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

Wow, was reading about ageless Danny Wood winning a SSO race at Red Dirt Raceway, then this morning's PA Speedweek results, Sammy Swindel finishing 3rd at Grandview, at 64 years young.

How old is the flying fossill Danny?  Used to love seeing him on tour, he is credited with 5 WoO wins.

Its great to see these 'seniors' still getting it done, w/ their AARP cards.

What other drivers share this age and are still active?

Red Farmer still runs a dirt late model and he is in his 70s or 80s?  At least I thought I saw that he was still racing.

I dont understand how Danny got the nickname "flying fossill" when he was only in his 40's.  I bet he's having more fun racing now than he did when his livelyhood depended on his performance.

Wild Child (61 or 62) Hard to believe

Danny Smith (63)

Terry McCarl (55)

Jeff Swindell (59)

Donny Schatz (42) Well not old but getting up there!

Hats off to them. I always root for the older guys.

Terry Gray still races.  How young is he I wonder

"Cowboy" Jim Kennedy (84) raced 305's in Penna last year. Don't know if he's been on the track this year.

At 68 and closing in on 69 me thinks driving a Sprint Car in ones 60's is all fun and games until one flips at Knoxville or Eldora and reminds them of why it's a young persons game.  Anyone who suggests that I don't get it is likely much younger and has never gotten out of bed in the morning in their 60's.

Sammy did have a good run last night which suggests that mechanical knowledge and setup are more important than youth.  If we were talking NFL even Schatz would have been retired for four or five years by now.  The success of drivers in their late 50's and 60's along with kids barely into their teens driving these cars seems to suggest that they're not as physically demanding as we are led to believe.  That is what I get out of senior citizens driving Sprint Cars.  I sure wouldn't want to flip in one, I'd be on the heating pad for weeks.

Stan Meissner

I'm not sure how old Terry is, but he's still successful running with USCS.   Another USCS driver who was running regularly last year is Ray Bugg.   I'm not sure how old he is either, but he's gotta be way up there.   

Could not agree with you more Stan on the flipping aspect being in your 60's.  Those sudden jolts and contorting of the body will feel a lot different at 60+ then in your 20's or 30's.  In regards to the physical demands, have you every been in a sprint car?  One time for me at a Wallace driving experience and I will never forget the feeling.  Was it physically demanding?  I thought so, you cram yourself in that tight area and your right foot is in an unnatural position to control the accelerator (when you are not going full throttle).  I was out for about 15-18 laps and thought I was getting up to speed, but when I looked at the video I was corrected on how slow I was actually going.  At 50+ years when I drove that sprint car I can honestly say that working that car on the track at a slow speed was a bit of a workout, not one that would deter me from driving, but you factor in the stamina to control a machine that can get so out of control in a hurry and combine this with full throttle much of the time and then working around other cars, there is no doubt in my mind that this is a physical activity.  I would put mental toughness right up there if not higher than the physical aspect.  I have all of the respect in the world for our senior drivers getting it done!  To think that Jac, Danny, Jeff, Sammy and all of the others long in the tooth can still be competitive is amazing.  And to contend for wins at this age like Sammy is proving.......like someone just stated on twitter, he is making Father Time look like an ass!  Hat's off to the Old Guys!

How did I know from reading the headline that this was gonna mention Sammy?

I'd luv it if he won a Speedweek race, but I'm NOT holding my breath!

I'm don't doubt that it takes physical stamina but when I see 14 year old drivers both girls me and boys who are not fully developed physically the only conclusion I can come to is that it doesn't require as much as I had previously thought.  When a girl the age and size of my middle school granddaughter is the driver that is the only conclusions I can come to.  Remember to put in t in perspective that I was a long time believer in how writers like to desribe drivers and certain parts of their anatomy.  Those stories talked up Sprint Car drivers like the Navy Seals better buy them a drink when they walk into a bar if they know what's good for them.  I'm just saying that senior citizen and teenage drivers have convinced me that they're not as harassed as they're portrayed.  Can In drive a Sprint Car?  I grew up around them and would have liked to try it but looking at those teenagers who have  best equipment I wasn't born into the right family.

Seriously, I think they have to have great eyesight and reflexes and mechanical knowledge helps but the kind of brute strength required to drive a Sprint Car fifty years ago without power steering is a thing of the past.  I'm not afraid of the speed and having worked on the flight deck obviously not afraid of working in dangerous situations.  I would have liked to have tried it before I had neck surgery in 2001.  Now the bouncing through the rugs would be too much for me.   I admire the driver's dri am probably have an equal or greater passion for the cars and mechanical side of the sport.  My relatives owned and worked on them when I was a kid so my dream was to work on the cars.

Stan Meissner

Wow, I didn't realize Ray Bugg was racing that recently.  I believe he'd qualify as the oldest active driver if so.  If I'm not mistaken he's 80 years old or close!

Sammy, Terry Gray and Danny Smith are all three in a picture I've seen of attendees at the first WoO season end banquet (1978 or 79, maybe?).  I bet one of the three has the most laps of anyone in a Sprint Car.  I wonder which one?

Its a treat to watch these LEGENDS continue to race @ PA Speedweek

#stillwinning  _ Sammy won his Heat and continue with a 3rd in the Main Event ...Grandview PA Speedweek

most @ 64 yrs have a hard time hitting the toilet bowl ...mean while hit your marks / line in a 410 WoO car @ Speed. ..

Very true about the sprint car today compared to yesteryear!  No power steering and primitive aspects all around the car.  There is no doubt that they were harder to handle then today.  Don't know that I can name too many 14 year olds (boys or girls) with the outlaws, all stars, Pa speedweek, Ohio speedweek or anywhere else for that matter....driving a wing car anyway, but for strength and stamina I would put my money most of the time on a 20, 30, or even 40 year old before I would a 60 year old.  I'm 55 and I know I have slowed down and don't have the strength from 10 years ago or the stamina to work in my yard or on my house for the 8-10 hours that I once could.  I feel I have the determination at my age and I am sure the guys still out there doing it have that same determination plus the experience, but there are not many in this age group as mentioned earlier and as I said before, they are not only competitime but Sometimes challenging when circumstances fall into place.  (just like others out there)

To put it in perspective, I spent the afternoon in 90 degree heat with a 70 dew point and was all worn out.  Then I got to thinking about the race tonight at Cedar Lake, 32 miles from the end of the driveway and was glad that Covid concerns for people my age aside I'll be watching from an air conditioned man cave. 

Stan Meissner

I'm with you.  I'll be on the porch with dirtvision going this evening enjoying the outlaws!  Hopefully it will be a little cooler once the sun goes down.  I was going to head to Hagerstown for a Pa speedweek show, but the drive and rise in COVID changed my mind.  Enjoy the racing from home!  I'm hoping to get to Lernerville tomorrow evening for a big block special and couple divisions of sprint cars and then dirtvision again Saturday evening.