hero?
I really don’t get the “hero” thing. Is he ex military? Or maybe a officer of the law? Because for sure that would make him a hero to me!!
Vince P…
Come on Vince, take a deep breath…
JW has been racing for 45 years or so. He has accumulated lots of success, very few enemies, and remians a very good natured ambassador for the sport. Not to mention that he can still mash it.
Agreed.
He is obviously not a rookie, but is still in the seat in an equally vintage car battling (and apparently holding off–at least for a while) one of the current “best” on short tracks right now–Jessie Dutilly.
Hero is a fair term in my book.
hero
I think you took me wrong?? I have nothing against the guy, was just wondering if he was in the Military, Law Enforcement, or Fire Fighter. Because when I see the word “hero” that is what initially comes to mind.
And since you brought it up, I would not say the way he was holding Jessie up, would be the way an ambassador to our sport would have done it. Jessie had the patience of a saint!!
Vince P.
[QUOTE=turnleft;169310]I think you took me wrong?? I have nothing against the guy, was just wondering if he was in the Military, Law Enforcement, or Fire Fighter. Because when I see the word “hero” that is what initially comes to mind.
And since you brought it up, I would not say the way he was holding Jessie up, would be the way an ambassador to our sport would have done it. Jessie had the patience of a saint!!
Vince P.[/QUOTE]
Hero; Noun; a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.
If you’ve never met Joe I can see why you question his nickname. He is always offering to help his competitors. As far as the race goes Joe did exactly what anyone in a racecar would, Jesse had a faster car but that doesn’t mean you just roll over and let him go. Joe raced him hard and clean, some of the best late model racing I’ve seen till Jesse checked out.
??
Well, I guess I still don’t get it, but hey, if he is a hero to you, I guess he is a hero. There are many people I have meet through the years in racing, that have very similar qualities and they don’t consider themselves hero’s. My original post was not so much to discredit his “hero” status, but to simply see if he was a war vet, police officer, or fire fighter. Sorry if I offended anyone.
Your definition of rolling over, and my definition must be very different.
turnleft, I am in agreement with you, however, I get what the others are saying. Example, not a very good example, but one that come to mind. A word or the meaning of a word can change over a period of time. If a word is used enough it can be used in every sentence with different meanings. The “F” word is used so often now that people years ago would be careful when they used it or who they were around, not today. Times and word have changed.
First off…“There are many people I have meet through the years in racing, that have very similar qualities and they don’t consider themselves hero’s.”--TL
Er, unless I missed it, Joe did not say that. I will bet he is a rather humble guy.
It was others–and it is a subjective deal–or “to each their own”.
That is, I would agree about war vets and etc., but what about “conscientious objectors”? Would they agree…?
IMO, the vets & etc are “heros”, but the term is not limited to them.
Many people do acts of kindness for others, further, some view a “hero” as someone who makes a lot of dough or has a particular talent–dancing 
, for instance. For others, it involves an act of bravery.
To me, a hero is simply someone you look up to and maybe pattern a part or two of your life after, and if Joe rings that chime for some, that is not a bad thing at all.
I totally understand what you are saying buddy, the term is thrown around way too freely these days for my taste too. Example of a true hero is this: we had a family member that was killed in Afghanistan last year, he had just gotten back to full duty after having fought back from a compound fracture of his femur suffered in a training accident…he could have medically retired out but chose to re-up knowing right where he was going back to. He was murdered by two Taliban that killed the gate guards and stole their uniforms. That is a TRUE hero…of course…who can argue?
However! I have been watching/competing against Joe Winchell since 1979 and he’d been racing for 4 or 5 years then. This man has been a role model and hero for me to emulate in every possible way a true racer can be and I myself tried to emulate him as I came up and though I will not say I have never been upset with him I can say that he has always carried himself in a way that always reflects great credit and honor upon the sport and he selflessly gives back all the time…and the same I cannot say for myself. 40 years of doing it the right way…dude’s my hero.
I said it way back before that nickname was given to him, by his fans, friends, and competitors,and I say it now he was my hero then as a kid and he still is. No maybe it’s not the same, but kids look up to him, like this one right here.
Give em hell Hero! Still a fan 