Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

     Just for argument's sake, let's say a racer- we'll call him Donald- dominated a national race series in 2017. What would the fall-out be? Let's go a little further, and say that there's no Steven, or Samuel, or Douglas or Richard to have a full blown rivaly with him this year; just old Donald on a tear.

Would fan support for the series contract?

Would other racers stop showing up when the national series was in town?

Would the series put a bounty on the racer named Donald?

Would the sanctioning body change the rules to "even the playing field" the way Nascar seems to do a lot?

Would the series lose some of it's aura of being the king of the hill as far as the class of cars goes?

Would sponsors and advertisers lose interest?

How would it affect fans' expectations of the *big* races. Again, for argument's sake, let's say you had some big races like the Nashville Nationals, The Prince Royal and the China Grove Open. Would they be any different if this one racer was expected to walk over the competition?

Would the hot driver's car owner-we'll call him Timmy- ever consider putting said driver into some sort of Nascar thing with fenders?


What do you think?

Would fan support for the series contract?  Ask the WOO how their attendance was after 1987 and the early-mid 90's.  That should tell you how the series responds to total domination by one driver.  

Would other racers show up when the national series was in town?  Once again, why now and not anytime since '78?  The chances of a non-WOO driver winning a WOO race are probably better now than they were back then.  (of course excluding Sammy and Wolf who generally did not fall into the catagory of full-time WOO drivers)  So, why would they stay away now?  17 different winners last year?  

Would the sanctioning body change the rules to "even the playing field"?  Already been done.  He's just better right now.

Would the series lose some of it's aura of being the king of the hill as far as class of cars goes?  No.  No need to clarify here.

Will sponsors and advertisers lose interest?  If not before, when the series was totally dominated most years by the same man, why now?

How would if affect fan's expecations of 'big' races?  They kept coming during the reign of the king---they will keep coming now.

It baffles me why we have to have this conversation over and over again on this forum. Steve Kinser won 20 of the first 28 championships in the WOO.  Its the Schatz era now and it hasn't been a total clean sweep--Jason Meyers and Pittman snuck a couple out on him if memory serves me.  Why does everyone act like 1978-2005 was this battle year in and year out for the championship?  It rarely was.  Donny's run at the Nationals is still 3 short of the domination of Kinser.  Why would Donny threaten the Nationals or other big races if Kinser didn't kill them?

Donny will not kill sprint car racing.  Relax. 

If anything, making the rules more even has made him more dominant. It's much harder to gain an advantage with equipment these days. Everyone has the same stuff. What no one else has, is the best sprint car driver on earth. That particular driver straps into the 15 car every night.

Would fan support for the series contract?
No , because people want to see the best get beat. ( ie; like a guy named Steven for 20+ years )
Would other racers stop showing up when the national series was in town?
No, they really want to beat the best ( ie; like they tried to beat a guy named Steven for 20+ years )
Would the series put a bounty on the racer named Donald?
No,  they never did before ( ie; a guy named Steven for 20+ years )
Would the sanctioning body change the rules to "even the playing field" the way Nascar seems to do a lot?
No, it would not matter anyway ( ie; a guy named Steven for 20+ years )
Would the series lose some of it's aura of being the king of the hill as far as the class of cars goes?
No, the aura would grow, just like the whiners ( ie; a guy named Steven for 20+ years )
Would sponsors and advertisers lose interest?
No, not like there are alot of major sponsors anyway
How would it affect fans' expectations of the *big* races. Again, for argument's sake, let's say you had some big races like the Nashville Nationals, The Prince Royal and the China Grove Open. Would they be any different if this one racer was expected to walk over the competition?
No... see 1 & 2  ( ie; a guy named Steven did it for 20+ years )
Would the hot driver's car owner-we'll call him Timmy- ever consider putting said driver into some sort of Nascar thing with fenders? No... 

To summarize... there would be alot of keyboard whining, but it would make more of us want to see Donald beat when they come to our part of the country.   Remember most people get to see Donald no more than a couple times a year.

Good replies, and I see a pattern which brings up another question. Why don't we see shirts, hats, signs, bumper stickers and banners that say "Anybody but Schatz"?

People have transitioned to expressing themselves more through social media and other means. That said, come to PA. You'll see a couple of dudes walking around with a spray painted sign made out of a bed sheet that I'm pretty sure has some anti Schatz insignia on it. 

100% correct on every point you made.

Get over it. Steve dominated how many years ? His closest rivals were Doug and Sammy. 2 guys. Even those early years the posse didn't have much for kinser. Donnie wins his share there is no doubt, but, today you have many more guys that can win a race. On the eastern swing now you're going to have a field of cars both posse and outlaw that makes for great racing. That and don't lose site of the fact that when Ricky warner comes to pa he not only wants to win he wants to dominate. 

Haha, I appreciate the humor in the post but like everyone said the answers are NO. Racing has always had dominant drivers. While many get tired of seeing the same guy win, they still come out either to cheer him or boo him. From what I can tell, WOO attendance has been up in recent years. Look at nascar and all the parity they have now but attendance has been way down in recent years. Of course I never understood the nascar appeal to begin with. Maybe a lot fans are now starting to realize that nascar races are long and boring?

A

This reminds me that there was a time that Jeff Gordon got booed everywhere he went. 

Within hearing distance of Tri City Speedway

   And social media has become anything but social. Everyone is just sure that what everyone else says is "fightin' words".

     I'm not suggesting that everything I posted in the first thread is happening. I'm asking if people think some of those things would happen, based on one guy dominating. I think though, that WoO sprint car racing has become just a little step closer to the limelight since back when Steve Kinser owned everything under the sun. The majority of folks that responded say no.

     Do you think those guys just recycle the sheet and cover up whoever's name was on it last time someone dominated?

best winged sprint car driver with the shit competition he has

he dont have what it takes to pop off the the tin 

You have about a quarter century of history that answers all your questions.

There are always "ABS" t-shirts in Knoxville at the Nationals.  And there are definitely some boos in the stands.

Good one.... reminds me of something I saw years ago on a train thru Southern Illinois. You know how some guys will never go  out in public witout the word "Harley: displayed somewhere on their body? Riding the train, we went past a house with "Harley" spray painted in huge letters all across the front of house. No fancy graphics or anything, just drunken spray can artistry....

The sport needs a villian and it needs the villian to be the best. (I use the term loosely, because in a sport as dangerous as this, there are no real villians). You need someone to boo just as much as you need someone to cheer. 

The outlaws are all great racers yes! Are they all the best on earth no! Most money at the time so they can travel yes! That's why you see a guy go out run a few years back home they go. Cody 4, mccarl24, henderson1d , Hindi 11, they are good but not great most go to the outlaws to live a dream or learn as much as they can. Since wolf Sammy and Steve and don't forget jac have retired or aged but there are know replacement guys. The outlaws start there guys up front slick off the track or make it different then the locals are used to. If they are the best let them come to your local race tracks  and change to the track rules make the 6 cars change not the 20 guys that run weekly. Start them at the back or mid pack anyway. As things even up you see things like a few years ago the Knoxville national started without a kinser swindell or Wolfgang at all plus think jac missed the show. Years ago something like that wasn't going to ever happen. The best in the land outlaws not. Just kids with the most money today to travel around and  be willing to do it. And the tracks have to price tickets out of the range of the family mans budget. The outlaws today drive to hope to go to nascar or until it's clear sprint car racing is all there is for them. Years ago most outlaws raced because they loved it they were shocked they can even race for outlaw money and if something came from it great. It's a different life today better? 

"Shit competition"? Ok.......

Stupidest post of the year... 

That would be quite an accomplishment....