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

I understand exactly what you mean slidewayz and I agree. I'm not saying he should have gone out there if he didn't feel comfortable but I think most people expected him to do a little better. He was out timed by local drivers with 358's and 360's under the hood. Keep in mind he has more experience at this track than anybody else there, except possibly Pauch. This is a driver that many claim to be one of the best ever. After this there's no way you could rank him up there with guys like Mitch Smith who took the wing off and smoked USAC two nights in a row in 1971 or Billy Pauch or even Stevie Smith who took off the wing for the first time and finished 2nd at the Mopar Million, Frankie Kerr, Kinser, Haud or any of the winged drivers who could take off the wing and run upfront with the best nonwingers.

A

Rahmer is a pussy ........ NOT !!! Here is a midwest based fan that respects him for NOT faking mechanical problems and owning up to the car not feeling right. I have seen him in Iowa several times with a wing and I'll put him up there as one of the best anywhere. I don't buy a lot of drivers T-shirts but I have bought both Rahmer and Dewease over the years just because they "get off the porch" as so many want to comment and come out here and run Osky and Knoxville. Apologoize to no one F.F. your true fans know you have NOTHING to prove to anyone. You will go down in history as one the greatest EVER.

R.A.

S.H.S.

cubic seems smart enough to know when to ignore me! as far as the usac turn out, there is a usac race scheduled to be run at stoga this year. will be interesting to see how many local winged guys go topless out here.

Midwest here too. I feel exactly the same way. Hall of Famer all the way. Lot of loose tongues in here probably from a lot who have never srapped in themselves.

Steve - I can tell you at least five. If I am to believe everything I have heard then 10+ And those are only the ones I know about. Of course there is a long time from now till then. Some of them may not have enough parts left to commit to that and the Gold Cup the following weekend.

What an embarassment Rahmer is. Not willing to kill himself so the "fans" can feel better about themselves. He should be ashamed to PA. What a crock. I would be willing to bet he considers those same folks an embarassment to PA given there comments.

People can and do die in this sport. Everytime they strap in they put their lives on the line. When something does not feel right how can anyone criticize them for taking a step back rather than taking the risk to maim or kill themselves or someone else? What right do you have to determine the outcome of their life.

Oh wait, a general admission ticket!!!

Who from Ca will take the wing off to run Calistoga??

How sweet, a pity party for Rahmer. Oh Freddy you're still #1! LMAO

Face it people, the intimidator became the intimidated. That's OK though because I'm sure he'll be back to feeling comfortable this weekend and running the competition off the track like usual.

I think this also shows just how much more the driver is a factor in wingless racing as opposed to winged racing where car and motor play a much bigger role.

A

I'm sure it puckered his butt hole.

Sammy Swindell was asked about wings or non-wings and he said, "I'll drive em any way I have to." People bash Sammy but his is one of the all time greats.

Sammy also said, "Half of them wouldn't be racing if there were no wings".

"Just the facts ma'am", Sgt. Joe Friday, Detective, 
LAPD

My point exactly and exactly why I was disappointed to see that statement because Rahmer is one of the greatest drivers in this country ever not only in sprint cars but he has phenomenal accomplishments in the modified ranks on that very track. Anyone who has ever seen Fred Rahmer drive a sprintcar or modified can not and should not ever disagree that he is or at least was one of the gutsy guys behind the wheel ever bouncing wheels off guys to muscle them out of the way when they had the groove and he needed the spot. You can name on one hand the number of guys that can pull that move off as many times as he has in his career and not ended up on their lid inside an open wheel sprinter. His skills are beyond belief at times but he just come across as a chicken shit for the "load and leave" move Wednesday night, face it people get old, they lose their nerve, they start to think about things that mean more in life like family and such, it happens and when it happens THEN THEY RETIRE. REAL SOON. and maybe that why the move was a disappointment too, because the end of an legacy is upon us.

Hey HMC, you're not Mark David Chapman are you...a little WiFi time while on hiatus in upstate New York???

Come to think of it John Hinckley, Jr. was a big fan as well, hmmmmm...

"As long as I can have a fast boat, a margarita 
machine and can light my hair on fire, I'll be just 
fine."

Jason Giambi

I was at Grandview on Tuesday.  I didn't have a chance to see any racing because I was too busy working on our car.  However, someone stopped by our pit and said Fred had just left.  I didn't believe him and just kept working.

Fred's rig was parked a few rows from ours.  I noticed it wasn't there when I pushed the car to the track for our heat.  I assumed they had mechanical problems until I read the update on his website.

Now, with that being said, you have to give the man respect to admit he just did not feel comfortable.  For those of us who have seen him race week in and week out realize it was probably not a lack of skill or nerve.  Several cars (sprints & midgets)  were wadded up during warm ups and time trials.  Perhaps the team couldn't afford to lose a car.  Especially since he is chasing points.  

Someone mentioned the CRA race he ran at The Grove (mid to late '80s) earlier in this thread.  Rahmer was driving for Stewart back then when they had the Budweiser sponsorship.  He didn't time-trial well that night and had to start the feature in the rear.  He was the show that evening and eventually finished in the top five. 

Frankie Kerr won the feature and Billy Pauch was second.  Rahmer was really backing it in.  I was standing in the infield at turn three.  You could read Budweiser on the right side of the car as he entered the corner.  It was fun watching three former modified guys beat the non-wing regulars.    

Once again the dolts on here have forced me to log in and express an opinion.

What sort of people would denegrate a driver for not risking his life? Forego wrecking a car that wasn't right? Oh, that's correct; ones who have never even sat in a car. The ones who want to be entertained at whatever cost to the entertainers.

My lord, you people are incredible. What's the most serious injury you could suffer at work?? A paper cut????

The 51 is by far the best funded team in PA. Sprint car drivers risk their lives every time they strap in, winged or non-winged. It's part of the job description and if they are even thinking about that then they probably shouldn't be doing it. I have no problem with him quitting after a bad TT but don't go on praising him like he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. He does deserve some props for at least giving it a shot. Now we know where he stacks up against some of the other greats who could take off the wing with much success. Freddie also didn't feel comfortable at Eldora. That's why he hasn't been back there in about 15 years.

FP, I'm actually John Lennon reincarnated.

A

PCat, the Dead Wings have it temporarily, the tuxedo boys will have it for many years to come, unfortunately. Experience wins again, youth will be served though. Take It Easy.....

It was disappointing to arrive late, find out Rahmer was there and then he didn't even come out in the heat. I thought it must have been mechanical problems, but didn't think he just "wasn't comfortable".

Lucas Wolfe didn't exactly look comfortable either at first, but he figured it out, and that car he was in wasn't all that good as we witnessed tonight at Big Diamond with someone else behind the wheel. Why didn't Fred ask some of the USAC regulars for some setup help if he couldn't get the car right?

USAC puts on a great show and it's a shame that we don't get to see them more often in PA, or at least have the option of wingless racing regularly. It's just more exciting from front of the field to the back than the cars are with the wings on.

Anyway, Cole Whitt's late bump of Levi Jones over the crest of the backstretch at Big Diamond tonight pretty much made up for any Rahmer disappointment on Tuesday night.

hey dont forget travis rilat. may not run it much now - but i seem to remember taking a lot of money from oskaloosa a few years back.

and tim kaeding too. he did really good in the tnt week last year. ah, there's quite a few. it sure is the ballsiest form of open wheel racing ..........

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

Every week all over the speedway world guys put their car on the trailor because something is wrong which they cannot explain.Better to get it back to the shop and find the problem than tear it up, plus some other guys car as well just so you can massage your ego and say how brave am I?

When your young you can be brave and stupid because your body just heals quicker. Fred doesn't have anything to prove. He has paid his dues and if you havent noticed, you can get killed in a sprint car. Besides getting better with age, Fred has also gotten smarter and he knows that he doesn't have to drive a car that he doesn't think is capable of finishing up front.

Why is everyone so defencive about Rahmer?

A chink in the armour of the PA Posse toughness was discovered?

Sure it puckered his butt hole...it's OK to have fear.

PA pride?

"Just the facts ma'am", Sgt. Joe Friday, Detective, 
LAPD

I think it may have been this comment from the OP:

is a black eye and an emabarrasment to all our local race car drivers

I wonder how he feels about being Posse now?