Stewart’s insurance won’t cover lawsuit of driver he killed

Tony Stewart had better get his checkbook ready

A federal judge ruled Friday that the insurance carrier for NASCAR driver Tony Stewart does not have to defend or indemnify him in a lawsuit brought by the family of a driver who died after being struck by Stewart's car during a race.

U.S. District Court Judge David Hurd ruled that Axis Insurance Co.'s policy with Stewart "unambiguously limited" the insurer's liability to specific races.

The family of Kevin Ward Jr. is suing Stewart, claiming that he acted recklessly when he struck and killed the young driver in an open-wheel race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in August 2014. According to the decision, Stewart's policy covered 105 "specified events."

The judge wrote that it is "undisputed" that the sprint car event in which Ward was killed was not one of those specified in the policy. Attorneys for Stewart had countered that certain language in the policy supported their position that coverage was warranted. Stewart will now have to bear the costs of his defense as the lawsuit continues. Associated Press