Outlawing Rental rides!
 

I know it's not possible, but I feel it would be awesome to oultaw all this rich kid rental rides. It's great for some of these kids, but most of them never have a real job or work for what they have. They don't get rides by performance anymore. There are some that it has worked for that actually deserve it don't get me wrong. If the dads have so much money, go buy a couple cars and race with you're kid! If you want them to go to nascar that's great, but do it the true racing way. Go run local races and you may be off for a while, but so what your kid will learn, and you can learn with them. In my eyes that's what is goin wrong is sprint car racing. It's not nascar, nor should it be. And I'm not fans of all of them, but Brian Clauson, he has talent. And that Stenhouse kid, I hope some of you got to meat him, cause that's the perfect example of a real racer.

This should get some words flowing... Post back let know what ya think. Agree, disagree, don't really care let's hear it.

Cole:headbang:

Re: Outlawing Rental rides!
 

i think most would love to see the rent-a-ride programs ending, however i have a hard time seeing it any time soon.

the main reason being that as long as sprint car drivers are being looked at by the big circus we will see young kids coming in to try and get a break into the big time. some kids will have parents sponsors or any other source of funding that will pay to put them in the best position they can to succeed.

the pipeline south has been a blessing and a curse. we have seen large well funded "super teams" come into our sport, and perhaps a little more exposure to our sport, but along with that came the people who do not look at sprint car racing as a way of life but simply as a step in the process to get to the big time.

its not wrong for people with money to spend it for their kids to race. i think most people would do everything they can to help their kids succeed in their chosen path. i agree some of the "rich kids" lack respect and do not know what it is to work for what they have, but there isnt much you can do about it.

on the car owner's side if you can hire a kid who is a decent driver and can help fund the program...why not? especially if it allows you to make some money racing, or perhaps have the money to race at all.

in the mean time there will be a whole bunch of guys that are trying to do it the old way, and that are here because they love it, and there will be some owners that hire someone to do the job for whatever reason they see fit to allow them to drive their racecar.

thats my .02 cents

Re: Outlawing Rental rides!
 

Right on what ever happen to earning your rides...respect goes out to Tracy, Levi and dave for that...
RG

Re: Outlawing Rental rides!
 

Theoretically, yes. But, the minute you start telling people what they can or can't spend their money on, then they will just stop putting their money into the sport. Plus, the ones that are very little talent and all money end up getting exposed, anyway.

Jerry

Re: Outlawing Rental rides!
 

If the dads have so much money, go buy a couple cars and race with you're kid!

B I N G O!

I attend many races and I see too many kids in rides that don't deserve to be there, it is simply given to them because "they want to drive a race car" or dad wants the next Tony Stewart. I also see alot of talented racers in less equipment outperforming these kids because they understand a car and know how to make it work. A racer that builds a car, works on the car and races it, is going to know and understand how a car works and make proper adjustments to be competitive. Instead these kids have Dad write a check, climb in a car and stand on the gas, that's all they know. Then when they are not winning, dad simply throws more money at the problem. IMO therein lies the difference, a race car driver and a racer. I think AJ Foyt defined the difference between the two many years ago.

Re: Outlawing Rental rides!
 

rich or poor isn't the issue with me. anything under the age of 16 w/o a valid drivers license is child endangerment in my book. i'm even skeptical of a 16y/o's judgement. that's the youngest i would allow in a sprinter at my track. i'm not questioning ability, just respect for the equipment and decision making skills. most of you, on here, already knew my position on this issue from past discussions.

Re: Outlawing Rental rides!
 

I agree with the lack of respect and decision making skills. How can they have respect for anything if they've never had to work for anything.

Re: Outlawing Rental rides!
 

There are ALOT of drivers over the age of 21 that have poor judgement in racing but I won't name names but several hve ben talked about on this board for both on and off track actions.

I firmly believe if you don't show talent in the lower series like go-karts, 1/4 midgets or micro's you hve no reason buying a ride somewhere that puts you in a position that is over your head.

Re: Outlawing Rental rides!
 

LOL!!! Its been happening for a long time, You just hear of it more these days because teams run ads.

Re: Outlawing Rental rides!
 

I think there are a lot less rental rides than you think. I've always thought that people make a lot bigger deal out of it than it really is.

As we've seen, Darren Hagen is really the only one to make it work so far. And how could you blame them? The kid was fast and his dad didn't know anything about race cars. He went through the boot camp of Jack Yeley and the "racing college" of Keith Kunz and Pete Willoughby. Now, he's one of the few winning on dirt and pavement, and he's good in midgets and sprint cars.

I've heard a lot of people accused of renting rides this year, even Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.! Actually, most of the successful young racers out there right now have come from racing families.

Can you complain about the guys who have gotten the bona fide rides in USAC? Jerry Coons, Jr. has Hoffman and Wilke. Levi and Tracy have TSR. Bacon and Sweet have KKR. Darland has Pace and Lewis. Hunter Schuerenberg is with J.J. Yeley. Damion Gardner has a good sprint car deal. Shane Cottle has a full sprint car deal with Larry Contos. And Kody Swanson is your new driver at Nine Racing.

I really think the "state of the union" is about as good as I can remember...