Donny Schatz
 

All this guy does is win win win no matter what. Is it suffice to say that at this point in his career he's better than Steve Kinser? What you guys think?

Re: Donny Schatz
 

He still has a long way to go to be as good as Steve once was.. Just my 2 cents.. If he want to be as good a Steve he better find his way to a non-wing car, champ car and some other types of open wheel cars. If I'm not mistaken Steve also has an Indy 500 start, A few NASCAR Cup races, IROC races (believe he has 1 IROC win) and a good bit more.

Re: Donny Schatz
 

I got one question, How old are you?

Donny may be the best today in the WoO or even Winged Sprints all together, But how many USAC Sprint, CRA, Champ, Midget wins he have, How many Indy 500s, Daytonas IROC? I also think Donny is about 200 feature wins shy of where SK was at Donnys age.

Re: Donny Schatz
 

I was going to ask the age question as well but didn't want a smart@$$ response like I get on 4m or other forums.

Re: Donny Schatz
 

Oh, I get accused of being a SA and sometimes deservedly. Even if sometimes IM joking

However that question wasn't one of them.

If you'd of seen the wins SK just willed himself to win, (Or Karl pissed him off) Your jaw would drop. Mine's still hanging from a couple such instances.

Kind of like comparing the KING to a Bishop or a Rook.

Not even in the same zip code.

Not knocking Don, he is a hell of a wheel man, but there is only one best ever.

I think there are a number of factors to look at in this discussion, and those who simply brush Donny off are letting their bias affect their view. The guy has won 20+ WoO races in four consecutive seasons, and if his performance with the All Stars this past weekend is an indication of things to come, he'll make it five straight this season. That is very Kinser-esque.

One thing to consider is competition. Steve raced with some of the greats, but I've always wondered if the cars were as mechanically close in some of Steve's days as I think they are now. I find it hard to believe the TSR team could be miles ahead of the Kasey Kahne cars, Kyle Larson's car, the CJB car, etc. Admittedly, I'm not old enough to know how competitive the other cars were in Steve's days, so I can't make any justified conclusions on this point.

Some of you have brought up the versatility element, and Steve gets the obvious nod there. However, I believe Donny showed some potential is a diverse driver last month when he missed the Chili Bowl A main by a single position in what was I believe only the 4th or 5th time he'd ever been in a midget.

I do think it would be an exaggeration to say Donny is as good as Steve, but I think those of you who are dismissing him by saying he's not even in the same ball park are exaggerating as well. He's doing some Kinser-like things. I've already mentioned the 20+ win streak. Can't forget that he won 9 out of 10 Knoxville Nationals, including a drive from the B main. Like I said, I'm not going to make the argument that he's quite on Steve's level, but I think he's closer than some of you are suggesting. Either way, try to appreciate what this guy is doing while you can whether you like him or not. What he does is immensely impressive, and guys like him don't come around very often.

I've been poking around on the internet for awhile now, even asked somebody at WRG if they had all the old point standings handy and nothing.

I'm not so much trying to compare Schatz and Kinser because the The King's records are unrivaled but I am curious as to how many drivers actually ran the full schedule and had the cars to beat him in the early years when he ripped off all those wins and won 9-10 of the first 12 years of WoO being a series.

The reason I ask is because look at the other "King", Richard Petty. He had all these championships and wins and he knew how to drive, that's for sure. But he didn't always have the greatest competition. He had great cars and would run the full season when other greats of the time only ran the high dollar shows and what not.

Re: Donny Schatz
 

No way not even close to being as good as Steve!

Re: Donny Schatz
 

No one's ever handed the PA Posse their hat more then Steve!

Would be fun to have some kind of time machine where we could have Steve/Karl and Donny/Ricky go head to head. Two different eras of racing hard to truly compare. They are both in the best ever to race in a sprint car.

I saw Kinser win a couple times on the old granite city half mile. He was unlike any other when the race got to lapped traffic. It was fearless and precise aggression. Of course he had top notch equipment but he was masterful behind the wheel. Schatz is definitely the current version of Kinser. We will have to see where he ends up when he is done. Clearly an all time great tho

Re: Donny Schatz
 

The "new" guy, is this case Schatz, NEVER compares to the "old" guy, in this case Kinser. Just the way people are. There is something reverent about "the guy you grew up watching" or "the guy who has won so much" when you first heard about him. This discussion is more about how people "feel" about a guy than just the numbers.
I'd say Donny is right up there with Steve. This is obviously a more competitive era and he still wins wins wins...

Re: Donny Schatz
 

Some people are probably going by only how they feel about one guy over the other but here's the real skinny on the deal. Steve 20 WoO titles, Schatz 8. That's really all you need to know about how Donny stacks up against Steve. Not even close ! Is Donny great yes he is. He's the best right now for sure. I'm almost 50 yrs old and I have seen them both race many many times and in Steve's prime which lasted along time because even as he got older he was still winning championships Steve is called the King for a reason. Donny still has a bit of a way's to go to be standing on the same podium as Steve.

_______________________
Scott McCloskey

Re: Donny Schatz
 

All of Donny's wins in the World of Outlaws were with and will continue to be with a wing.Steve's were with both.I am not some lunatic anti-wing guy.If this is the only consideration or criteria used there is no question.Steve was an all around race car driver. Donny is very good at what he does. Winged Sprint Cars.Given time, Donny would probably be good in traditional sprint cars, but that is not the issue in question.

Re: Donny Schatz
 

Steve beat over four generations of drivers. Including many greats.
Donny is at a generation and a half.
Not knocking. Just stating The King Ruled for almost 35 years

Re: Donny Schatz
 

Regardless of what you think of the competition in his era, or his sticking to one type of sprint car, or whatever, Schatz can easily be considered the 2nd most accomplished sprint car driver of all time. 8 WoO titles, 9 Knoxville Nationals etc... No one but Kinser has those records.

I would agree with most of the board in saying he's got a long way to go to match Steve, but I think you can definitely argue he's #2.

2nd best for sure

From my perspective Donny can't ever be considered the best sprint car racer of all time, best winged sprint car racer, perhaps. Steve won big race's with and without and drove other people's cars to victory too. If you call Schatz the best of all time than you could say Dave Darland is in that discussion as well, in spite of limited wing racing. I love both disciplines and winning in both, IMO, is the only way you qualify for a chance to be the greatest of all time

Re: Donny Schatz
 

Don't care for Schatz one way or another but here are his stats to start 2017....sigh.........


2/9/17..........1st
2/10/17........1st
2/11/17........2nd
2/15/17........1st
2/16/17........2nd

Re: Donny Schatz
 

Missed the A at the Chili Bowl by one spot. Not bad for his first time racing a midget, against 374 other drivers.

I would put Jack Hewitt at #2

Re: Donny Schatz
 

I'm not knocking Schatz, but its kinda an apples to oranges deal. Donny is a great wheelman in his own right, but he also has the advantage of some really superior resources, not just money, but tech and engineering too. For example look at where shocks are now compared to when Kinser was in his heyday. Now with computer modeling, wind tunnels, shaker rigs and on and on its unfair to either man to try and say who is better than who, its digital compared to analog. I grew up analog and in some things still prefer things that way, more mystery, more seat of the pants. I say enjoy the show and try not to get to worked up over, "who is better than who".:6:
I'm just glad I was around to see Kinser, Wolfgang, Swindell and many more back when things were, less precise.:8:

Re: Donny Schatz
 

Its impossible to say whom was the best ever especially if we stick to sprintcars which don't have wings.
I would bet my bottom dollar that the best ever came and went without ever being lucky enuff to get a break. He might be racing at your local track every Saturday night or more likely sitting in the stands.
Id rather see AJ and Andretti go at it. No wings, single loop roll cage, lap belts and skinny tires.

Re: Donny Schatz
 

https://reedbrothersdodgehistory.fil...ville-fair.jpg

Now these were REAL MEN!!! lol
They didn't need shock technology, aero or fat tires! LOL
Or even water on the track!

Re: Donny Schatz
 

Volusia Speedway got back up and running for the WoO Late Models after two nights of rainouts Wednesday & Thursday. Read where Schatz finished 15th in the A Main last night. Qualified 6th in his group. Just like with the late BC..... I love diversity in a driver.

http://www.woolms.com/news/race-repo...ner-at-volusia

Re: Donny Schatz
 

Donny looked real good in the lm. finished 2nd in his loaded heat and ran well in feach until he got caught up in someone else wreck. race got fogged out just past half way. hope he will get his car fixed for the final tonight. it's on D.O.D. LIVE...

The original question needs to be asked a decade from now if and only if Donny has sustained the kind of performance he has experienced in his career to date. Because it will take a decade of such continued success to catch up to SK. Is Donny #2? A wasted breath.....IMO indeed he is.