A premature death is a tragedy under any circumstances.

When it happens as the result of an incident that never had to take place, it’s even worse.

The ending of Sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr.’s life at age 20 on the Canandaigua Motorsports Park dirt race track in New York was certainly senseless, needless and foolish.

The fact that NASCAR driver Tony Stewart was involved in this horrific accident, in a way, deflects attention away from where it should be.

Ward’s car got taken into the wall as a result of contact from Stewart. The young driver got out of his car, clearly angry, and began walking across the track, pointing a finger in Stewart’s direction.

Stewart’s car fish-tailed as the driver tried to avoid him, the back of the car struck Ward and killed him.

Such an accident didn’t have to involve a big name in NASCAR. That scenario could play out on any dirt track at any time.

Including Lernerville Speedway.

Stewart has been accused of being a hot-head in the past, blowing his cool and losing his composure. It’s that very reputation that has many people convinced he was guilty of at least trying to scare or intimidate Ward during the actions that led to the latter’s death.

Truth be told, there are plenty of “hot-heads” in dirt track racing.

Just at Lernerville, it’s not exactly a rare thing to see driver confrontations in the pits or an angered driver pointing a finger or waving a fist at another while still on the track.

And, yes, drivers have gotten out of their cars after a wreck at the Sarver oval and stormed toward the car they believe caused the mishap.

None of them ever got struck by a car and killed while doing so.

Ward wasn’t so lucky.

Stewart has competed in a Sprint car at plenty of dirt tracks across the country — including Lernerville. He won a World of Outlaws race there only last year.

What happened in Canandaigua could have happened in Sarver.

Tempers do flare in the heat of competition in all sports. But auto racing involves moving vehicles and much more danger.

Dirt track racers could and should learn something from Ward’s death.

Maintain composure.

If you believe you’ve been wronged on the track, wait until you get off the track and voice your disapproval to the proper track authorities.

And, for goodness sakes, stay in your car as other cars are buzzing around you.

Kevin Ward did not deserve to die because his competitive fire got the best of him and he walked onto the track.

But he showed it can happen.

Enough race drivers have been killed at all levels of the sport through the natural danger of driving at high rates of speed alongside other cars doing the same in a compressed area.

Ward’s death didn’t fall into that category.

And that’s senseless.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle