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

I believe he took the lead shortly after the 1/2-way break the year he ran from the B.  The year he took the lead on about 15 or 16 was the year he had an engine fire on qualifying night but had enough point to start around 11th or so.  (I think anyways)

One of the underrated Schatz performances was 2011 when he blew up on qualifying night and started the a main Saturday in 13th or something. That year he was in the lead By lap 15 or so.

Another year another thread complaining about the format. I remember years ago people were complaining about guys sandbaging qualifying so that they qualified 13-16 to start upfront in the heat race to get into the dash, and guys were getting screwed over because you could qualify 6th but could start 15th because of the whole inversion and dash thing. Then they went to only heat race winners into the dash and the top 4 remaining qualifiers and and people still complained about that saying heat races and dash were pointless.

Then the i think a few years ago when the Outlaws were in some of the stronger regions of California, Ohio, Midwest, PA there were some nights where the "locals" swept the top 3 and everyone who hated the Outlaws got on all of the message boards talking about how much they sucked and they could not even get a driver in the top 3 or 5. This arguement was being made at the same time people were complaining that there was not a lot of passing in a 30 lap feature race or the leader was coming from the first 2 or 3 rows of a 30 lap feature race. Then they changed the format again and now you have where you qualify is where you start in the heat race, and where you finish (aside from the dash) is where you will start in the feature which means the heat races mean something now(and we still have complaining). Personally, I think the racing has been better since they went to the newer format as the challenging for position has been closer, and guys are still moving through the field.

Whether people want to admit it or not, the Outlaws are the best group of drivers in winged sprint car racing no matter what the format is. It is the goal for a lot of young up and coming drivers and was the goal for a lot of older drivers. A lot of local/regional teams have aspirations of running with the Outlaws full time and there may be drivers out there that are better than a couple members of the outlaws. But as a whole group, they are the best. They schedule about 90 races every season, more fans show up to their shows than a local, All Star, KWS, MOWA, or any other type of show. No matter what the format is, you will still have Outlaws winning races and people will still be complaining about how the format/rules are geared toward them.

You missed my point. It isn't the entire roster of the WoO tour that is dominating the locals. Hell, 10 of the WoO drivers are being dominted, also, by the same small group of their own. You even point that out. So yeh, budget is a part of the equation. One of your examples is CA and the Roth teams. It's a fact that the Roth budget isn't what it was. You're right, Gravel dominated there. Budgets are relevant. You ask why McMahan and Destiny haven't won, hell the Destiny car didn't win on the All Star tour, either. I never said budget was the only factor. But change the fortunes around and there would be a difference. As for the rest of the teams you mention, they are the ones that I refer to as being more on a par with the locals in the form of competition. I have a hard time believing that Schatz, Gravel, Sweet and Pittman don't have the largest and most well spent racing budgets and racing know how at their disposal, beyond their trailers. The last I looked, private jets and the fanciest of motorhomes have never taken a checkered flag. Having the nicest pool cue in the world won't make a person a champion. It still takes talent and ability. But in all forms of racing today, the largest budgets most often dominate.

You missed my point. It isn't the entire roster of the WoO tour that is dominating the locals. Hell, 10 of the WoO drivers are being dominted, also, by the same small group of their own. You even point that out. So yeh, budget is a part of the equation. One of your examples is CA and the Roth teams. It's a fact that the Roth budget isn't what it was. You're right, Gravel dominated there. Budgets are relevant. You ask why McMahan and Destiny haven't won, hell the Destiny car didn't win on the All Star tour, either. I never said budget was the only factor. But change the fortunes around and there would be a difference. As for the rest of the teams you mention, they are the ones that I refer to as being more on a par with the locals in the form of competition. I have a hard time believing that Schatz, Gravel, Sweet and Pittman don't have the largest and most well spent racing budgets and racing know how at their disposal, beyond their trailers. The last I looked, private jets and the fanciest of motorhomes have never taken a checkered flag. Having the nicest pool cue in the world won't make a person a champion. It still takes talent and ability. But in all forms of racing today, the largest budgets most often dominate.

There are two separate arguments at play. The Outlaws have the best 3-4 teams and drivers in the country, but it is still terrible racing more often than not because the fast cars are almost starting up front. That is why this board lights up with posts any time there is a rare Outlaw race won from somewhere other than the first couple rows.