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

Can believe I'm the first to bring this up (maybe I'm not) but, did mere mortal Donnie Schatz actually finish way, way down in thirteenth??? Really?

Yes, missed the heat transfer by one spot. Missed the B-main transfer by about 5 positions. Used a provisional to start 25th in the feature, one spot ahead of Saldana. Track was unusually dry for Placerville. Dust from the first heat race to the last lap of the feature and slick from bottom to top. Still provided a decent race though.

All the extra HP from the ol chev is quite a liability on a slick track like that  The new inferior Ford apparition will come in handy when the water truck won't start.

Luna's Ford engine style that won 2 WoO titles and 3 
Kings Royals before a weight rule against the best EVER
in their prime and now DOMINATES super dirt late model
racing is no longer allowed/wanted in a WoO sprint
car.... Was Luna a miracle worker?

Seem to work okay for positions 1 - 12....maybe he was testing a Ford last night

No chance of that.  The track was slow and slick all night!

Luna's Ford engine style that won 2 WoO titles and 3 
Kings Royals before a weight rule against the best EVER
in their prime and now DOMINATES super dirt late model
racing is no longer allowed/wanted in a WoO sprint
car.... Was Luna a miracle worker?

    He lost a bet and had to race with one hand tied behind his back. Who were the name brand drivers who finished behind him?

 he finished 5th in the B.  schuchart, maceado, mc fadden, golobic, schatz. from listening to the sound of his motor it appears he had some issues with the powerplant.  did not sound good at all!

the track was pretty much dusty most of the evening.  standing room only while the california kid colided with another car going into three.  several laps later he exited the track

imo pretyy much lackluster racing for placerville, two pit passes $100.00

Ascot was the greatest of all time..

West Capital wasn't half bad either..

Life is good...

saldana, croft, netto...

Ascot was the greatest of all time..

West Capital wasn't half bad either..

Life is good...

Issues with the powerplant??   Must have been Ford!!

Sure....first you want me to believe he finished 13th - and now you want me to believe he took a provisional - I'm gullible but not that gullible

When was the last time the 15 car took a provisional - like 2002????

Well, he may not have taken a provisional, but last year at Tulare didn't he miss the show and leave before the feature even started?

Yup, he elected not to use the provisional that night. Then he left.

My bad, I was going from memory and must have been counting some lapped cars. I made the drive from Placerville, home to Santa Cruz after the races so I'm a little foggy today.

The reason for that last year was if you took a provisional you didn't get any points where you finished or money

the rule is different from last year. This year you get points where you finish when using a provisional

Good to know, I wasn't aware that they had switched back to the "old system" of giving points when using provisionals.

OK then, don't believe the 13th place finish.  Your gut usually tells you when something isn't correct.  I've looked at the official finishing order a couple places now and they all show him finishing................12th.  Feel better now? LOL.

Well, I was feeling better - until I realized I can't count to twelve

Why would you bother racing if you didn't earn money or points when taking a provisional?  I could understand it if the sponsor agreeement required you to race if you had a provisional available.

I think that was the point of the rule change last year... to deter WoO drivers from using provisionals if they couldn't make the show 'fair and square'.  I think most (if not all) did just that last year... kept it parked... ie, Schatz at Tulare.  Enough of them obviously complained loud enough though, so they changed the rule back.  I get the argument... people pay $30+ to watch these guys race and want to see all the top guys run the premier event (A-Main).  For the very casual fan and the WoO drivers, provisionals are great.  For the hardcore fan that knows that just making a WoO A-Main can be the highlight of a local racer's season... giving the 'best in the world' a free pass is a load of crap.  

You may say it's a load of crap and that is the right you are given.  Here's my 2 cents worth. 

The World Racing Group is a business.  As a business they require that their drivers only run shows under their sanction, or get permission to go run anywhere else well in advance.  These are their "Gold" card carrying members.  In return, the fans upon purchasing tickets expect to see "the stars" that travel with the WoO brand.  You say the locals making a WoO show can be their "highlite" and I get that.  But let's consider that these locals are just that, a local.  They have the benefit of racing at their home track and another benefit of gearing up for their 1 or 2 nights with the WoO to bring their best.  Agree or disagree, but in all honesty the fans are their to see the Pittman's, Saldana's and Schatz's.  If for 1 of many reason's one of these guys doesn't make the show the fans are the one's that ultimatly pay the price.  Then take into consideration that the WoO guys run roughly 90 shows a year, the odd's of them missing a show or 2 is pretty high.  The regular WoO teams need to also be protected for their loyalty (remember the contract they signed, limiting them to only certain races) by having a provisional or two to fall back on.  Remember the beating Schatz and team took for leaving last year afer the B-main?  What were they going to gain by running the A-main?  There was no prize money or points to be collected so why stick around?  This also robbed the paying customer (fans) of seeing one of the series more prolific names run the A-main that night.  Do I like provisionals myself? Nope.  Are they something that a series needs to have in place to protect the people that run for them, well I hate to say it but, Yes.  By bringing back to Gold card carrying members the ability to gain points by taking a provisional it has once again made it worth running for that member every time they take one.  All in all, I believe it was the correct thing to do.  Like I said early in this post, just my 2 cents.