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

If you were an owner and had one car with good equipment... What TYPE of driver would you put in the car?

The "Smart" Driver (can adapt to any track condition and succede, doesnt tear equipment up)  Schatz, Hodnett, Brown, McMahon and Stewart.

The "Balls to the Wall" driver (lives and dies by the high groove, even if there isnt one): Haudenschilds, Monteith.

The "quiet bottom feeder" driver, (runs the bottom and quietly comes up through a field): Dale Blaney, Kreitz, Pittman

The "Young gun" (20 something with a bright future ahead of them but not in their prime yet) Schuchart, Allen, Marks, Dietrich, Darrah, Sweet, Abreu, Bell.

The 'Hall of Famer" (in the twilight of their careers) Kinser, Swindell, Lasoski, Stevie Smith, Danny Smith.

And again pick the TYPE you would look for in a driver if you were an owner.

dj netto out of fresno and finished third at the gold cup..

don't think he is even 19 yet.  has big backing out of the bay area also...

Ascot was the greatest of all time..

West Capital wasn't half bad either..

Life is good...

I'm looking for someone that has 8-10 years of experiance in a full size sprinter and has mastered car contol...I don't want to pay for someone to learn on my dime...

I want someone who can read the track and know where to be during the duration of a race..Top, middle, bottom

I want someone that brings sponsers along because I can't pay the damn bills!!

Stevie Smith would be my first choice

One that wants a detuned engine and hates to run the cushion.  An affinity for a communist built chassis would also be especially sweet.  The secret to success these days

Luna's Ford engine style that won 2 WoO titles and 3 
Kings Royals before a weight rule against the best EVER
in their prime and now DOMINATES super dirt late model
racing is no longer allowed/wanted in a WoO sprint
car.... Was Luna a miracle worker?

If I am an owner who just won $100 million in the Powerball, I want someone who is going to either win or bring the car back in a box.

If I am an owner who has a limited budget, I want the car back in one piece, every single night.

If I am an owner somewhere in the middle--have the cash but don't really want to blow my fortune in sprint car racing--I want someone in between.

Tough question to answer depending on my situation as an owner.

This is a very good topic and although I'm as guilty as anyone, I'd love to see more thought provoking discussion such as this one on this and other message boards instead of the usual arguing. If I were a car owner with 1 car and one motor, I'd want someone who can drive and get the job done but knowing what I have, I'm not going to land Stevie Smith or Greg Hodnett. I'd want a driver who is versatile and can run well on any given track condition. I want s guy who has the talent and car control to be able to run the top, middle or bottom depending on what the track is like and what my car is capable of on any given night. I want a guy who knows how to run 4th with a 4th place car or 15th with a 15 race car. My goal is to get what we can get, try and bring in as much money as I can with the race car and ultimately put it on the trailer in one piece and be able to come back next week. Therefore, my driver would no doubt be Mike Wagner. He is without question the most underrated driver in Central PA over the last 30 years. He's clean, he's fast and he does it on his own dime. Although he primarily runs at Port Royal, he has wins at a few different tracks and not to mention, a couple of Port Royal track titles. No doubt, my guy would be Mike Wagner.

A smart young gun, I see some young ones that can do it and be consistant. Being from the midwest I would pick Billy Alley or Jack Dover.

Couldnt agree more. Id take the young guy who I can see is committed to doing well.

Both Jack and Billy would be on my list.

You are a Ford fan right?    

That explains why you would want to look for a driver that excels with a "detuned" engine down around the huggy pole.  

(I keed,  I keed!)  

I'm partial to drivers who own Gibson SG's and know how to play them in their spare time. 

Stan Meissner

Balls to the wall....ROBERT BALLOU

I would put either Aaron Reutzel or Channin Tankersley in the car if it were my dime. 

Both are very capable and bring some sponsors. 

Not a Ford fan and it doesnt matter whats under the hood, its how they drive and know how to get the job done.

If I had the money and I don't but lets fantasize  I go with Mopar power and Mark Dobmeier...

Mark Kinser

Give me a  guy like Sammy Swindell.  Car and trailer always immaculate.  Capable of of outthinking them in the garage, and out driving them on the track.  Aggressive and gives no quarter, or no shits.

If I had the cash, I would put young Sheldon Haudenschild on the WoO tour in 2016!!!!!! With Bonzi spinning the wrenches!! This kid is the real deal!!!!! Tony Stewart this could be your next dream team!!!

If I were to go with a young gun.....Sheldon Haudenschild would be a good bet for now and well in to the future. He is learning the old fashioned way. Not just being handed an open check book and a load of new parts fresh off the shelf.  A driver that's in the 8 yr catagory and is starting to prove himself is Justin Henderson from SD. He has shined before and has experience from many areas, including PA. He's had a darn good year in good equipment. There is however an equipment level above what he currently has, so I beileve the next level is a good fit for him at this time. Same for Sheldon. Problem with both of them, they still need guidance and a crew chief that can get it done. If I want a driver that's been around....hands down for me it's Sammy Swindell. He is capable of getting an upstart team with resources off to a quick start and ahead of the normal learning curve. But, his years of course are limited and then a new driver is needed to fill his shoes and an excellent crew chief is still needed.  Now, if I had unlimited resources, I hire Doug and Robby Wolfgang. My thoughts there are rather simple. I beieve that Doug and Sammy are the top two drivers of all time when it comes to  understanding what makes a sprint car go, and then actually doing it at the highest level possible. I don't think Sammy wants to be the teacher and go to crew chief. So, I get a young driver in Robby who does have talent and desire. In Doug of course, I get all the experience money can buy, know how, set up, builder, winner and teacher. I think it would take a load of money, but in the Wolfgangs, you'ld have something to build on and win with. I wonder where that team would be in five years? I didn't mean to stretch the subject, but this was a for fun excersize, right?

He has big backing from his family, who is from the central valley, Hanford, not the bay area. He is paying kaedings to run his sprint car program since Cory Guy is no longer with Netto's. Dont mistake that for financing, unless you are referring to BK's bank account thats being financed. Where do you get your info from? You are wrong more often then you are correct. You might want to check your facts before you state them here.