discussion with him on why he did not like him."
"I met with the fan outside of the building," Larson said. "He was under the influence of alcohol, and we suggested to him that he call it a night at the Chili Bowl and that he is welcome to come back today (Saturday). Tulsa World
01/16/16 Not everyone is a fan of Tony Stewart. And he apparently had heard enough from one fan Friday night to confront him. At the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, a national event that attracts more than 300 racers of midget cars to the River Spirit Expo Center in Tulsa, Okla., Stewart approached a fan who can be heard on social media videos saying he never liked Stewart. The two exchanged words and the fan appeared to push Stewart, who continued to yell at the fan for a few more seconds after another man moved the fan back into his seat. The three-time Sprint Cup champion is the 2002 and 2007 winner of the event and is there helping prepare the dirt surface. Stewart said earlier this week he might compete in the event again next year after he retires from Sprint Cup racing following this season. ESPN.com