Former NASCAR champion Tony Stewart's 'terrifying' NZ crash ridiculed

Former NASCAR champion Tony Stewart's crash has caused a stir. Photo / Photosport

The headline is alarming: "Tony Stewart was in a terrifying crash while racing in New Zealand".

But readers of the Yahoo Sports report, posted today, weren't impressed after viewing the linked video.

"That's typical sprint car racing," commented one reader, while another wrote, "I've been in worse crashes on my bicycle."

The article described how the retired three-time NASCAR champion was in New Zealand for the past week for a couple of dirt sprint car races when one race, at Palmerston North's Robertson Holden International Speedway, "ended in a terrifying crash in an already dangerous genre of racing."

"As Stewart ... was trying to make a move from the back of the field, his 14 car made contact with another, sending him into the wall and flipping him upside down."

Other article comments:

"The terrifying news here is that he was in last place in New Zealand".

"OK that was nothing".

"Terrifying for a snow flake not Tony Stewart".

"Called a Tommy tip over, didn't even smash the wing..."

And so on for 115 comments and counting.

Was it terrifying? Have a look at the video and make up your own mind.