Danica Patrick takes historic pole position for Daytona 500

[Doomsday101]

CNN) -- She says she was brought up to be the fastest driver, not the fastest girl.

None of the boys were faster on Sunday.

Danica Patrick became the first woman to win the pole position for the Daytona 500, considered the Super Bowl of NASCAR, posting a lap of 196.434 mph.

She'll start next Sunday's "Great American Race" in the front row, on the inside part of the track. The polesitter begins the race with certain strategic advantages as well as the prestige of leading an elite pack.


Becoming the first woman to win a pole at any NASCAR top-division race is another milestone for a racer known for breaking barriers.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/17/sport/daytona-500-qualifying/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

 

[jimmy40]

so she can win if no other cars are on the track at the same time?

 

[Risen Star]

Yeah, the boys who built that car did a good job.

 

[Boys122]

Winning the pole in this race doesn't mean squat.

 

[Zordon]

Anybody else find her really annoying.

 

[Questfor6]

I bet she doesn't even lead a lap in the 150 or the 500

 

[Doomsday101]

People are this opposed to a woman race car driver? She accomplished what no other woman has to win the pole at Daytona and it is a big deal considering there are 42 other cars trying to win the same spot. These team work and practice to go out and win that pole position and people want to act as if it means nothing?

What she is doing is not easy but she has gone about this the right way running the nationwide series and well as the limited races on the sprint series and has the backing of guys like Earnhardt and Tony Stewart. Her peers seem to have more respect for her and that is what matters.

 

[Doomsday101]

I bet she doesn't even lead a lap in the 150 or the 500

She may or may not. She would not be the only one. From car problems to getting caught up in an accident things happen quick and any of the drivers can get taken out of the race.

 

[burmafrd]

no one has guts enough to admit they hate her because she is a woman in what they consider a male only area

 

[Yeagermeister]

Anybody else find her really annoying.

I don't find her annoying but all the hype I do

 

[Doomsday101]

I don't find her annoying but all the hype I do

The hype is because she is a woman. There are many male drivers who get hype so what. If it was a minority driver I'm sure they would get hype as well. There are not many woman who have drove in the series so of course there is attention paid to that.

 

[Yeagermeister]

The hype is because she is a woman. There are many male drivers who get hype so what. If it was a minority driver I'm sure they would get hype as well. There are not many woman who have drove in the series so of course there is attention paid to that.

So far this season she's living up to it. Hopefully she can keep it up.

I just wish they'd talk about what she is doing on the track not who she is dating.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Anybody else find her really annoying.

I find her really hot, not annoying.

 

[Risen Star]

I find her really hot, not annoying.

To each their own, I suppose. I don't find her hot at all.

I like Danica. I think she has legitimate talent. Of course she's way over hyped. So is Dale Jr.

She shouldn't be in the Cup series. She's not ready for it. She's driven a stock car one year. Even with the top equipment she's in (due to her gender), she will get dominated this year. May even cause a few incidents that take out real contenders. She was mediocre in her one season in Nationwide. She really should have started out in ARCA and developed her stock car skills before running with the big boys.

Those that really don't know the sport are very impressed by this pole. Those who follow the sport closely know this is the easiest place to qualify. You put your foot to the floor and steer. The driver is pretty much irrelevant. It's all motor and aero. Bet ya a beer she struggles to qualify outside of these plate races all year.

If I were one of those cup guys, I'd be scared to death to start that 500 with her up front. I wouldn't want any part of her around me in that race.

 

[jobberone]

She is able to drive well enough to run at the front. That's all you can ask a driver to be able to do.

 

[Doomsday101]

So far this season she's living up to it. Hopefully she can keep it up.

I just wish they'd talk about what she is doing on the track not who she is dating.

But she has no control over that. Being a woman in what has been a mans domain will bring a lot of attention. Going from open wheel to NASCAR is a pretty big challenge. It has been rough for other open wheel drivers who have tried to make the switch.

 

[Doomsday101]

To each their own, I suppose. I don't find her hot at all.

I like Danica. I think she has legitimate talent. Of course she's way over hyped. So is Dale Jr.

She shouldn't be in the Cup series. She's not ready for it. She's driven a stock car one year. Even with the top equipment she's in (due to her gender), she will get dominated this year. May even cause a few incidents that take out real contenders. She was mediocre in her one season in Nationwide. She really should have started out in ARCA and developed her stock car skills before running with the big boys.

Those that really don't know the sport are very impressed by this pole. Those who follow the sport closely know this is the easiest place to qualify. You put your foot to the floor and steer. The driver is pretty much irrelevant. It's all motor and aero. Bet ya a beer she struggles to qualify outside of these plate races all year.

If I were one of those cup guys, I'd be scared to death to start that 500 with her up front. I wouldn't want any part of her around me in that race.

Some are impressed because she became the 1st woman to do so and in the meantime every other dirver was trying to win the pole themselfs so to act as if it means nothing is BS and this line about those who know the sport is a joke. As for her racing the Cup series she is only seeing limited time as other nationwide drivers have done and are currently doing. She has not been running the cup series full time and it is part of the learning that goes on in this sport.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

But she has no control over that. Being a woman in what has been a mans domain will bring a lot of attention. Going from open wheel to NASCAR is a pretty big challenge. It has been rough for other open wheel drivers who have tried to make the switch.

I see her hype as being similar to Eldrick's who while the best of his generation for a number of years, was hyped something fierce at least partially because he was a black guy in a white sport. Kind of like the Williams boys in tennis.

 

[Doomsday101]

I see her hype as being similar to Eldrick's who while the best of his generation for a number of years, was hyped something fierce at least partially because he was a black guy in a white sport. Kind of like the Williams boys in tennis.

What?

He was winning jr events, he was first golfer to win three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles. Turned Pro in 96 and by 97 became youngest player to win the Masters. Yes he was hyped and blew the field away he lived up to the hype and had 14 majors to back it and the 2nd most wins in PGA history. I think he has lived up to the so called hype.

Hating just to hate is pretty sad looking.

 

[jimmy40]

People are this opposed to a woman race car driver? She accomplished what no other woman has to win the pole at Daytona and it is a big deal considering there are 42 other cars trying to win the same spot. These team work and practice to go out and win that pole position and people want to act as if it means nothing?

What she is doing is not easy but she has gone about this the right way running the nationwide series and well as the limited races on the sprint series and has the backing of guys like Earnhardt and Tony Stewart. Her peers seem to have more respect for her and that is what matters.

she was given one of the top cars and teams in the Nationwide Series for no other reason but she looks good in Go daddy commercials and she sucked so she's given one of the top cars in Sprint after one year. That's going about it the right way? Google Johanna Long if you want to see a woman going about it the right way. Where's her hype? Oh yeah, she doesn't strip half naked for pictures.