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

Could there be a money problems?

When I read the announcement, I went into my normal anti-Sammy rant about how it was typical for Sammy to do something like this.   No fairwell tour, no fairwell race, no fairwell send off from the fans.   Just a press release saying "I retire"

However, the more that I thought about it, the more that I thought that there may be more to the story.  Did Sammy lose his ride?   Did the car owner park the team?   Is the retirement story easier for all to digest than the real story?  Could Sammy actually be taking the high road on all of this?

http://www.insidelinepromotions.com/news/?i=24672

Seems pretty amicable to me.

Ask Frank

You should know by now that Sammy isnt the guy to do the whole retirement tour thing.  Just not in his DNA.   He's a man of little words and a sort of intrevert.  Thanks Sammy for all the memories and good luck with Kev and his future in the sport.  

CAJ

This has to be closer to what really is happening........ Time will tell if we see that car at the track with a new driver?or if two big game teams suddenly becomes 1? or big game falls off the map in woo and sprints altogether, then we will know that this sudden retirement was hidden with more then what has been released.we will get answers one way or another

Did it ever occur to everybody that after more than 40 years of traveling and living like a gypsy it might not be fun anymore.  Maybe it was fun and the pressure to be the best isn't really all that important anymore.  Maybe with the invention of social media and having a child and grandchild and reading all the hate by people had an effect on the decision.  Or maybe it was just what Sammy said.  Has thought it over and he wants to spend time with family and help his son.  Look at his brother Jeff.  He is back on the road running a limited schedule.  Look who his crew is.  His Son, and let me tell you I can say one day Jeff will look back and say that was the best decision he ever made.  Spending quality time on the road with family doing what you love.  Give it a break people and let Sammy has his retirement time

statement sounds quite straight forward jmo

The joy of message boards - people making something out of every little thing that comes out.

Maybe Sammy did lose his ride and decided he didn't want to start over, so what?  After 40 years on the road the guy has earned the right to decide how he wants to go out.  No farewell tour - with Sammy, that makes sense.  He is a quiet guy and preferred to remain low-key, so why would anyone expect him to do a farewell tour?  I'm sure he's watched Kinser struggle all year trying to juggle racing and his own Salute to the King.  I'm a Kinser fan but I wonder if he's sorry he came back for one last year.

And if there are money problems?  It's not really our business, is it.  Big Game has sponsored cars for a few years and put quite few dollars into the support.  Thanks to the Quirings and good luck if there are some changes for their team.

Steve probably likes the farewell tour when he looks at the receipts from the merchandise trailer.

Yea, Sammy is probably too proud to do a farewell tour & not win, like The King is doing

Yea right....One of the nicest and most fan friendly drivers of all time. You don't get to be called the King for nothing. I've always been anti Sammy since 1979, but one hell of a driver. Our sport will never be the same without these two cats.

Jacobladder - no doubt he likes seeing those receipts!  I know I contributed a few $'s to his retirement.

FORD97 - yeah, he seemed happy at Knoxville but I wonder if the "old" Steve would have been pissed at how he ran for the week.  The farewell tour is not for everyone.  I'm sure it takes a lot of patience and can make it tough to focus.  I'm sure people like Petty, Jeter, etc. all found it a challenge.

Since Tod Quiring posted on Facebook yesterday a picture of Sammy's car from Knoxville and said he would keep it forever in his shop, I'm pretty sure the split was amicable.  

Wouldn't say I was a Sammy fan, but I respected the dude more than most of the drivers out there.  I remember last year when the Outlaws came to Lakeside Speedway and there was a threat of rain so they ran the WoO show first and then the B Mod support class feature.  I always go to the pits after the races to congratulate the drivers and snag a hero card for my kids and such.  Of course, the B mod feature took a little longer than it should have and the rain never came.  By the time I got to the pits, there were only 2 drivers left to greet fans.  Everyone else had loaded up the haulers and the drivers were no where to be found.  The 2 drivers left were Craig Dollansky (pretty normal if you know Craig) and Sammy Swindell.  He had a smile on his face and signed every autograph and shook every hand.  Earned a lot of respect from me that day.