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

Any guesses?

PPM

Shane Stewart

My guess is there will be no fill in driver. 

Sammy

I just wanted to be the first one to say it, and while I'm at it, I'll throw Jac Haudenschild into the mix

JJR is competing for Team Owner WOO points so they will need someone to drive when gravel is racing trucks

Those two are a little hard on equipment I'd say with as good as friends as shane is with the Johnson family if hes out of a ride it will be him

I think it will depend on what races & tracks Gravel will miss. I personally don't think there will be just 1 fill in driver. I think it will  be one of those things where they will see what races Gravel will miss and pick someone that has a good history at that track. One of the Youtube clips that Gravel had towards the end of the season he stated he was not sure what races he would miss.

I agree with this. TK makes sense if Gravel misses any races out while WoO is out west.

i would love to see either of those guys in the car 

Honestly I was just trolling Sammy and Jac fans.

Just trying to beat them to the punch.  I'd never put Jac in a car unless you have no concerns about it being wadded up.

Jac was fast out of the gate during his brief stint with SJM. But if you noticed Jac's been a bit more tame the past year driving his own equipment haha. Funny how that works.

I never really thought Sammy had a reputation of being hard on equipment though. 

From what i have read on this forum i thought Sammy was very hard on equipment, everyone's but his own.

Even though I may not know you, I 
care what most of you think!

This makes the most sense to me.  It will be hard to pick one driver to give up little bits and pieces of their season, all season long to fill in sporadically.  

Everyone thinks it's a long shot for Sammy but ya'll must have forgotten that when JJ was injured, Sammy ran the 41.  I don't think he won in it but I do believe he consistently had it being a top five car. Not saying it would happen but he has said he's got 410 rides lined up for this year, outside of the 39.

Sammy has dropped off quite a bit in the last few years which is understandable given he's 64. If JJR is seriously contending for the owners championship, there are far better choices than Sammy at this stage of his career.

He has certainly dropped off a bit, not sure I'd say quite a bit though.  He did start on the pole of the King's Royale and finish the race 6th. Not too bad for an old guy who has dropped off.  Heck of a lot of good, young drivers finished behind him that night.  In the right situation, with a good car, he can still get it done.  Is he like Sammy of the 80's?? Of course not but I'd never count him out.  He's only two years removed from a multiple 410 win year.

I hate Sammy Swindell. But hes more than capable of bringing home top 5 or top 10 finishes in a handful of races to keep a team in contention for owners points.

He timed 35th that night and started on the pole of his heat. Great for a 64 year old, but if that's your highlight for the year, not good for a team competing at the highest level of the sport. 

Contrast that with a Kaeding, Shaffer and Stewart who won races last year. 

He would help JJR accomplish something he never did.