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

Does Larson have a weight advantage? Being 50 lbs lighter as a driver requires the car to be 50 lbs heavier doesn't it?  Only advantage is they can put that weight were they want it. 

Dale Blaney was a tall driver and Danny Lasoski was the shorter stalkier type and both could win. At one time they held the 1200# Nationals  in Knoxville to adress the 1000# light weight cars. All weighing 1425# is fairest. The advent of power steering and we also have much safer cars to help injuries as theres no question the seats have saved lives. The days of driving with a bandana and short sleeves with a rope for seat belt are long forgotten.

Before the advent of power steering, a driver had to have a lot of upper body strength to manhandle a sprint car for 25 laps.

I don't think upper body strength and stamina are issues for anyone today with the advancements in weight training and fitness.  In today's NFL for instance, guys like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitchke would get their asses handed to them by smaller, stronger guys.  Babe Ruth would have zero home runs against today's pitching.  Wilt Chamberlain may not even make an NBA team.  Today's basketball players, football players, baseball players and racers are fine tuned machines who are into fitness and programmed weight and stamina training.  Sorry if they were everyone's heroes, but the guys back then would get their asses handed to them by today's fine tuned machines in every sport.  

It's kinda been this way for quite some time now.  Yes, there are occassionally bigger drivers, but most are much smaller.  I never really questioned it.  I just assumed more movable weight, and the fitness regimen has changed so much, that even the taller drivers are in better shape and look smaller.  I laugh when I hear that these drivers today aren't as tough as the drivers were 30 years ago.  Maybe they couldn't win a fist fight, but when it comes to conditioning, I'll take today's driver 100 times over the guys from the old days. 

(and before anyone gets stupid, I don't mean I'd take someone like Jacob Allen over Steve Kinser----I'm talking overall) 

They were as good as they needed to be to be the best of their time. They were champions and champions do what it takes to be the best. You don't  think if they played today they would not do what it takes to be the best?

Great point-----Let me rephrase.  If you dropped any of them from a time machine, with their former body type, they would not hold a candle to today's athletes.  Many of them showed up at training camp 30 pounds overweight, with a smoke hanging from their mouths.  They'd be cut week 1 in today's world.  On the flip side, that's why so many of today's guys are so injury prone in stick and ball sports.  They never rest their bodies like the old guys did.  However, if they did rest their bodies, they wouldn't win the job over the talent of the other guy.

Back on subject---who do you think would be better?  Steve Kinser in 1985, or Steve Kinser in 1985 on today's fitness regimen?  Take the smokes away and get him a trainer, and believe it or not, he's probably even better than he already was.  

Steve Kinser was no slouch in 1985 by any means. And when he gave them that, "I'm gonna kick your ass" look!!!! it basically meant he was gonna kick their ass.   I don't think his workout program or the occasional Ciggy gave him much hinderance!!  Now the years 2010+ maybe a different story, But you have to fighure in the age factor as well.

I don't think upper body strength and stamina are issues for anyone today with the advancements in weight training and fitness.  In today's NFL for instance, guys like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitchke would get their asses handed to them by smaller, stronger guys.  Babe Ruth would have zero home runs against today's pitching.  Wilt Chamberlain may not even make an NBA team.  Today's basketball players, football players, baseball players and racers are fine tuned machines who are into fitness and programmed weight and stamina training.  Sorry if they were everyone's heroes, but the guys back then would get their asses handed to them by today's fine tuned machines in every sport.  

You're making some pretty outrageous statements there.....

Butkus, Ray Nitchke, Babe Ruth? I disagree

But your statement about Wilt REALLY takes the cake

He would DESTROY today's 3 point shooting Sissy Centers!!!!

Sorry----the games have changed.  Most centers from 20 years ago have no place in today's game.  Maybe it will come full circle as I enjoy it the way it used to be.  Also, Wilt was a man amongst boys.  Let's place Wilt in the 80's and 90's even.  He doesn't even get to double-digits agains Shaq, Hakeem, or Ewing.  He might score at will, but now he's got to follow his man to the perimeter and defend a shooter.  He'd be on the bench in no time flat.  

Butkus?  He may not even make the team based on how slow he was.  (and he's my favorite player of all time by the way)  I believe the scouting report was "it took him 3 days to run the 40."  He wouldn't have even gotten a look by coaches let alone gone to the hall of fame.  Butkus ran a 5.0+ 40 yard dash.  Todays linebackers run sub-4.4.  He wouldn't have even been invited to camp in 2023.  Butkus would not even have made an NFL team in the 80's, let alone today.  Guys in the 80's were running sub 4.5.   Sorry to break the news to you, but that's the reality of how players are picked.  Not heart.  Not desire.  Not smarts.  They break down size, reach, arm span, speed, acceleration, etc.  Coaches can teach the rest.  They can't teach him to not be slow.  

Science has come so far and workout regimens and nutrition are just as big in professional racing as they are in stick and ball sports.  Guys are sharper, in MUCH better shape, and pound for pound, they're stronger.  I know the old guys like us like to pretend we have natural strength and there's no way a young man can possibly be as strong as us.  Wrong.  Those programs know how to work every muscle, and every movement to perfection. 

Sorry----the games have changed.  Most centers from 20 years ago have no place in today's game.  Maybe it will come full circle as I enjoy it the way it used to be.  Also, Wilt was a man amongst boys.  Let's place Wilt in the 80's and 90's even.  He doesn't even get to double-digits agains Shaq, Hakeem, or Ewing.  He might score at will, but now he's got to follow his man to the perimeter and defend a shooter.  He'd be on the bench in no time flat.  

Butkus?  He may not even make the team based on how slow he was.  (and he's my favorite player of all time by the way)  I believe the scouting report was "it took him 3 days to run the 40."  He wouldn't have even gotten a look by coaches let alone gone to the hall of fame.  Butkus ran a 5.0+ 40 yard dash.  Todays linebackers run sub-4.4.  He wouldn't have even been invited to camp in 2023.  Butkus would not even have made an NFL team in the 80's, let alone today.  Guys in the 80's were running sub 4.5.   Sorry to break the news to you, but that's the reality of how players are picked.  Not heart.  Not desire.  Not smarts.  They break down size, reach, arm span, speed, acceleration, etc.  Coaches can teach the rest.  They can't teach him to not be slow.  

Science has come so far and workout regimens and nutrition are just as big in professional racing as they are in stick and ball sports.  Guys are sharper, in MUCH better shape, and pound for pound, they're stronger.  I know the old guys like us like to pretend we have natural strength and there's no way a young man can possibly be as strong as us.  Wrong.  Those programs know how to work every muscle, and every movement to perfection. 

Sorry----the games have changed.  Most centers from 20 years ago have no place in today's game.  Maybe it will come full circle as I enjoy it the way it used to be.  Also, Wilt was a man amongst boys.  Let's place Wilt in the 80's and 90's even.  He doesn't even get to double-digits agains Shaq, Hakeem, or Ewing.  He might score at will, but now he's got to follow his man to the perimeter and defend a shooter.  He'd be on the bench in no time flat.  

Butkus?  He may not even make the team based on how slow he was.  (and he's my favorite player of all time by the way)  I believe the scouting report was "it took him 3 days to run the 40."  He wouldn't have even gotten a look by coaches let alone gone to the hall of fame.  Butkus ran a 5.0+ 40 yard dash.  Todays linebackers run sub-4.4.  He wouldn't have even been invited to camp in 2023.  Butkus would not even have made an NFL team in the 80's, let alone today.  Guys in the 80's were running sub 4.5.   Sorry to break the news to you, but that's the reality of how players are picked.  Not heart.  Not desire.  Not smarts.  They break down size, reach, arm span, speed, acceleration, etc.  Coaches can teach the rest.  They can't teach him to not be slow.  

Science has come so far and workout regimens and nutrition are just as big in professional racing as they are in stick and ball sports.  Guys are sharper, in MUCH better shape, and pound for pound, they're stronger.  I know the old guys like us like to pretend we have natural strength and there's no way a young man can possibly be as strong as us.  Wrong.  Those programs know how to work every muscle, and every movement to perfection. 

Sorry----the games have changed.  Most centers from 20 years ago have no place in today's game.  Maybe it will come full circle as I enjoy it the way it used to be.  Also, Wilt was a man amongst boys.  Let's place Wilt in the 80's and 90's even.  He doesn't even get to double-digits agains Shaq, Hakeem, or Ewing.  He might score at will, but now he's got to follow his man to the perimeter and defend a shooter.  He'd be on the bench in no time flat.  

Butkus?  He may not even make the team based on how slow he was.  (and he's my favorite player of all time by the way)  I believe the scouting report was "it took him 3 days to run the 40."  He wouldn't have even gotten a look by coaches let alone gone to the hall of fame.  Butkus ran a 5.0+ 40 yard dash.  Todays linebackers run sub-4.4.  He wouldn't have even been invited to camp in 2023.  Butkus would not even have made an NFL team in the 80's, let alone today.  Guys in the 80's were running sub 4.5.   Sorry to break the news to you, but that's the reality of how players are picked.  Not heart.  Not desire.  Not smarts.  They break down size, reach, arm span, speed, acceleration, etc.  Coaches can teach the rest.  They can't teach him to not be slow.  

Science has come so far and workout regimens and nutrition are just as big in professional racing as they are in stick and ball sports.  Guys are sharper, in MUCH better shape, and pound for pound, they're stronger.  I know the old guys like us like to pretend we have natural strength and there's no way a young man can possibly be as strong as us.  Wrong.  Those programs know how to work every muscle, and every movement to perfection. 

Great point-----Let me rephrase.  If you dropped any of them from a time machine, with their former body type, they would not hold a candle to today's athletes.  Many of them showed up at training camp 30 pounds overweight, with a smoke hanging from their mouths.  They'd be cut week 1 in today's world.  On the flip side, that's why so many of today's guys are so injury prone in stick and ball sports.  They never rest their bodies like the old guys did.  However, if they did rest their bodies, they wouldn't win the job over the talent of the other guy.

Back on subject---who do you think would be better?  Steve Kinser in 1985, or Steve Kinser in 1985 on today's fitness regimen?  Take the smokes away and get him a trainer, and believe it or not, he's probably even better than he already was.