NASCAR announced a new safety rule Friday in light of the death of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr., who was struck by Tony Stewart's car after an on-track altercation over the weekend.
The new rule, listed under Section 9-16, bar any driver from exiting their car after an on-track incident or crash unless "extenuating emergency conditions
exist with the race car," according to SportsNetwork.com.
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Multiple graphic YouTube videos show Ward's No. 13 car spin out after contact with Stewart's at New York's Canandaigua Motorsports Park Saturday. Ward, 20, then exited his car, appearing to angrily gesture at Stewart, who reportedly hit the gas. The sudden burst of speed fishtailed his sprint car and the rear tire struck Ward, who was
thrown into the air and later died from his injuries.
As of Friday, there are no charges filed against Stewart.
The dirt-track race was not NASCAR-sanctioned, but the top racing organization's vice president of competition, Robin Pemberton, said they felt the need to institute new rules anyway.
"Throughout the history of our sport, NASCAR has reviewed and analyzed situations and occurrences that take place not just in NASCAR racing but also throughout all motorsports and other sports," Pemberton said at a Friday news conference at Michigan International Speedway. "When we believe we can do something to make our sport safer and better for the competitors and others involved in the competition environment, we react quickly. Safety always has been priority number one at NASCAR."
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