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

Fair enough assessment.  

Curious how you assess a great crew chief vs. a good one?  Ricky Warner worked with arguably one of the top-3 drivers in the history of 410's and now works with one of the current top 5-10 drivers in the country.  Paul Silva works with arguably one of the top-3 most versatile drivers in the modern era.  He also did win 4 straight 360 Nationals, but it was with a driver that had already won a 360 Nationals prior.  Cody Jacobs works with a driver who has won in numerous other cars, with numerous other wrenches.  We can go on and on, but these great crew chiefs MUST have great talent in the seat.  Many of these great drivers, when in their prime, will perform at a high level with a "good" crew chief.  

I don't remember an average driver jumping in a great car, with a great crew chief, and suddenly bolting to the top of the sprint car world.  I do remember plenty of instances where a great driver, in his prime, wins races and contends in whatever he is in.  (and this goes for all forms of racing)  

Body of work is what delinates good from great.  How long have you been at that high level of sustained success and how many different drivers have you done it with.

Think Karl Kinser.  Long time success, handful of drivers pre and post Steve.  Kelly Kinser wins a WoO at Moberly, MO, I think, in his substituation for Mark with Karl. 

Davey Brown.  Regardless of whos been in the 69K its been fast.  I think Kreitz also plays a part in this not to dismiss Davey, but Kreitzy knows his shit too. Davey has won pretty much everything.  

Warner has been fast everywhere he has been starting with Tyler.  Ricky did his work in Pa before the road. Now he and Rico  are fast and they were fast last year with bad luck.   Ricky took a step back for personal/health reason once he was asked to leave TSR.    He's been one of the best over the past 20 years. I'm curious what would have been had he never went Nascar and would have stayed at KKR in 2006 prior to going to Schatz.   Can't take away his success as a crew chief as the data suggests he critcal.  

Silva has won with about everyone in his car going back to Shane and now with Kyle.  He was fast when he worked for Rico on his car prior to starting his own team.  

I need to see Prutzman replicate the same high level of success with another team and driver that he had at KKR.  If he does then he would have a seat at the active table.  He helped someone at Port this year, Newton, and they became very fast.  Car faster than the driver it appeared. 

Dietz has been good at JJR and won big races.  He's one with a little more success, maybe needs a title and another big win to be in the conversation because he has been pretty good over the last decade at JJR.

Jacobs wasn't really someone until he got to Big Game and wtih Gravel.   Time will tell on how his body of work plays out. Too early to know. 

I'll use Bayston as an average driver getting with a great crew chief.  He couldn't drive a peg up a dead mules ass in the 14 this year or the 5 last year. Bowers and Jackson can turn wrenches and have won, but he was terrible in those cars.  Clearly they couldn't give him what he needed to be fast.  He jumps in the W car and he's a rocket.  That what great ones do.  Sliva made Bayston look like he was a world beater in CA.   Silva didn't do much for Donny, which is interesting and continues to make me believe Donny needs the car set up a certain way to be fast.