Mark J. Terrill/AP

Keith Olbermann is an ESPN employee paid to share strong opinions on sports, but his tweets about the deadly accident that cost Kevin Ward Jr. his life Saturday night led to a combative series of tweets with NASCAR fans. Olbermann was critical of the way NASCAR handled Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International Sunday.

Tony Stewart, who struck and killed Ward during a sprint car race in rural New York Saturday, originally planned to drive at Watkins Glen, but Stewart-Haas Racing announced Sunday morning that Regan Smith would replace Stewart in the No. 14 car. Stewart released a statement about the accident after the race began, saying that there “aren’t words to describe the sadness I feel.” A number of members of the NASCAR community tweeted messages for the Ward family prior to the race.

A number of NASCAR fans responded to Olbermann’s views, and Olbermann pointed to a tweet from the official @NASCAR account that was later deleted.

Via @KeithOlbermann

Via @KeithOlbermann

Not all of Olbermann’s tweets were quite as polite, though.

Via @KeithOlbermann

Via @KeithOlbermann

One person warned Olbermann that he may regret his string of tweets, but Olbermann didn’t seem too worried.

Via @KeithOlbermann