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

Whos with me anyone or should I stop now?

Be better for Tony to put the Rocket in his USAC car. Jesse seems to run a lot better without the barn door on top!!

But there is no denying, I am ALWAYS happy to see the Rocket pull in to the track no matter what kind of car he is racing.

I'm a definite Hockett fan... but let's be serious for a moment.

Hockett won the Florida King of the 360s event... won some local 360 events... and hasn't really set the world on fire in the ASCS National Tour or with (more importantly) the WoO with a 410 under the hood.

It would appear at face value that there are better driver choices for a full-time WoO ride with a top notch team.

If Tony was putting together a true outlaw season, nonwing AND wing, 360 AND 410... skipping all around the country running all over the place... the most versatile driver out there would definitely be Mr. Hockett. Hands down. Best choice.

BTW... if you listen to what message boards tell you (which by law is the definition of insanity)... it's almost humorous to hear about multiple drivers turning down the opportunity to drive the TSR 20. If the drivers actually DID turn it down... could be their desire to control all aspects of the team (chassis brand, motor brand, etc.).

I would think in today's economy that people would answer the "would you like to drive for me?" question with "where do I sign?".

Hocket sure would.

Maybe Emmett Hahn can become best buds with Tony and Hockett could drive the TSR 20 on the ASCS tour or the expanded (hopefully) ASCS/Bandits nonwing tour....... fingers crossed.

Yeah..While I am a Hockett fan lets be real, Hockett hasn't done Jack Sh#i with a winged 410, which is due mainly cause he rarely gets in one, but none the less. In fact Hockett hasn't won in a wingsd 410 since july 2003, which all his 410 wins were won in 2002 and 2003 and split between Savannah and US 36 speedway and which are both in Missouri. The Rockett has 12 410 winged wins in 115 starts.

Their are just too many experienced drivers out there to put Hockett in that car, plus I like Hockett in the non wing cars too much.

The older I get, the faster I used to be.

get balls and run the top!!!

Not happening, but I'm usually wrong.

Adding $6 trillion of debt in his 1st term and now if 
elected again he wouldn't have to worry about an 
electorate in 2016 so the sky is the limit.And his EPA 
would continue to put the screws to oil drilling and 
mining for coal.Can you say bankruptcy.

Put Hockett in that kind of equipment...and he would do well

I agree.

I've got some negative comments about Jesse...but I'll refrain on this board.

talent and desire=jesse hockett

I'm related to Jesse so obvously have a little bias. No one out there, of course other than my family-including those up above ; ),cheer harder for Jesse to succeed and get just as angry/heartbroken when he doesn't do as well. That being said, I would like to throw a few of my cents into this mix....

1) Are there more qualified and proven drivers in the wing 410 ranks that would be a better fit for TSR?

Absolutely. As a post or 2 have stated, it's been sometime since he's got a 410 wing victory. But at the same time, how much quality experience does he have? How many consecutive nights/weeks has he been able to be with the same team/crew/track?? Part of that is due to his own desire to JUST RACE, and another part of not having the finacial back ground to support that. You think he really cares if he wins a 360 race (or any race for that matter) and not a 410? He knows damn well he's capable but a real opportunity hasn't really be available.

2) Do I think he'll get a chance with TSR?

Highly doubt it. Best fit would probably be with the non-wing, teaming up with Levi (who Jesse likes and respects a lot-on and off the track), but it's already been said that its going to be a 1 car team next year. As far as the WoO #20....reverting to #1 above, he just simply doesn't have the proven success that TSR would be looking to hire. However, give Jesse Hockett an inch and he'll take a mile. Give him a REAL chance, and he'll prove the nay-sayers wrong

3) Best move TSR could do involving Hockett?

Gotta be the idea of getting involved with the ASCS and/or Bandit schedule. If it's SO overwhelminglly obvious to some people that he isn't as good as a 410 wing race, then why push it on to him? You know he's a force to be reckoned with every night in a 360, so let him be. No one thinks any less of Gary Wright or Jason Johnson because they are "predominately" 360 racers, right? I mean, the ASCS deal is great, and everyone loves it overall (considering cost, payouts, tv time, pass points, etc)....and when Tony does race a wing car it is usually a 360 (just got his FIRST career wing 410 victory this year!), so my question is, why ISNT TSR involved in ASCS?

4) Worst move TSR could do involving Hockett?

Actually meeting with him, sitting down and discussing a contract, possible routes to take, etc then NOT pick him up! You think Jesse Hockett isnt as good as advertised, or isn't proven enough, and you think he won't be a factor on the track on any given weekend....you're likely to be mistaken. Actually tell him he isn't good enough face-to-face, or talk to him then sign someone else....and he WILL beat you. Thats part human nature (kinda like Brett Favre wanting to kick the Packers' ass), and its even more part of Jesse Hockett's DNA....tell him he's incapable of a task, repeatedly say he isn't a 410 wing racer, give him a situation where his backs against the wall....again, he'll suprise you.

5) Best thing Jesse Hockett can do?

Smoke their asses Jesse! Do it HOCKETT'S way! Go to more tracks than anyone else, travel further than anyone else....be in PA on Friday with a wing, IN on Sat without it, and MO on Sunday with it. Have everyone talking about YOU....do what you do best, whatever has to be done to get on the track....take 2 wreckers and pull your car apart from each downtube in order to pull out a blown 410, put in a steel block 360, and smile as you blow by Levi on Tony's Big E with your RR and inch from the wall. Take money out of your own wallet to buy the fuel, drive the hualer for hours on end (changing some occasional flats, lol), so your own set up and maintenece on the car. Be an "OUTLAW", be "The Rocket", be whatever you want to be, just have fun and give all the fans out there a show they'll never forget.

I'm pretty sure for Jesse to have any sort of shot racing for Tony Stewart would be like a dream come true, as it would for many, but Jesse just flat out LOVES TO RACE.Which, in some ways kind of suprises me that Tony hasn't approached Jesse in the past at all....they are very similar in ways. They both are true to their roots, a bit rough around the edges in certain areas, they both have a fan base that loves them, and most importantly, they both are racers when it comes down to it. There isn't much more they'd rather be doing than be strapped into a car trying to cross the checkered flags before anyone else. My last thought....if you give Jesse a chance, give him a little bit of time to adapt fully in a wing 410, consistent team/crew/tracks/sanction/etc, you'll see him develop into something more than you ever thought he could be. But that would fall far short of what Jesse Hockett knows he will become.

Go get 'em Jess!

"Grip it and Rip it, just don't Flip it!"

Tbirdie

"Grip it and Rip it, just don't Flip it!"
R.I.P. Lester

Tbird

Off topic, but is Jesse still doing vinyl work?

KS

"Grip it and Rip it, just don't Flip it!"
R.I.P. Lester

Tbird

I dont think I have ever met anyone that wants to race as bad as Hockett does. Always working on the car. Seen him change everything over from 410 non wing to 360 wing only to drive about 2 laps before it rained out,then change the car back to 410 non wing for the next night.That was a lot of work for 2 laps worth of driving. And thats just one time I have seen him do that. I know they have done it more than once!

I didnt get to see him race as much this year as I have the last couple of years. I used to drop by his shop here in Indy from time to time when that was his home base. I wont mention what his living arrangements were when he was in Indy,but lets say he really wanted to go racing bad,and went without a lot of creature comforts in doing so.

I look forward to watching him race sprinters next year. Hope he has the top off a bit more often.

Fire away bro. Trust me, I won't lose any sleep over it.

Funny you mention the $$$, I do custom paint in north central Mo and was wanting to run something by him. By the way, you must be the t-bird on his my space?

KS

"Grip it and Rip it, just don't Flip it!"
R.I.P. Lester

Tbird

Nah, your secret is safe... for the most part!! haha

KS

THATS A GOOD IDEA, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE NEGATIVE COMENTS ABOUT HIM YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HIM OR HIS RACING . BEST TO KEEP YOUR UNWISE MOUTH SHUT.