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

Since there's no Nationals tonight and I have nothing better to do.......there's something I've been wanting to bring up on this forum for quite some time, and tonight just seems like the right night.

I read a lot of the crap on this forum and sometimes shake my head in disgust at how outright nasty some people can be towards Schatz. But, I can't help but wonder why he is so hated by so many people. I will admit that he is not my favorite and I will be happy if he doesn't win this year's Nationals, more because it's time for someone else to win, but something inside me just doesn't like his personna. So I was wondering....is Donny the most hated Sprint Car champion of all time? I'm too young to have witnessed the fans treatment of Opperman, Weld, Kinser in his prime, Rahmer in posse land, etc.

So I pose the question - Is Donny the most disliked; or most booed, (whatever you want to call it) champion of all time?

And then it leads to the 2nd portion of my topic - Why? I've heard so many different things on here about Donny, that I don't really know why he is so disliked by so many, other than he likes donuts. Ok there's the obvious - he's a winner, 4 years in a row kind of winner, which deserves respect - I just don't know why so many people, including myself, don't respect this guy and just outright want to see him finish in the back. I've been a racer myself for over 30 years (I started in quarter midgets at 4) so I'm not the average fair weather fan that changes their favorite driver like underwear. I truly don't like Schatz...and the funny thing is, I don't really know why. I guess it's probably because he just hasn't been what I consider an ambassador to the sport. I'm a die hard sprint car fan, have been my whole life. There's just something about this Champion that is different than other's. Maybe some other respected forum users (is there such a thing a respected forum user? ) can weigh in and shed light as to why Donny is booed louder than any other driver I've ever witnessed. And maybe some of the older fans can tell me if any of the older drivers were held to such rigorous beatings as what Schatzy has been getting the last couple of years.

Thanks for listening to me ramble. Let's keep it clean please, or as clean as possible with this particular topic.

I come from a family of owners so all drivers are equal in my eyes. The seat bolts in, as long as you don't bend our sh*t you can drive it next week. ;-)

Seriously though, I don't sit in the stands so I don't get caught up in any of this stuff but I respect all the drivers for what they do. Some have more likable personalities than others but I don't hate or dislike any of them. I've got some personal favorites and some that I know pretty well but I just look at them as people out there doing their jobs. It would be hard to go back to being a fan in the stands and getting caught up in all this petty pro wrestling type hype about the drivers. They're all pretty decent people and some of the hardest working folks I have ever known.

That's my take on the deal from behind the lens and word processor.

Stan Meissner

I remember the "Anybody but Kinser" years.I think it's the same person winning time and time again that causes it.I don't remember people booing Donny before he won his first Nats.As a matter of fact,when he won that first one it was a pretty joyous crowd.

Stan, I respect your opinion on the matter. My dad has been a car owner for many, many years and he too feels the way you do the last time we had a beer and talked about it.

I was thinking more about it though, and I compared the drivers that I tend to follow their results and pull for them compared to the drivers that I don't really consider my favorites. What I think makes me like certain drivers is their enthusiasm for the sport, having a little bit of swagger (not to be confused with arrogance...huge difference that too many drivers don't understand) and humble victory lane speeches that includes honoring other people, not just talking about how fast their car was or how slow the lapped cars were, etc.; and not the Nascrap type mundane thanking of their crews. I'm not taking anything away from the crew, I know from many years of driving that without a good crew, the driver is crap. But I like a driver that is sincere and humble in victory lane.

I never thought I'd say this, but Sammy kind of sort of won me over last night in his victory lane speech. Even in his monotone style, he sincerily thanked his crew for their hard work, named each crew member during the interview and (again, in Sammy's own style) seemed like he is having more fun than he has in years. That's what I like to see. Shane Stewart and his racing team are one of my favorites for this very reason.

A Bad Day Of Sprint Car Racing Is 10 Times Better Than 
A Good Day At Work!

In the 50 some odd years of watching 'em goose it and turn left, I have found that fans are rough on consistent winners because they want the locals or back runners to pull it out. It is rather disgusting sometimes to see a driver wash away the field only to have tires, back runners or mechanical woes drop them out. It is bad to hear fans cheer this misfortune, but it's their dollar and they can boo and hiss for or against anybody. Schatz doesn't appear to be arrogant; Kinser doesn't seem to be aloof and Swindell is not a hot head. Fans like to label them as such, but those three gents can wax the rest of the field anytime they keep the wheels under them. Frankly, I'd like to see Sammy win this year.

Run Sammy run.... run Jeff run ... run Kevin run... 
Rest of you folks get out of the way....

Fans have been hating winners forever, this is from 1980, Geez, Steve was still a kid!

LOL, as is true of most anything I say on here you can't count on more than 1% being much more than a lame attempt at humor.

Stan Meissner

Yes indeed, I bet you sure as hell do "shake your head in disgust at how nasty people on this forum can be toward Schatz". Then you go on to say how happy you'd be if he didn't win the national, etc etc. Just put it out there, don't be afraid, say it like you want to, you are one of the haters. end of story. Don't couch it in that first sentence. And the other sentences to follow like "I truly don't like Schatz, his personna", etc etc. What a BS artist you are leadass.

You hate him because he's dominated the sport for four years. Period. Jealouos. Envy.

Lawlessness + liberalism = HELL -  NYC, Detroit, Chicago, 
Seattle, LA  Who the H runs those cities. 

I would not contribute my thoughts to this subject except the photo of the "IF YOU AIN'T A KINSER FAN,YOU AIN'T SHIT" tee shirt from back in the day kind of set me off.

To start with I am a member of the same club as oldgeezer62 which I believe sets me apart from the Kinser fans genetically.But that nasty tee shirt upset me and I was glad when it died a natural death and became a rag like many of our old favorites from being worn and washed so much.

I,too,want to see Sammy win this one but will have to admit that I don't begrudge Kinser another win because I'm sure he will truly earn it.We will not be there to see it but will be listening in on Hoseheads Radio so may the best man or woman win ( Please, let's not ignore Erin's contribution ) whomever it turns out to be !

Sincerely,Bud's Bride

I think that many people don't like to see the same guy winning everything all the time. In the '80s and '90s it was a foregone conclusion as to who would win the Nationals and the WoO championship. I even remember one writer in Open Wheel magazine theorizing in an article about who had the best chance to win if Kinser broke! I myself was a "anyone but Kinser" guy for many years. The fact that I am from Memphis and really liked seeing Swindell be the champion probably was a factor too.

It all changed when I went to Talladega one year. I was in the infield sitting on top of a camper when Kinser won the IROC race. I was immediately converted to being a Kinser fan. Seeing him do that told me how great a racer he really is and how special he is. He really did a lot for sprint car racing that day and I'll never forget that. Years later I can only think one thing, go KINSER!

One last word on this subject : My husband who is famous for his stories has been telling this one for years.(I hope I get the names right .)

Steve Kinser was racing back east and during the usual driver introductions he was impressed with the round of "BOOS" that rang out when (I believe it was) Brett Hearn's name was announced.He was standing next to him and Steve said "You must win a lot ! I've never been booed THAT good !"

A sense of humor,TOO !

Bud's Bride

I would think that Schatz takes the cake on most hated champion. He just doesn't come across right on TV or if you try to talk to him. He may be the nicest guy in town, but who knows? he doesn't act like he is or like he even cares. ( IMO).

For years Sammy seemed that way when interviewed, but it seemed people still liked him and he was just dry. Now he seems he has a new energy and is able to let go of a dry smile , sometimes.

Kinser is King and even though he can be upset , angry or just in his own world. After the races he will stay and sign and talk or whatever while the others are already at the Motel.

Like him or not
"Kinse is the best champ" and in my opinion Schatz is the worst. Maybe when he reaches 50 if anyone is still paying for him to race he will be nice to the people who pay to watch.

As long as everybody is safe I don't care who wins it.

Stan Meissner

That story was probably from either Orange County (N.Y.), Lebanon Valley (N.Y.) or Syracuse. Hearn usually receives the most thundrous boos at all of those places because he has been a big winner at those tracks for so long.

Schatz is the most hated National winner in my mind and a very close second is Sammy. I have many reasons for both of them, but the message board is no place for that. That is just my opinion on this.

Perfect example of the nasty type of people I'm referring to.

I don't apologize for it sounding hypocritical and I think my comments about Schatz pale in comparison to many others I've read about him. I don't boo him nor would I cheer if he crashed out of a race like the posse fans did earlier this year at WG. I just don't wish to see him win and do wish to see a few different drivers win. Simple as that. Which probably explains why my interest in the WoO is higher this year than it has been in the past. As for my comment about not liking Schatz, I think the post by TracKing hits the nail on the head and explains it better than I could have.

Thanks for those that have weighed in, this is much more interesting than I thought it would turn out.

For the other part of your question. Sammy has been booed since the early 80's and Steve at that time too. They also booed the Dude when he was winning in the late 80's and 90's. At Knoxville, a driver who wins a lot, seems too get booed. Wolfie is probably one of the most liked drivers in Knoxville history and I have heard him booed at Knoxville as well, but not near as much as Sammy, Steve and the Dude.

Its hard for me to undestand how anyone that calls themself a sprint car fan can hate any driver, these guys put on in a fire suit then strap into a 800 hp rocket for your entertainment and then you can say you hate them, I will never get it.

Grady

. 

IMHO I am FOR almost any driver that I consider 'underfunded', and usually against anyone that is a 'Big money' team. I was a huge Schatz fan until he started driving for Tony. Have always been against Kinser and Sammy because they always seemed to be in the high dollar cars. Love young guys that can drive their a** off in middle of the road equipment and as well as the old guys that have been driving for years in old stuff just because they LOVE racing and being out there for the fans.

The last line of the National Anthem should be "Let's go Rac'n"