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

Larson, Stewart, and Kahne are keeping this great series alive. If their all successful, this series gets better and better. With kinser and swindell becoming owners I believe, and the Big Game cars still in the mix, I see the series getting better than ever before

Saammmmmy!

maddog53, correct me if I am wrong, but aren't you a racer?  If so, I understand your attitude towards Steve and Sammy, lol.  These two guys have a game face on at work and are entirely different humans away from the track, which has accounted for some of their success.  Maybe you don't have quite 'the game face' and haven't acchieved the same success?  If I am wrong about my initial thought, there are lots of jealous and bitter people posting in this forum on a regular basis, c'est la vie.....

No, not a racer, just a fan. These are my opinions and that doesn't mean I am right.  My comments about the 'personality of snakes', if that is what you are referring too, is a direct comparison to other drivers I have encountered in the pits, going up to offer congrats, or good luck. Some have personalities, some do not.  If you can't handle the public life, and you seem bothered by people that come to see you, welcome you, thank you, then maybe you are in the wrong business.  How long is that for, an hour of your day ?  Case in point, an IRA show at Wilmot last year, when Lucas Wolfe was still in the Buffalo Wild Wings car, he ran okay, not great.  I was walking by his hauler and he basically came to me, drawn by a shirt I was wearing.  We had conversation about this and that, and I wished him well and I moved on.  Nice kid.    My feelings are that these two, when they are gone, the friendliness of the group will go up.  Again, just my experience.  Nothing to be bitter about, nothing to be jealous of. It just won't matter to me if they do not race anymore, I will not miss them, there will be other 'hot shoes' to watch and cheer for.

There is a substantial difference between a kid on his way up in his early 20's and thrilled to be where he is and a couple of oldtimers who have been putting their lives at risk dang near twice as long as the young man has been alive, dang!  I have always had a problem with the people who come on this forum with a minute of contact with somebody one time in their life and then want to state their opinion like they know somebody, how stupid/foolish is that?  I was fortunate enough to spend more than a decade chasing these guys all over the country and my thoughts were based upon actual inter action not an imaginary thought or opinion.  They are all different as are you and I and that my friend is what makes this world go 'round, be thankful for it......

Seems to me that we may be tooting our own horn a bit here. This sport has been around a long time. When there were names like Gerber, Hinnershitz and Hurtibise there were enough fans to keep the sport going and even prosper to what it is today. We werent around then and it managed to survive , then our fathers came along then we came along.  Those of us here that think we are the last of a dying breed cause we dont know ant 15 yr old fans need to get over ourselves . Its sprint car racing and its exciting . There will be new fans just like when we were new fans. Once again we are not the "greatest fans " , we are just the lucky ones to get to experience it in this time frame.

How stupid of you is it to question my OPINION?  That is all it is an opinion.  It is called having a personality or NOT having a personality. And I do not know so it is only speculation, but I bet when Steve and Sammy were young bucks, they were not much different than they are now.  I called it like I saw it, nothing more, nothing less. Deal with it MSPN, there is at least ONE fan that doesn't give a hoot about Steve or Sammy.  Thank you for your keen interest in my opinion.

'Opinions' are like a$$holes, everybody has one, who cares if some are based on ignorance.  If you are so dumb as to form your 'opinion' after that initial connection when in reality it is far from accurate there is no point in trying to enlighten you, is there?  By the way, you called it wrong and I could give a rat's patout about your uneducated 'opinion', have a nice day....

I have never went to a WoO race to see Sammy but Steve Kinser helped make me a fan of sprincar racing. I will continue to go to all WoO shows near me after he is gone as I cheer for KKR drivers and Joey Saldana.

As far as him forming his opinion of Steve on that one time I agree. Sammy on the other hand :-)............

I really could care less what your thoughts are anyway.  Who are you, the "if you only met someone once, do not EVER formulate your opinion of him/her on that one meeting Police'?  What a tool........Oh, and where did you get the 'opinions are like assholes' quip?  Just make it up?  LOL  I'll say it again, Steve AND Sammy have the personalities of a snake, whether I met them once, or numerous times. (actually it was more than once, each guy, so does that make my opinion okay now?)  I am sure there are many others that agree with MY opinion....Go back to doing what you do, whatever that is......

I remember when I was very young and my dad saying once opperman retires this sport just might die out, after all the sport lost the unsers, foyt and many others to big money indy cars

I can relate.  I heard my father say the same thing when Bobby Grim left IMCA and went with USAC so he could get a shot at Indy. 

Times change, but the racing goes on and IMHO, just gets better and better.  Yes, we will miss Steve and Sammy and their rivalry.  (Remember the Opperman/Kenny Weld days?)  But those of us who were fortunate enough to see them will never forget them, just like we'll never forget all the greats who came before them.  Their carears in sprint car racing will make great "bench racing" for decades, just like us current old guys like to reminisce about Larson, Foyt, Opp, Branson, et.al.

Just count yourself lucky that you were alive when they were racing.

They will have to officiallly mandate a car and engine exactly like Kinser ran 10 years ago.  Even though thats what everyone runs anyways, the fans will then know for sure that everything will be truly average and identicle without any performance improvements forever. 

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?

I truly doubt sprint car racing will be a thing of the past some may loose some interest as did when Earnhart's death.

But I would go to say that Brian Carter is running to the bank this year with all the hype on the Kings last ride reason being that all the new tracks signing on!

I enjoy lurking as these arguements about what might happen start to escalate.  There is never a shortage of people who can forecast the future and are willing to passionately defend what they see in their crystal ball.  You can't beat the entertainment value of that. 

Personally I'll go on record siding with the "no big deal, it will be business as usual" school of thought.  Judging by the historical precedence of no driver's retirement/demise ever taking down a series.  As far as vehemently defending that position, us old dogs prefer to lay on the porch and watch the young pups run in circles. 

MSPN followed these guys around for years and when they start slinging mud at someone who has been there and done that in defense of an opinion they lose their credibility in my book.

Stan Meissner

It really could matter less if anyone thinks I have credibility or not.  That is not why I made a comment.  He may have formulated his thoughts on knowing these guys, following them for years.  I did not follow them for years, and my 'opinion' was formed on the few meetings I had with these guys for whatever reason in the pits.  Nothing more, nothing less. They may be the friendliest guys on Earth, I don't know, I just stated an opinion, which is mine, all mine.  It doesn't mean it is everyone's.  I just don't understand someone questioning someone else's opinion, it doesn't mean it is factual, just how a guy feels, from his experience.  I stand by my comment.  I never said the series would lose out, I merely stated that, with different wording, it will be business as usual like you said.

I don't mean to imply that I have never caught a driver on a bad day and had them bark back at me.  We did some televison interviews for a local TV show.  I did the interviews with a camera man following me around.  I've seen the good, bad and ugly side of things but we were trying to get in their face as things developed over the course of the evening so some of the less than desirable responses were expected.  My personal experiences aside I think for the most part after the races they're going to be in more of a meet and greet mode than they are when they're busy.

Stan Meissner