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

I have the utmost respect for Steve, and for his wishes to end his career on his terms. . . But there has got to be something they can do to get better!  Is there any chance they might call for some reenforcments to try to get things sorted out?  They are really REALLY bad at this point.  You can't tell me that Steve has forgotten how to drive the racecar, nor does he enjoy running at the middle to the rear of the pack.  Thoughts?

I watched Friday's Williams Grove highlights on The Cushion. Steve was just out drove in the heat race. Ryan Taylor (I think that was his name) wanted it more. He put it on the high side and drove around him on the last lap. It was a great battle.

Instead of putting himself in the dash, he is now mid pack in the A. With these cars so close its hard to drive up through there even if you are Steve Kinser. 

My point is they have had speed but sometimes things do not fall your way or you get beat plain and simple.

it would make sense if Steve an Donny drove the same stuff, then they can compare notes and help eachother out instead of driving 2 totally different cars.

they have been on the road constantly for 35 years.  i'm sure he's tired as hell!

Ascot was the greatest of all time..

West Capital wasn't half bad either..

Life is good...

This isn't exactly new. He started the year off strong but has been mid-pack since April. Since mid-2012, he's been off.

I think it is the fact that competition is just so tough now days. It isnt just Sammy and Doug like it ust to be... There are 10 to 15 "Sammy Swindell's" every week in 410 Sprint Car Racing... Especially in PA.

- Chaz Thompson

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Some strange responses to this thread to say the least.  NWFAN and FORD97 are the only responses that make any sense at all.  HE'S OLD!!!!!!  The solution--get Christopher Lloyd, a Delorean, and a flux capacitor and head back to 1985 and pick up Steve and bring him back and throw him in this car.  I think you will find that he will be very competitive in this equipment.

Someone said--"there are 10 to 15 "Sammy Swindell's" every week in 410 sprint car racing--especially in PA"?  I hope you are referring to 58 year old Sammy Swindell and not 35 year old Sammy Swindell.  Even though the guy is an ass hat, don't belittle the talent that man has by trying to say there are suddenly 10 to 15 of him floating around the country.   I cry bull$hit. 

Nothing is wrong with Steve or Sammy--father time has just finally caught up with them.  Amazingly--he waited to catch up with them for about 10 years longer than he should have.   They are done soon and nothing that they do now should ever tarnish their legacy.  (and with Sammy I mean in a race car--not signing autographs)  Everyone needs to quit pretending it's still mid-1980's Steve and Sammy and deal with it.

I'm not suggesting that he is a young man.  I am simply suggesting that POSSIBLY they need a fresh perspective to shake things up a bit.  I feel that Steve can still get it done.  The reason I say this is they have not been qualifying well which means there is something not right with the racecar. . .

Understand.  I truly just think it is his age catching up.  What you're suggesting can't hurt--I just don't think there is a magic wand at this point.

JMO

The King is what 60 years old? Can't stay at the top of your game forever.  He's had an amzing run to say the least and he still might have another W or 2 left in him. I remember watching Kauffman go through the same situation for a few years before he retired after last season. To quote the Rolling Stones..."Time waits for no one."

A

Dont you guys agree though that if both TSR drivers(Schatz/Kinser)used the same equipemtnt it would definietly be abenefit for both teams especially Kinser since he has been struggling, to me its dumb to be running different chassis , motor, shocks,etc... I hate KKR but they do it right, everybody is given same equipment to work with so teams can use and pull info from one another if they are struggling.

Schazts and kinser would be better off if they used the same equip?

Take two of the greatest drives and say heres want you a going to run, ya right

 You think Tony runs a dumb operation there with his cars.Send him a letter cause I bet he doesn't know any better. He needs you to help him do better.

What are you drinking

Speaking of the Stones Jagger has lost a step or two and Keith Richards looks like 40 miles of bad road.  I turned 60 just shy of three years ago and I can guarantee that the physical skills dimininish.  I think we all just need to remember that they're hundreds of Sprint Car drivers who would be elated if they could run mid pack with the Outlaws.  I think Steve could still win a few but I don't him dominating anymore.  If that were the case there would be more 60 year old WoO drivers.  ;)

Stan Meissner

Lol you must be drinking something. Its like Hendrick Motorsports letting each driver pick which manufacturer to run and all the drivers picking something different, it makes no sense. When you sign a contact with Hendrick you drive a Chevy, you have no choice, if you dont like Chevy and wont drive one look elsewhere. Whats the point of having a team if you dont share really any information at all because nothing you have is the same, doenst matter who you are. It's my opinion and people may think its dumb but TSR shoud have a shop of parts that everyone pulls from so both teams have the same stuff, to me that makes sense.

The only thing that Steve and Donny have in common is that their cars are both owned by Tony.  They aren't teammates, never have been.  They don't run the same equipment, they don't park beside each other, they don't stay at the same motels (at least that I've seen in PA).  I'd be surprised if they are even operated out of the same shop (guessing Steve keeps all his stuff in Bloomington).  And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.  That's how they want to run things, that's fine.  It's easy to say that KKR is does it right.  They have 3 guys running for them that have combined 1 WoO championship.  If they want to run with KKR, they run the equipment that KKR wants to run.  When you have the best ever and probably the 2nd-4th best ever racing for you, you let them run whatever they want to run and stroke the check to pay the bill.  Tony isn't where he's at because he's stupid.

I agree with what most everyone else is saying.  Steve is 60 not 30.  He's been competitive, especially the last couple of weeks.  I wasn't at the Grove this past weekend, but it seems like he was much better there than he was in May.  Same with LIncoln.  I wouldn't be shocked to see him win one or two more before the end of the year.  I also wouldn't be surprised to see him be very competitive if he decides to race a limited schedule next year.  I'm sure the wear and tear of up and down the road on a 60 year old guy is tough, beautiful motorhome or not.  If he can run 20-30 races next year and be at the track because he really wants to be, you might see some rejuventation.

"Physical skills"? not only that, but how about your memory? I'm about the same age

And another thing, how about your memory?

Oh, I just forgot, your memory goes too.....

No one else drives what Donny does.  J and J car, Shaver engines, Pro shocks.  He has always run this stuff so why change?   Steve has always run Maxims, Pro shocks and I am not sure if he still runs Kinser engines.  Tony Stewart does not run  same stuff as these two in his car.  I think Tony wants them to run what they are comfortable in.  I am sure Steve and Donny have set up ideas for each track that probably equals 500 pages after all these years.  You do not foreget how to drive after all these years, I think your body just is not what it used to be.  I think you just do not feel the chassis in your butt like you used  to.  I do not think we should worry about it.  You might also look at Richard Petty and A.J. Foyt.  They had alot of trouible being up front competative in the final years of racing.  Do you think Steve is dumb and does not know the old flash has gone?  Give him a break.  Give Sammy a break and see if you are on top of your game at age 60, if you even have a game.

My point is if TSR does decide to add another full time car next year, wouldnt it make sense if both teams ran the same stuff? Escpecially if it was a less experienced winged driver, say Clauson.