The Danica Patrick Era dawns

[Doomsday101]

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The driver wasn't scheduled to arrive for another 30 minutes early Thursday morning and already a large crowd of reporters had gathered around the small table where she would speak.



There was a buzz in the air, almost a Super Bowl media day type atmosphere when a high-profile player holds court. Everyone felt it, even other drivers such as Jamie McMurray, who curiously peeked in between the notepads and cameras before going to his table where only a few awaited.



"There she goes!" one reporter shouted.



Not quite. The driver was wearing a GoDaddy.com firesuit, but 51-year-old Mark Martin was in it. He'll drive the GoDaddy car in the Sprint Cup Series this season.



Tick, tock. The driver was 10 minutes late and the crowd continued to grow, larger than the one that would quiz four-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson just more than an hour later. Finally, the IndyCar Series driver who will make her stock car debut in Saturday's ARCA race slipped in front of the table.



"Let's give her a little room!" a member of NASCAR public relations bellowed. "We do have to have oxygen."



Thus began the Danica Patrick era in NASCAR.



It wasn't as claustrophobic as driving close to 200 mph in large packs around Daytona International Speedway in unfamiliar cars will be, but it was close. And the air around her only will continue to dissipate in anticipation of whether she will compete in next weekend's Nationwide Series race.



That announcement, by the way, is scheduled for Monday. The fact there is an announcement lends this reporter to believe she will compete even though she says it's 50-50.



But that is a few days off. Thursday was all about the arrival of NASCAR's queen.



It was a circus. Not quite as big as the one around Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- the co-owner of Patrick's ARCA and Nationwide program at JR Motorsports -- when the stock car world attended this event a few years ago wanting to know whether NASCAR's most popular driver would leave Dale Earnhardt Inc.



But it was bigger than anything Patrick had experienced, even at the Indianapolis 500.



"You see a table like this for the Indy 500 when something big is going on," said Patrick, who will begin her Nationwide journey at California on Feb. 20 if she opts out of Daytona. "But you don't do that whole line of [television and radio] interviews before it. … There's just more. There's just more."



Patrick is cool with that. She didn't grow to this level of celebrity by shying away from media attention. When you've posed in some of the skimpy outfits she has, you can't be shy about much of anything.



Skeptics will tell you this adventure in NASCAR is nothing more than a step to grow her brand. Not so, says Patrick.



"I'm here because I want to race in NASCAR," she said.



And NASCAR wants her to race here. NASCAR needs her to race here. Patrick will bring more attention to the sport than Juan Pablo Montoya and all the other drivers who crossed over from open-wheel racing.



"It's big," NASCAR president Mike Helton said of having Patrick at Daytona. "She's a very strong personality. She's well followed. Even by non-motorsports folks, when you say 'Danica Patrick,' they know who she is. For her to want to participate with us and be here during Speedweeks is a big thing."



You'll find few, if any, in this cavernous tent turned into a media center who would disagree.



"You'll have people come in and watch a race that would never watch a NASCAR race in their life just because she's there," said 2003 Sprint Cup champion Matt Kenseth, who had fewer than a dozen reporters at his table. "It's good for all of us, and NASCAR, to get some new people to come in and watch the sport.



"Hopefully, they'll like what they see and want to come back."



Patrick appreciates that, and if she can help the sport grow that's a bonus. But her goal is selfish. She wants to find out if she can succeed here and plans to take the next two years running a part-time Nationwide schedule around her IndyCar schedule to see if she has the talent.



"I've felt this kind of stuff before," Patrick said of the attention. "I'm very flattered I'm in a position where people are still interested in me."

She definitely was a point of interest on this day. Johnson had fewer people around his table two minutes before his session than Patrick did a half-hour before hers.



But Johnson didn't seem to mind any more than any other driver.



"The attention is good for our sport," said Johnson, sporting a new beard. "I'm excited she's considering our sport and is going to give it a shot and see where she's at. Everybody deserves their time in the sun and the spotlight. At the end of last year that spotlight was bright and I enjoyed every minute of it.



"At the end of this year I want to be back in it."



But for at least the next few days the spotlight will shine on Patrick, even though she said her intention isn't to steal it.



The only time she paused to think before giving an answer came when asked what it meant that she garnered more attention than a four-time champion or NASCAR's most popular driver.



"All I can say is that I'm excited to race in my first NASCAR race," Patrick said. "I'm not trying to sound vanilla for right now. Those guys deserve a lot of credit for their success. I by no means ever, ever, ever try and take anything from anyone else."



It's hard not to be drawn to Patrick, though. Just read her Twitter page and you'll see things no other NASCAR driver has said before.



Here are a few samples:



• "Thought I was going to have time for a pedi today …"



• "My tote bag I made today. Sweet!"



• "I bought about 30 yards of fabric to start playing with … well 10 of those yards is for a curtain. Am I a geek? Wait, don't answer that."



Patrick is far from a geek. She's a money machine, one NASCAR hopes to capitalize on like her sponsors in the IndyCar Series already have.



She's also honest and willing to show her personality, whether it is tweeting to the world that she's playing with her new sewing machine or getting aggressive with a fellow driver on the track.



She doesn't plan to change that in her new surroundings, although she is a bit nervous about the ARCA race that tends to be a wreckfest with drivers far less proven than her competing.



"I've never been afraid to be honest," Patrick said. "I have perhaps become more gracious the last year or two in how that comes out, but I will always be me. I will always be emotional. I will always have somewhat of a temper.



"That's because I care. It means everything to me."



Beyond talent, that passion and devotion is what it will take for Patrick to succeed in cars that are much heavier and harder to handle than those she's used to. She's also going to have to put blinders on at times. The further she progresses the more attention -- and scrutiny -- she will face.



"What I realize is I need to compartmentalize a little bit," Patrick said. "Last night, I got my schedule for this weekend. For me, if I think about everything I have to do, it's pretty overwhelming."



Yes, the Danica Patrick era in NASCAR has begun.



Hold on. Or wait, as many of us did.

David Newton covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. He can be reached at dnewtonespn@aol.com.

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/columns/story?columnist=newton_david&id=4887022

[Doomsday101]

Patrick 12th in ARCA qualifying


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- For a few minutes, at least, it looked like Danica Patrick would be leading the field to the green flag in her Daytona debut.

Patrick briefly held pole position in qualifying for Saturday's ARCA series race, eventually slipping to 12th. The IndyCar star will make her stock-car racing debut with James Buescher starting on the pole.

Patrick was tailed by a train of cameras and microphones in the garage -- a level of media attention not usually seen in ARCA, a lesser-known racing series similar to NASCAR.

"Elvis show up or something?" quipped a rival team crew member.

[Bob Sacamano]

Danika isn't doing squat

stick to bikini shoots, girl

[MarionBarberThe4th]

Why does ESPN keep telling me to care about this?

[Bob Sacamano]

Why does ESPN keep telling me to care about this?

a better question is

why do you watch ESPN?

[MarionBarberThe4th]

a better question is

why do you watch ESPN?

They have sports in them?

[Bob Sacamano]

They have sports in them?
:laugh2:

[Doomsday101]

Danika isn't doing squat

stick to bikini shoots, girl

One of the top Indy drivers and clearly could drive circles around any of us.

No doubt she will have her hands full racing the NASCAR over the Indy cars 2 different styles of racing

[burmafrd]

Plenty of NASCAR drivers have had success in Indy cars and vice versa. If you have the talent in one odds are you can do it in the other.

[Bob Sacamano]

One of the top Indy drivers and clearly could drive circles around any of us.

No doubt she will have her hands full racing the NASCAR over the Indy cars 2 different styles of racing

well I have something in mind that she could do rings around:laugh2:

[Doomsday101]

Plenty of NASCAR drivers have had success in Indy cars and vice versa. If you have the talent in one odds are you can do it in the other.

It takes Indy drives a while before they get accustom to driving NASCAR where knowing how to use the draft is much more critical than in the Indy league as well as the weight difference of the cars not to mention the difficulty of racing restrictor plate which they will deal with at Daytona when you are going 3 and 4 wide at 200 mph this is not something Indy drivers are accustom to.

It is also shows up in the race of champions series where all the best drives in all of racing go out and race cars that are more comparable with the NASCAR the NASCAR divers win that series each time

[mldardy]

Who cares? She is a crybaby and sucks at driving anyway. Let me know when she actually wins something and I'm not talking about that crappy race in Japan either.

[Doomsday101]

Who cares? She is a crybaby and sucks at driving anyway. Let me know when she actually wins something and I'm not talking about that crappy race in Japan either.

She was running against the same drivers that she would at any other race on the Indy circuit. So what makes that race crappy?

[mldardy]

She was running against the same drivers that she would at any other race on the Indy circuit. So what makes that race crappy?
She took the lead in that race after the leaders ran out of fuel in the final laps. She hasn't won anything since. I am so sick of people overhyping her. Kind of reminds of Kournikova and all these other flash in the pans that get so much for doing nothing.

[Doomsday101]

She took the lead in that race after the leaders ran out of fuel in the final laps. She hasn't won anything since. I am so sick of people overhyping her. Kind of reminds of Kournikova and all these other flash in the pans that get so much for doing nothing.

She lost the Indy 500 because of a fuel problem, that is racing. As far as what she did she is one of the top racers in her circuit. No one ever said the best. I do agree she gets allot of attention but that is due to being a woman in a man's sport.

[Yeagermeister]

She is going to have her problems driving a stock car there is no doubt about it. To my knowledge she has only driven open wheel cars. As Robert Duval said in Days of Thunder....yes I'm quoting a movie but it's true...A NASCAR is twice as wide, twice as heavy and the tires are half the size. That is a HUGE difference.

[jimmy40]

Who cares? She is a crybaby and sucks at driving anyway. Let me know when she actually wins something and I'm not talking about that crappy race in Japan either.a crybaby who jumps in men's faces because she knows they won't beat the hell out of her. Can't wait till she gets slammed into the wall.

[Hoofbite]

well I have something in mind that she could do rings around:laugh2:

Rings with a very small diameter.

[jcollins28]

She took the lead in that race after the leaders ran out of fuel in the final laps. She hasn't won anything since. I am so sick of people overhyping her. Kind of reminds of Kournikova and all these other flash in the pans that get so much for doing nothing.

Great post and no she is not "one of the top" drivers in the IRL. Danicant is over rated and has always had the very best equipment while coming up yet she never had a win in the professional ranks until she was gifted that win in Japan.

[Bob Sacamano]

Rings with a very small diameter.

your rhyme is gay

[Hoofbite]

your rhyme is gay

You look at naked pictures of Bea Arthur.

[rantanamo]

It takes Indy drives a while before they get accustom to driving NASCAR where knowing how to use the draft is much more critical than in the Indy league as well as the weight difference of the cars not to mention the difficulty of racing restrictor plate which they will deal with at Daytona when you are going 3 and 4 wide at 200 mph this is not something Indy drivers are accustom to.

It is also shows up in the race of champions series where all the best drives in all of racing go out and race cars that are more comparable with the NASCAR the NASCAR divers win that series each time

If you've ever watched IndyCar, she should be use to going 3 wide at 215 mph. Speed is not the problem. She's used to higher g-forces and having to react quicker. That won't be the problem.

IROC should have included racing in different disciplines like the Race of Champions does. NASCAR drivers tend to not fair as well in international competitions because that's not their comfort zone. When a driver changes discipline its not a comparison of leagues but a comparison of driver. Someone like Juan or Dario in 2008 grew up racing precise, quick cars where they've been taught to react quickly, shift precisely, hands here, hands there, point the nose directly. In NASCAR you're going to longer brake points, large body roll, liberal shifting points.

[burmafrd]

You look at naked pictures of Bea Arthur.



MY EYES!

MY EYES!

[Bob Sacamano]

You look at naked pictures of Bea Arthur.



MY EYES!

MY EYES!

doesn't everybody?

[big dog cowboy]

doesn't everybody?
uh, no.

[Bob Sacamano]

uh, no.

aren't you like 60?

[kmp77]

Is her race on tv?

[jimmy40]

Is her race on tv?
Was, I just got home from work and heard the announcers saying she had proven her driving skills.

[Cajuncowboy]

Just finished watching it. She did very well. She finished 6th and did a heck of a job after getting pinched down on the yellow line and spinning out. Went to pit road twice, fought her way back and finished 6th.

As for the people who say she sucks and can't drive, they don't know what they are talking about. To be in the discussion with the best in the world at what you do, is being a very good. It's just a jealous person who would deny her her due respect.

[mldardy]

Just finished watching it. She did very well. She finished 6th and did a heck of a job after getting pinched down on the yellow line and spinning out. Went to pit road twice, fought her way back and finished 6th.

As for the people who say she sucks and can't drive, they don't know what they are talking about. To be in the discussion with the best in the world at what you do, is being a very good. It's just a jealous person who would deny her her due respect.
No one said she can't drive. She just isn't very good and has proven it. She doesn't deserve all this hype for doing nothing. Reminds of Dale Jr.

[Cajuncowboy]

No one said she can't drive. She just isn't very good and has proven it. She doesn't deserve all this hype for doing nothing. Reminds of Dale Jr.

If you think she isn't very good you're crazy. You don't get to where they are at in the sport without having some talent. Does she deserve the hype? Who does? She has proven she can drive and drive well. Oh and she's a 27 year old female who has achieved a great deal of success.

Why anyone would want to try and degrade her accomplishments is beyond me.

Further, Your comparison to JR. is fair, but most try to compare him to his dad and that's just not fair to him either. And while I don't think he is one of the best Cup drivers, he is certainly one of the best drivers in the world. You can't get to that point without being one of the best.

[burmafrd]

She is a top driver. Only total morons would deny that.

[mldardy]

She is a top driver. Only total morons would deny that.
Top drivers actually win more than one race.

[mldardy]

If you think she isn't very good you're crazy. You don't get to where they are at in the sport without having some talent. Does she deserve the hype? Who does? She has proven she can drive and drive well. Oh and she's a 27 year old female who has achieved a great deal of success.

Why anyone would want to try and degrade her accomplishments is beyond me.

Further, Your comparison to JR. is fair, but most try to compare him to his dad and that's just not fair to him either. And while I don't think he is one of the best Cup drivers, he is certainly one of the best drivers in the world. You can't get to that point without being one of the best.
Well then I guess I am crazy along with a LOT of other people who think she isn't that good. What has she done to earn being a good driver. I never said she didn't have talent she isn't as good as the drivers she competes against. She hasn't achieved a great deal of success. How can you have a great deal of success without winning anything? That's the bottom line. Getting hype and being on commercials is great but when her career is over they are going to measure what she did in races. So far she hasn't done anything to get me to say she has had great success. She hasn't even had success except one time. Let me know when she actually does something relevant on the racetrack.

[Scranton Tiger]

No one said she can't drive. She just isn't very good and has proven it. She doesn't deserve all this hype for doing nothing. Reminds of Dale Jr.
How can you have a great deal of success without winning anything?
Maybe it was an oversite because Dale Jr has definately slipped the last three seasons but the comparisons with Danica aren't really valid. Especially given the criteria you yourself have decided to use when defining what good drivers are or are not. Jr has 18 career wins. That's more wins than current drivers Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne. It's more than legendary drivers Marvin Panch, Curtis Turner LeeRoy Yarbrough and Tim Richmond. It's the same number as Harry Gant, Matt Kenseth, Geoff Bodine and Neil Bonnett. You can make the win total 24 if you also count the non points races. In addition, he has won on every configuration NASCAR races on except a road course and he did that in the Busch Series. Because of his last name and the fact he hasn't won a season title yet, those numbers usually surprise folks who follow NASCAR. FYI

[big dog cowboy]

She just isn't very good and has proven it. She doesn't deserve all this hype for doing nothing. Reminds of Dale Jr.

Jr has 18 career wins. That's more wins than current drivers Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne. It's more than legendary drivers Marvin Panch, Curtis Turner LeeRoy Yarbrough and Tim Richmond. It's the same number as Harry Gant, Matt Kenseth, Geoff Bodine and Neil Bonnett. You can make the win total 24 if you also count the non points races. In addition, he has won on every configuration NASCAR races on except a road course and he did that in the Busch Series.
Pwned.

[mldardy]

Maybe it was an oversite because Dale Jr has definately slipped the last three seasons but the comparisons with Danica aren't really valid. Especially given the criteria you yourself have decided to use when defining what good drivers are or are not. Jr has 18 career wins. That's more wins than current drivers Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne. It's more than legendary drivers Marvin Panch, Curtis Turner LeeRoy Yarbrough and Tim Richmond. It's the same number as Harry Gant, Matt Kenseth, Geoff Bodine and Neil Bonnett. You can make the win total 24 if you also count the non points races. In addition, he has won on every configuration NASCAR races on except a road course and he did that in the Busch Series. Because of his last name and the fact he hasn't won a season title yet, those numbers usually surprise folks who follow NASCAR. FYI
This is a great breakdown of Dale Jr's career but that is NOT what I was getting at with my comparison. My comparisions to Danica were in terms of hype, overhype and overexposure. Not how many wins Dale Jr. has.

[mldardy]

No one said she can't drive. She just isn't very good and has proven it. She doesn't deserve all this hype for doing nothing. Reminds of Dale Jr.

Maybe it was an oversite because Dale Jr has definately slipped the last three seasons but the comparisons with Danica aren't really valid. Especially given the criteria you yourself have decided to use when defining what good drivers are or are not. Jr has 18 career wins. That's more wins than current drivers Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne. It's more than legendary drivers Marvin Panch, Curtis Turner LeeRoy Yarbrough and Tim Richmond. It's the same number as Harry Gant, Matt Kenseth, Geoff Bodine and Neil Bonnett. You can make the win total 24 if you also count the non points races. In addition, he has won on every configuration NASCAR races on except a road course and he did that in the Busch Series. Because of his last name and the fact he hasn't won a season title yet, those numbers usually surprise folks who follow NASCAR. FYI
Pwned.
This is a great breakdown of Dale Jr's career but that is NOT what I was getting at with my comparison. My comparisions to Danica were in terms of hype, overhype and overexposure. Not how many wins Dale Jr. has.

Not Pwned. Think of a new catch phrase that went out a long time ago.

[jcollins28]

She is a top driver. Only total morons would deny that.

If she is a top driver then what would you call the rest of the field in ARCA?...Top drivers don't race NASCAR. I will give you the fact that there maybe a few NASCAR guys that are extremely over qualified for their chosen line of work but the top drivers, well they race in F1 not NASCAR.

[burmafrd]

She is being smart and not jumping into NASCAR right at the top. Idiots that keep claiming she is not a top driver are either against her because she is a woman or just being stupid because of all the coverage. She does have the talent, that is clear. It will take a year or two to judge how good at NASCAR she will be. ANYONE claiming they know now are total morons.

[jcollins28]

She is being smart and not jumping into NASCAR right at the top. Idiots that keep claiming she is not a top driver are either against her because she is a woman or just being stupid because of all the coverage. She does have the talent, that is clear. It will take a year or two to judge how good at NASCAR she will be. ANYONE claiming they know now are total morons.

The fact remains she has one win as a professional. She has also spent her career racing with one of the better teams in the IRL and racing against a diluted field compared to what Indy racing used to be. Yes she fared well yesterday. California will be a whole different ball game then the wide open nature of plate racing though. She is not the worse driver but she is not quite reached the status of a "top driver".

Top driver's have a collection of wins a Championship or two and take advantage of using superior equipment. She has all the tools to get there but she could not get it done in Indycar with less competition and not as many accomplished drivers. She should be able to run up front in the ARCA ranks but at California she will be racing on a downforce track and racing in the Nationwide series. She will be lucky to crack the top 20.

[Cajuncowboy]

If she is a top driver then what would you call the rest of the field in ARCA?...Top drivers don't race NASCAR. I will give you the fact that there maybe a few NASCAR guys that are extremely over qualified for their chosen line of work but the top drivers, well they race in F1 not NASCAR.

:lmao2:

That's why they are all trying to get into NASCAR!

:lmao:

[jcollins28]

:lmao2:

That's why they are all trying to get into NASCAR!

:lmao:

Define all? Piquet is here because he is black balled in F1. Villeneuve can't get a ride anywhere and JPM is tired of Max and Bernie's crap and for that I can't blame him. If you really think Shumacher, Kubica, Vettal or Lewis Hamilton is anxiously waiting for a chance to drive in NASCAR then that truly is funny...BTW guys like Piquet and JPM would have left F1 and went to open wheel here in the US but Tony George pretty much killed open wheel in this country so the only ball game in town sadly is NASCAR.

[Hoofbite]

She should just do Playboy already.

Nobody cares about her racing.

[Cochese]

She should just do Playboy already.

Nobody cares about her racing.

Agreed, sorry to all the racing fans, but I see more interesting maneuvers on the illinois tollway.

[Doomsday101]

If you've ever watched IndyCar, she should be use to going 3 wide at 215 mph. Speed is not the problem. She's used to higher g-forces and having to react quicker. That won't be the problem.

IROC should have included racing in different disciplines like the Race of Champions does. NASCAR drivers tend to not fair as well in international competitions because that's not their comfort zone. When a driver changes discipline its not a comparison of leagues but a comparison of driver. Someone like Juan or Dario in 2008 grew up racing precise, quick cars where they've been taught to react quickly, shift precisely, hands here, hands there, point the nose directly. In NASCAR you're going to longer brake points, large body roll, liberal shifting points.

I think she will do well but like many of the drivers who have come over to NASCAR it is going to take some time.

As for how she did this past Sat. I thought she did a great job, after having an accident and falling to the back of the pack she was able to work her way back up into the top 5 and would have held that spot but she was looking to win not be in the top 5 so in her 1st start she walked away with 7th.

[Doomsday101]

If she is a top driver then what would you call the rest of the field in ARCA?...Top drivers don't race NASCAR. I will give you the fact that there maybe a few NASCAR guys that are extremely over qualified for their chosen line of work but the top drivers, well they race in F1 not NASCAR.
Yeah that is why Indy guys are moving on to NASCAR. :lmao2: NASCAR make you drive a car it makes you understand the draft it is not about the fastest car on the track it is about taking a car and working it unlike the littel fairy racing league they call F1 or Indy.

[burmafrd]

now that is truly ignorant but not surprising.

[Cajuncowboy]

Define all? Piquet is here because he is black balled in F1. Villeneuve can't get a ride anywhere and JPM is tired of Max and Bernie's crap and for that I can't blame him. If you really think Shumacher, Kubica, Vettal or Lewis Hamilton is anxiously waiting for a chance to drive in NASCAR then that truly is funny...BTW guys like Piquet and JPM would have left F1 and went to open wheel here in the US but Tony George pretty much killed open wheel in this country so the only ball game in town sadly is NASCAR.

Oh Please. Most of the guys you mentioned couldn't carry Jimmy Johnson's helmet. I just love the snobs who look down on NASCAR because they think it's some redneck sport.

The truth is that it has more fan interest (at least in this country, which is all that really matters) than any other motor sport. I mean, they broadcast the ARCA races which is like the minor-minor leagues of Stock car racing. You are lucky to even see two Indy car and F1 races on TV. What does that tell you?

Plus the demographics have a much larger cross over appeal than F1 and Indy car.

Unlike the the F1 and Indy cars, NASCAR actually tests the drivers skills. They work the wheel, the draft and the pits. They actually have a jack man to lift the cars. Not some silly little mechanism that they punch a button and the car lifts up for them.

You want to test how good a driver is? Then put them in a stock car, not some of these make believe cars like you have in F1 and IRL.

[zrinkill]

Who????

[Cajuncowboy]

Who????

You don't know who Danica Patrick is?

[Doomsday101]

Oh Please. Most of the guys you mentioned couldn't carry Jimmy Johnson's helmet. I just love the snobs who look down on NASCAR because they think it's some redneck sport.

The truth is that it has more fan interest (at least in this country, which is all that really matters) than any other motor sport. I mean, they broadcast the ARCA races which is like the minor-minor leagues of Stock car racing. You are lucky to even see two Indy car and F1 races on TV. What does that tell you?

Plus the demographics have a much larger cross over appeal than F1 and Indy car.

Unlike the the F1 and Indy cars, NASCAR actually tests the drivers skills. They work the wheel, the draft and the pits. They actually have a jack man to lift the cars. Not some silly little mechanism that they punch a button and the car lifts up for them.

You want to test how good a driver is? Then put them in a stock car, not some of these make believe cars like you have in F1 and IRL.

I agree. Indy and F1 do not have to deal with bump drafting and the rest of the contact that takes place in NASCAR. I actually like all racing but I do think NASCAR test the drivers skill and ablity much more than any of the racing leagues.

[zrinkill]

You don't know who Danica Patrick is?

Is she that Go Daddy chick that does the commercials with the strippers?

[Cajuncowboy]

Is she that Go Daddy chick that does the commercials with the strippers?

Yep, that's her.

[big dog cowboy]

Is she that Go Daddy chick that does the commercials with the strippers?
What makes you think those girls are strippers?





:lmao:

[Cajuncowboy]

What makes you think those girls are strippers?





:lmao:

Hey, talent like that only comes with practice.

[Doomsday101]

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Using a baseball analogy, Danica Patrick is going from one impressive showing in a Class A game to a Triple-A league in one week.



That sounds pretty imposing. Actually, it's much worse.



The reality is Patrick is going from a weak Class A league to a Triple-A game with almost all big leaguers in the lineup.



That gives you some idea of the jump Patrick is making to race in the Nationwide Series event at Daytona on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, ESPN2).



And that's why the people around her were hesitant at first to commit to having her race in the Daytona show.

"It's pretty much a [Sprint] Cup race," Kelley Earnhardt, Patrick's boss at JR Motorsports, said during the media tour. "So many Cup drivers will be in it, Dale [Earnhardt] Jr., Tony Stewart and many others. She knows how important it is for her to have the respect of the other drivers."



Patrick earned some respect with her remarkable showing in the ARCA event Saturday night at Daytona, finishing sixth after almost crashing and working her way back to the front in the final laps.



Most observers came away from that race believing Patrick greatly exceeded expectations. It all but forced JR Motorsports to put Patrick in the Nationwide race this weekend.



This isn't just any old Nationwide race. It's probably is the most difficult Nationwide event of the season.



Many of the best drivers in Sprint Cup will compete in the race. They are pros at knowing how to use the draft in a high-speed restrictor-plate event in which the cars are bumping and banging on every lap.



Patrick got her feet wet in that style of stock car racing last weekend, but ARCA is not NASCAR, and it's certainly not a Daytona Nationwide event.



Patrick is on top of the world at the moment after her impressive showing in her stock car debut. Expectations for her first NASCAR race were high enough before that event. Now they're through the roof.



Back to the baseball analogy: Danica doubled off the wall in her first Class A at-bat. But she's playing in The Show now, so don't expect the same results.



If she brings the car home in one piece and finishes in the top 20, tip your hat to her and realize she made an equally impressive effort in a much tougher game.

[Cajuncowboy]

Yeah, I think it's naive to think she will be as stellar in the Nationwide race. This is not like IRL and F! where it is 90% car and 10% driver.

Will be fun to watch. I just hope she doesn't wad the car up but you KNOW the "Big One" will be waiting and hopefully she can avoid it.

[zrinkill]

What makes you think those girls are strippers?





:lmao:


Oh I do not know.

http://under30ceo.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/godaddy-girls-candice_and_champagne_2.jpg

[Doomsday101]

Yeah, I think it's naive to think she will be as stellar in the Nationwide race. This is not like IRL and F! where it is 90% car and 10% driver.

Will be fun to watch. I just hope she doesn't wad the car up but you KNOW the "Big One" will be waiting and hopefully she can avoid it.

True and as they point out this is not a normal nationwide event because most of the top sprint car drivers will be in this race as they prepare themselves for the Sunday race. At least she will have 1 guy in that race to help her and that will be car owner Jr.

[Yeagermeister]

True and as they point out this is not a normal nationwide event because most of the top sprint car drivers will be in this race as they prepare themselves for the Sunday race. At least she will have 1 guy in that race to help her and that will be car owner Jr.

She'll be tested early in the race but if she can hold her own and earn some respect the other drivers will help her as long as it's to their advantage. lol

[Cajuncowboy]

She'll be tested early in the race but if she can hold her own and earn some respect the other drivers will help her as long as it's to their advantage. lol

At a track like Daytona I am sure she's been told to hang back and watch and learn. As was mentioned this isn't ARCA and there are a few more dollars tied up in these cars. The worst thing she could do is get racy and cause something up front or in the middle and take out a bunch of cup drivers.

She needs to work with the guys at the back for this race.

[big dog cowboy]

Oh I do not know.

http://under30ceo.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/godaddy-girls-candice_and_champagne_2.jpg
:laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

[Yeagermeister]

At a track like Daytona I am sure she's been told to hang back and watch and learn. As was mentioned this isn't ARCA and there are a few more dollars tied up in these cars. The worst thing she could do is get racy and cause something up front or in the middle and take out a bunch of cup drivers.

She needs to work with the guys at the back for this race.

Only problem with that is at some point she's going to find herself up front even if she's down several laps. She'll have to learn how to handle herself very quickly.

[Doomsday101]

Only problem with that is at some point she's going to find herself up front even if she's down several laps. She'll have to learn how to handle herself very quickly.

True and she is only going to run in limited events in the nationwide so points mean nothing to her at this stage she needs to learn but you need to be aggressive if you plan on doing anything in NASCAR those who are afraid to bump and grind are not going to win in this league. She needs to hang out with Tony Stewart for a few weeks. :laugh2:

[Cajuncowboy]

Only problem with that is at some point she's going to find herself up front even if she's down several laps. She'll have to learn how to handle herself very quickly.

Her first NASCAR race isn't the time to learn about bump drafting and causing a problem at the front of the field if she is a few laps down.

That would set her back a long ways in terms of drivers being willing to work with her.

She needs to watch and learn. I think she has the chops to do well in NASCAR but her time will come with patience.

[jcollins28]

Yeah that is why Indy guys are moving on to NASCAR. :lmao2: NASCAR make you drive a car it makes you understand the draft it is not about the fastest car on the track it is about taking a car and working it unlike the littel fairy racing league they call F1 or Indy.

Being in the sport I learned a long time ago that drivers will go apply their trade where they are paid the most money. Currently that place is NASCAR. The draft is a process of physics and does not apply to any one given series. Indycars draft as do sportscars and any other vehicle exceeding 80 mph. I'm not trying to be a snob or degrade NASCAR. Personally it's not my thing. Indy has always been special to me and my family and I hate the fact that it has been degraded to what it is now.

Danica is a good driver but she has quite a bit of work to do to earn the title of a top driver. Especially considered the equipment she has and the hand holding that she has benefited from during her career. After this year she will be fulltime in NASCAR and if Micheal Waltrip can survive years of mediocre performance because he could bump his gums and sell whatever product was on the side of his car then Danica should be golden.

[Yeagermeister]

Her first NASCAR race isn't the time to learn about bump drafting and causing a problem at the front of the field if she is a few laps down.

That would set her back a long ways in terms of drivers being willing to work with her.

She needs to watch and learn. I think she has the chops to do well in NASCAR but her time will come with patience.

Hanging out in the back with the also scrubs isn't going to make her better. If you want to learn you got to run with the big boys.

Like the saying goes....If you can't run with the big dogs....stay on the porch

[Cajuncowboy]

Being in the sport I learned a long time ago that drivers will go apply their trade where they are paid the most money. Currently that place is NASCAR. The draft is a process of physics and does not apply to any one given series. Indycars draft as do sportscars and any other vehicle exceeding 80 mph. I'm not trying to be a snob or degrade NASCAR. Personally it's not my thing. Indy has always been special to me and my family and I hate the fact that it has been degraded to what it is now.

Danica is a good driver but she has quite a bit of work to do to earn the title of a top driver. Especially considered the equipment she has and the hand holding that she has benefited from during her career. After this year she will be fulltime in NASCAR and if Micheal Waltrip can survive years of mediocre performance because he could bump his gums and sell whatever product was on the side of his car then Danica should be golden.

:laugh2:

Wow!

[big dog cowboy]

if Micheal Waltrip can survive years of mediocre performance because he could bump his gums and sell whatever product was on the side of his car then Danica should be golden.
:lmao:

So true!

[Yeagermeister]

The Waltrips were definitely born with the gift of over gab lol

[DallasCowpoke]

Being in the sport I learned a long time ago

Driving around an abandoned airfield in your sooped-up Hyundai, doesn't really count as "being in the sport" does it Mario?

[jcollins28]

Driving around an abandoned airfield in your sooped-up Hyundai, doesn't really count as "being in the sport" does it Mario?

Yeah whatever you say....:rolleyes:

[Cajuncowboy]

Yeah whatever you say....:rolleyes:

Ya know, even your sig screams SNOB.

Jealous much?

[jcollins28]

Ya know, even your sig screams SNOB.

Jealous much?

So you are judging me by a sig line on a internet message board?...lol strong irony in this thread.....Not sure exactly what I have to be jealous about. aware me....

[Cajuncowboy]

So you are judging me by a sig line on a internet message board?...lol strong irony in this thread.....Not sure exactly what I have to be jealous about. aware me....

Well, let me enlighten you. Since you and your family are "In the sport" I would assume that you are probably jealous that NASCAR gets a lot more publicity in America than that sissy driving you love so much, hence the sig line and your attitude in this thread.

Awared now? :rolleyes:

Oh and I'm not judging you, I'm judging your attitude which is on full display here.

[burmafrd]

and you nascar homers are not acting in exactly the same way?

[Yeagermeister]

*In my best CBZ voice*

Ok gentlemen let's cool off a bit

[Cajuncowboy]

and you nascar homers are not acting in exactly the same way?

No Burm, not until these guys started going off on NASCAR. Then maybe. Just read the posts.

[zrinkill]

Driving around an abandoned airfield in your sooped-up Hyundai, doesn't really count as "being in the sport" does it Mario?

Ya know, even your sig screams SNOB.

Jealous much?


:laugh2:

He sounds like canadiancowboysfan's lost cousin.

[Doomsday101]

Being in the sport I learned a long time ago that drivers will go apply their trade where they are paid the most money. Currently that place is NASCAR. The draft is a process of physics and does not apply to any one given series. Indycars draft as do sportscars and any other vehicle exceeding 80 mph. I'm not trying to be a snob or degrade NASCAR. Personally it's not my thing. Indy has always been special to me and my family and I hate the fact that it has been degraded to what it is now.

Danica is a good driver but she has quite a bit of work to do to earn the title of a top driver. Especially considered the equipment she has and the hand holding that she has benefited from during her career. After this year she will be fulltime in NASCAR and if Micheal Waltrip can survive years of mediocre performance because he could bump his gums and sell whatever product was on the side of his car then Danica should be golden.

Drafting in Indy Racing is in no ways even close to NASCAR. You are right drivers go where the money is and that is NASCAR it is the peoples overall choice of what they enjoy watching. You are not going to see bump drafting in Indy, you are not going to see cars going 3 wide bumping and grinding on each other that just does not take place in Indy. Indy is about raw speed and cars that are perfectly balanced and great handling. I enjoy watching it but because drivers use the cars to push and move other cars out of their way the skills on controlling that car is greater in NASCAR.

[Cajuncowboy]

:laugh2:

He sounds like canadiancowboysfan's lost cousin.

Well, I was going to ask him if he shopped at Wal-Mart.

:D

[jcollins28]

No Burm, not until these guys started going off on NASCAR. Then maybe. Just read the posts.

Great idea so you should start reading them. I have not said anything bad about NASCAR unlike you and a few others here have said about open wheel. NASCAR is not my cup of tea. There is nothing for me to be jealous of in fact a few open wheel guys are now working in NASCAR. Richard Childress for example has a few open wheel refugees on his team. If you don't like open wheel I could care less honestly. Last thing I'm going to do is try to ridicule or attack you over it. Not sure why you feel so threatened that you have to go after me or open wheel. The only thing I have said consistently in this thread is that IMO Danica is not yet reached the level of a top driver. I guess that threatened your inner fan boy or something. In any event thanks for giving me the chance to use the ignore list on this forum.

[jcollins28]

Drafting in Indy Racing is in no ways even close to NASCAR. You are right drivers go where the money is and that is NASCAR it is the peoples overall choice of what they enjoy watching. You are not going to see bump drafting in Indy, you are not going to see cars going 3 wide bumping and grinding on each other that just does not take place in Indy. Indy is about raw speed and cars that are perfectly balanced and great handling. I enjoy watching it but because drivers use the cars to push and move other cars out of their way the skills on controlling that car is greater in NASCAR.

You are absolutely right and sorry if I came off as trying to say that "bump" drafting takes place in Indycars. I did not mean to confuse anyone. Bump drafting is unique to NASCAR and it would not end up very well trying that in a Indycar. That said drafting still plays a key role in Indy racing. The clip below is from Michigan and had 63 official lead changes all due to drafting and the hanford device.
sZQZ6MjtGPQ
Unfortunately open wheel racing has not been that exciting in years and I have serious doubts if Indy racing will even be around in 2-3 years.

[jimmy40]

She should just do Playboy already.

Nobody cares about her racing.do they have a flat chested issue?

[jimmy40]

True and as they point out this is not a normal nationwide event because most of the top sprint car drivers will be in this race as they prepare themselves for the Sunday race. At least she will have 1 guy in that race to help her and that will be car owner Jr.the two most overated drivers in history helping each other, that should be a nice wreck.

[jimmy40]

The Waltrips were definitely born with the gift of over gab lolI really wish someone would punch Darrell the next time he says that boogity boogity crap.

[Yeagermeister]

I really wish someone would punch Darrell the next time he says that boogity boogity crap.

It was kind of fun at first but now it's just annoying.

[jimmy40]

It was kind of fun at first but now it's just annoying.at least they got rid of Darrell's ground hog or whatever the hell that thing was.

[burmafrd]

What I read is a lot of nascar homers saying their sport is tougher, better, etc.

That is nothing but opinion and means nothing.

[Cajuncowboy]

Great idea so you should start reading them. I have not said anything bad about NASCAR unlike you and a few others here have said about open wheel. NASCAR is not my cup of tea. There is nothing for me to be jealous of in fact a few open wheel guys are now working in NASCAR. Richard Childress for example has a few open wheel refugees on his team. If you don't like open wheel I could care less honestly. Last thing I'm going to do is try to ridicule or attack you over it. Not sure why you feel so threatened that you have to go after me or open wheel. The only thing I have said consistently in this thread is that IMO Danica is not yet reached the level of a top driver. I guess that threatened your inner fan boy or something. In any event thanks for giving me the chance to use the ignore list on this forum.

LOL! What a three year old!

[Cajuncowboy]

What I read is a lot of nascar homers saying their sport is tougher, better, etc.

That is nothing but opinion and means nothing.

No, what we are saying is that it takes more skill to drive a stock car than an IRL car. Then some have a snob-like attitude, evidenced by their previous sig and then got all mad that someone called them on it. That's all.

[Doomsday101]

the two most overated drivers in history helping each other, that should be a nice wreck.

If they are over rated it is not by their doing, it is by fans and media. They are race car drivers looking to compete and win if fans like them for what ever reason that is on the fans

[ConcordCowboy]

Define all? Piquet is here because he is black balled in F1. Villeneuve can't get a ride anywhere and JPM is tired of Max and Bernie's crap and for that I can't blame him. If you really think Shumacher, Kubica, Vettal or Lewis Hamilton is anxiously waiting for a chance to drive in NASCAR then that truly is funny...BTW guys like Piquet and JPM would have left F1 and went to open wheel here in the US but Tony George pretty much killed open wheel in this country so the only ball game in town sadly is NASCAR.

I love F1 and I use to love Cart...until that idiot ruined it.

Now here is a real race car driver.

http://members.home.nl/formule1.isnummer1.nl/f1/wereldkampioenen/wk2001_schumacher.jpg

[ConcordCowboy]

I really wish someone would punch Darrell the next time he says that boogity boogity crap.

:laugh2:

That is stupid.

[Doomsday101]

boogity boogity Lets go racing Boys. :laugh2:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np2i-1QJc6E&feature=related

[jimmy40]

If they are over rated it is not by their doing, it is by fans and media. Danica doing bikini shots etc? She's sure helping the overated stuff.

[Doomsday101]

Danica doing bikini shots etc? She's sure helping the overated stuff.

People offer money to advertise only a fool would pass it up. I really do not get the dislike of the lady, she is a very good driver wheather you think she is over rated or not fact is she is good enough to be in professional racing and that is never a given you have to have the talent for people to make that type of investment in you to begin with.

[Cajuncowboy]

Danica doing bikini shots etc? She's sure helping the overated stuff.

What does the bikini shots have to do with her driving ability?

[jimmy40]

What does the bikini shots have to do with her driving ability?If she looked like thishttp://celebritymound.smugmug.com/photos/172374761-M.jpg

would anybody give a damn?

[BrAinPaiNt]

Shall I break out my Banjo? :eek: :p: ;)

[BrAinPaiNt]

If she looked like thishttp://celebritymound.smugmug.com/photos/172374761-M.jpg

would anybody give a damn?

Considering it would scare off most of the crowd and cause all the mirrors and windshields to crack in the cars I imagine they would care quite a bit. :laugh2:

[jimmy40]

Considering it would scare off most of the crowd and cause all the mirrors and windshields to crack in the cars I imagine they would care quite a bit. :laugh2:so your saying she wouldn't be getting the bikini deals?:laugh2:

[Doomsday101]

If she looked like thishttp://celebritymound.smugmug.com/photos/172374761-M.jpg

would anybody give a damn?

No one would want to see her in a bikini that's for sure.

[Cajuncowboy]

If she looked like thishttp://celebritymound.smugmug.com/photos/172374761-M.jpg

would anybody give a damn?

First...:ralph:

Second..We aren't talking about her are we? So again, what does a bikini photo shoot have to do with racing talent, good or bad?

[BrAinPaiNt]

First...:ralph:

Second..We aren't talking about her are we? So again, what does a bikini photo shoot have to do with racing talent, good or bad?

Because she has to race in a fire suit?

Wait...I am confused.

:laugh2:

[Cajuncowboy]

Because she has to race in a fire suit?

Wait...I am confused.

:laugh2:

You would have her race in a bikini.

Hey, I think we are on to something...

I'm calling Helton right now!

[ConcordCowboy]

boogity boogity Lets go racing Boys. :laugh2:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np2i-1QJc6E&feature=related

Well as Phil Connors would say...Yeah he's a hick.

:laugh2:

[Doomsday101]

Well as Phil Connors would say...Yeah he's a hick.

:laugh2:

I know allot of good and down to earth hicks.

[ConcordCowboy]

I know allot of good and down to earth hicks.

Sucks to be you.

[Doomsday101]

Sucks to be you.

Quite the opposite. Life is good and god knows I love me some me. :laugh2:

[ConcordCowboy]

Quite the opposite. Life is good and god knows I love me some me. :laugh2:

Hey man I got plenty of hicks in my family.

All my relatives are from Tennessee...Plenty of them in the area of the woods they live in. Not far from where Jason Witten grew up.

Had many great times there.

It sure is beautiful.

[Doomsday101]

Hey man I got plenty of hicks in my family.

All my relatives are from Tennessee...Plenty of them in the area of the woods they live in. Not far from where Jason Witten grew up.

Had many great times there.

It sure is beautiful.

So you are a wanna be hick, disguised as a hip and intellectual city boy but would love nothing more than to live the simple life of a country bumpkin. :laugh2:

[ConcordCowboy]

So you are a wanna be hick, disguised as a hip and intellectual city boy but would love nothing more than to live the simple life of a country bumpkin. :laugh2:

To quote yourself...Quite the opposite.

I love the Nature there...the Cherokee National Forest starts literally in my Grandmothers back yard...but not the lifestyle at all...I'd go crazy there after awhile.

Beautiful place to visit but I could never live there.

[Bob Sacamano]

Hey man I got plenty of hicks in my family.

All my relatives are from Tennessee...Plenty of them in the area of the woods they live in. Not far from where Jason Witten grew up.

Had many great times there.

It sure is beautiful.

Ohio is hick country

it's also too white, blinding even

[ConcordCowboy]

Ohio is hick country

it's also too white, blinding even

Oh there's hicks here too...for sure.

Too White?

Depends on who you talk to.

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Ohio is hick country

it's also too white, blinding even

Ohio has nothing on North Dakota in terms of whiteness

[jimmy40]

First...:ralph:

Second..We aren't talking about her are we? So again, what does a bikini photo shoot have to do with racing talent, good or bad?you can play stupid if you want.

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Danica is hot and that is why she gets pub. Men like hot women, enough said.

[Cajuncowboy]

you can play stupid if you want.

Hey, stupid is not answering the question. What does one have to do with
the other?

Let me help you out here since it appears you are incapable of doing so on your own...

Nothing!

[Yeagermeister]

I know allot of good and down to earth hicks.

*points to BP* :muttley:

There are hicks in every state if you know where to look lol

[ConcordCowboy]

*points to BP* :muttley:

There are hicks in every state if you know where to look lol

Yeah but the majority are in Tennessee.

:p:

[Cajuncowboy]

Yeah but the majority are in Tennessee.

:p:

You've obviously never been to Kentucky. :D

[Doomsday101]

Danica is hot and that is why she gets pub. Men like hot women, enough said.

True that is why she gets ads, she races because those car owners feel she has the talent. They are not putting her behind the wheel of a car because she is pretty

[Yeagermeister]

You've obviously never been to Kentucky. :D

Or Mississippi.....I know because I'm related to most of them. lol

[Yeagermeister]

She was doing well until she was caught up in a wreck.

[Cajuncowboy]

She was doing well until she was caught up in a wreck.

Yep. She did everything right and even made a nice move earlier to avoid a wreck.

[jimmy40]

well she sucked when she actually had to drive this week.

[CanadianCowboysFan]

she's hot though so that is all that matters

[jimmy40]

she's hot though so that is all that mattersand the only reason she's there.

[Doomsday101]

well she sucked when she actually had to drive this week.

California is tough track and all the other open wheel drivers have had a rough go of it the 1st and even 2nd time around. She will learn from the experiance but like most it is not going to happen over night NASCAR is tough

[Scranton Tiger]

and the only reason she's there.
It doesn't hurt that she's attractive, no doubt about it. However, the main reason she is getting the attention she has gotten so far is because NASCAR has been hemorrhaging fans and ratings left and right since the idiot Brian France took over. They had to have something or someone to draw attention. They got it with Danica. Plus, no matter what the anti Danica croud says, the girl has talent. Don't let the first two races fool you. Example; Jimmie Johnson absolutely SUCKED when he was in the Busch series. I'd have to say that he's doing okay now though. You have to give her a season at least and probably two before we know for sure if she can drive Stock Cars or not.

[CanadianCowboysFan]

and the only reason she's there.

women are judged by their looks, thus is the world made.

Lindsay Vonn and Julia Mancuso are famous more for their looks than their skiing ability.

[Bob Sacamano]

women are judged by their looks, thus is the world made.

Lindsay Vonn and Julia Mancuso are famous more for their looks than their skiing ability.

At least Vonn has a couple Gold medals...