Wasn't everyone up in arms when Rogers got into somebody at Bloomington this year. This happens in every form of racing, not just USAC. I remember a few years ago everyone going on about how great a track in Illinois was, because it was slide jobs every lap. I prefer side by side racing. The deal with Grant and Bilbee was almost identical to the Weir/Bacon incident. They dove to the bottom. The guy behind them was committed to the bottom. When you have hard racing this stuff happens. Hated it for the Pederson team. No one does more for less than they do. how many times a night does Johnny Gibson say SLIDE JOB? So obviously this is reaches farther than USAC. I personally don't want to see things over officiated like Bombers at PO Dunk Speedway.
Originally Posted by Lincoln Chapple:
Weir had a perfect opportunity to give payback last night and chose not to. He is a good definition of true Indiana sprint car racing.
If you really pay attention over the years, and cut through some of the theatrics, I would challenge you to find a cleaner racer than T-Mez. He will push guys to there limits, but if he puts anyone in a bad spot, it is more himself than his competitors.
Ballou, Cottle, Cockrum, Darland, T-Mez, Weir, Westfall, Cummins, Bilbee, Mattox, Shuman, Short….need more of them to keep the true grit of traditional sprint car racing….less of the holding soda cans, same old interviews, and BS personalities. I suppose times change.
I hope young men with the talent of Bibent and Rogers lean toward acting more like the above men, then some of the “stars of usac”, for the future of the product to the general public.
Racers will sort it out, but always fun to throw out an opinion.
Everyone that straps in to these things are a badass in my book, but alot less of them are the same badasses outside the cockpit.
I agree with a lot of what you are saying with the exception of a few things:
We complain as race fans about lower purses for non wing shows and why does wing get all the money? Well one major thing is a big corporate sponsors! Getting that big corporate sponsorship entails holding up soda cans and sometimes generic interviews. I’m not saying I like that but sometimes it’s just the way it goes.
I agree with your selection of drivers who are hard nosed but I’ve seen a majority of them make some pretty boneheaded moves on the track. I watched Robert ballou punt Levi Jones into the entrance of turn 1 during the 1st smackdown and I seriously thought Levi was hurt severely. I’ve seen good ol DD throw some really questionable sliders in the past as well. Point being: JG is my favorite driver. I’ve watched him when he first started in the Baldwin 5, hell I’ve even helped scrap some mud off the car and get it shined up for the feature when he was with Hery. JG threw a stupid slider that was really never gonna work and he shouldn’t have thrown it. Every great driver has thrown some questionable sliders in their career. Do somethings need to change? Absolutely. I’m not ready to burn my JG shirts just yet.
Originally Posted by jonboat15:
It seems to be the "professional" racers vs. the "hobby" racers. The serious pros do this for a living and don't care about the local or lower budget teams and don't care if they run them out of parts. Its sad but its been that way for decades. I don't like it and would like to see the top dogs drive a little more cleanly, since they claim to be the best. Disappointed in Bacon and JG but I won't quit wearing their shirts, even Tmez talks his jazz and then runs into people. I really feel for the lower budget teams, I was there once. When I see a crash all I see is dollar signs after the driver gets out and hope that that team has the resources to continue racing.
I hear that KTJ's dad has paid for some of the damage his son has caused?
It might be old school but maybe there should be some black eyes and fat lips passed around to deter some of the on track contact. How come no one pulls BS moves on Shane Cottle?
Brady Bacon is one of the cleanest racers in the sport...maybe he just made a mistake. I guess with all the racing experience you have, you know exactly what happened and why......where exactly did you race sprint cars ? I don't recall every hearing your name ?
Round 3 of Indiana Sprint Week at Gas City tonight.
Tail to 8th last night after battling engine issues.
I try and judge contact objectively and after watching the replay my slider on the 14 was too short.
I’m not proud of it, and I’m sorry their stuff got tore up.
Originally Posted by wildman92:
Tweet from JG at 4pm
Round 3 of Indiana Sprint Week at Gas City tonight.
Tail to 8th last night after battling engine issues.
I try and judge contact objectively and after watching the replay my slider on the 14 was too short.
I’m not proud of it, and I’m sorry their stuff got tore up.
I don't buy this crap about having to study the video before you can decide whether you committed a boneheaded move. I realize this stuff happens in split seconds and the view in the cockpit is nothing like we see from the stands. But just be honest. That's how the respect happens.
Originally Posted by Gene Franckowiak:
Brady Bacon is one of the cleanest racers in the sport...maybe he just made a mistake. I guess with all the racing experience you have, you know exactly what happened and why......where exactly did you race sprint cars ? I don't recall every hearing your name ?
