Danica Patrick takes historic pole position for Daytona 500

[Risen Star]

Yeah that is why these owners put these drivers in these cars. Only laughing stock is you. You act as if you know all there is to know and yet the more you talk the more you show you don't know much at all.

No one is putting people behind the wheels of these very expensive cars if they don't believe in their talent level to do the job.

People believed in Patrick Carpentier's ability to do the job. People believed in Sam Hornish Jr.'s ability to do the job. Robby Gordon. A laundry list of others. Some succeed, some fail. Not a single open wheel racer has come over in the modern era and had any real success in Nascar.

 

[Risen Star]

Stewart was racing many different level of midgets and so on and was racing in the indy league as well.

Yeah, so he had the experience Danica lacked when she switched to stock cars.

It was a really bad example.

 

[Doomsday101]

People believed in Patrick Carpentier's ability to do the job. People believed in Sam Hornish Jr.'s ability to do the job. Robby Gordon. A laundry list of others. Some succeed, some fail. Not a single open wheel racer has come over in the modern era and had any real success in Nascar.

some succeed and some fail there are no guarantees but the owners who have been in this business and know this sport much better than some message board expert are not just throwing people out of the blue into these cars. You may impress yourself but that is about it.

 

[joseephuss]

Maybe she will have better career than Michael Waltrip. What did he go, 450+ races before ever winning? He won a total of 4 races and 4 poles in his long career and now is the head of a racing team. Would any of that have been possible if not for his last name?

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

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.

Yep, the pole doesnt mean a whole lot at Daytona other than the honor that goes with it.

Loy Allen ring a bell? Had the pole in 94 and if I remember correctly he didnt even lead the first lap. No laps for that matter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loy_Allen,_Jr.

 

[Risen Star]

Only a perv would take an innocent commercial and act as if she was doing porno movies. They are commercials they are selling a product nothing more nothing less. Or is the nationwide commercial also selling her body?

He Go Daddy commercials are sexually provocative. So she can't play the victim. She's using her sexuality.

So to say she can't help it, no....she can. Or she could at least try and not do those kinds of things.

 

[Risen Star]

some succeed and some fail there are no guarantees but the owners who have been in this business and know this sport much better than some message board expert are not just throwing people out of the blue into these cars. You may impress yourself but that is about it.

They've all failed in the modern era. Maybe you missed that. BTW, you are also a message board poster.

You told me she's simply doing what others have done. But those guys have failed. You told me her IRL experience makes up for a lack of stock car experience. Something nobody attached to Nascar would ever dream of claiming.

I'm not trying to impress anybody. I'm just telling you the facts. Danica Patrick's pole doesn't impress anyone with a clue about the sport and she was definitely, not maybe, rushed into the Cup series without the experience to be anything but a danger to herself and the drivers around her. She's got Hendrick equipment. The best driver in the sport as her personal tutor. She will not finish in the top 20 in points. Maybe not even top 25. She a field filler with a lot of hype simply because of her gender.

Now had they brought her along slowly in the lower divisions I think she'd have a shot. But they did her a disservice and she's about to get completely exposed as an ARCA level driver rubbing paint with the big boys.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

He Go Daddy commercials are sexually provocative. So she can't play the victim. She's using her sexuality.

So to say she can't help it, no....she can. Or she could at least try and not do those kinds of things.

It sells, what can you say.

She does nothing illegal, nor immoral. It is no different that super models in skimpy outfits selling shoes, cologne etc.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

I don't think you know what you're talking about. I look forward to the day where women and minorities are in the sport because it will mean the sport is growing. What you just accused me of is a simpleton weak cop out.

She had some good runs at IMS. She won one race. That's a very mediocre career in top equipment. The others that have left for Nascar dwarf her accomplishments. Her Nationwide season last year was about as marginal as you'll find with anyone in such a well funded team and she's been launched straight to the cup series after it.

It would be more accurate to accuse me of not letting her gender give her a free pass. I've never seen anyone in the position she's in who has accomplished so little. She's in Hendrick equipment driving for Tony Stewart with a sponsorship that will follow her anywhere. And it's all because of her gender.

Actually, more because she is a very attractive member of the female of the species. If she were ugly, no one would care.

 

[Risen Star]

Yep, the pole doesnt mean a whole lot at Daytona other than the honor that goes with it.

Loy Allen ring a bell? Had the pole in 94 and if I remember correctly he didnt even lead the first lap. No laps for that matter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loy_Allen,_Jr.

It means something in terms of being historic. She should be proud of being the first female to win a pole. But in terms of her ability, it doesn't mean much. It's the absolute easiest place to qualify on the circuit. That and Talledega. It's all car and aero. You get what you got from the shop. Ask any of these drivers where do they matter least in qualifying and they'll tell you it's the plate races. I've heard them say it more times than I can count.

Watch how good she qualifies the following week.

 

[Risen Star]

Actually, more because she is a very attractive member of the female of the species. If she were ugly, no one would care.

That's probably true. I don't find her attractive at all but a lot of people do.

There's a talented lady in Nationwide who isn't considered all that attractive and she's basically been ignored. IMO, she out drove Danica last year when you consider the budget of their respective race teams.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

It means something in terms of being historic. She should be proud of being the first female to win a pole. But in terms of her ability, it doesn't mean much. It's the absolute easiest place to qualify on the circuit. That and Talledega. It's all car and aero. You get what you got from the shop. Ask any of these drivers where do they matter least in qualifying and they'll tell you it's the plate races. I've heard them say it more times than I can count.

Watch how good she qualifies the following week.

You might be right, but would the same be said about any crappy driver qualifying for the pole if said driver had outdoor instead of indoor plumbing?

 

[Risen Star]

You might be right, but would the same be said about any crappy driver qualifying for the pole if said driver had outdoor instead of indoor plumbing?

If any rookie driver with Danica's hype got the pole at Daytona in Hendrick equipment I'd be saying the same thing about the accomplishment.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

That's probably true. I don't find her attractive at all but a lot of people do.

There's a talented lady in Nationwide who isn't considered all that attractive and she's basically been ignored. IMO, she out drove Danica last year when you consider the budget of their respective race teams.

It is the same in the job market, the better looking women tend to get the jobs ahead of less attractive women.

 

[Risen Star]

It is the same in the job market, the better looking women tend to get the jobs ahead of less attractive women.

The bottom line to me is if Nascar is ever going to grow, the fields have to be filled by something other than all white males. If only one segment of the population has any real chance to participate in the sport it severely limits interest. I welcomed the foreign drivers but I didn't expect many results. They didn't have the stock car experience.

They've tried in the past forcing a woman in but they didn't have the talent. I think Danica is the first who actually has the talent to at least hold her own. I just completely disagree with how they've fast tracked her to the top level.

The minority program is a good thing and about to reap some rewards. Darrell Wallace Jr. is a very good up and coming driver. More and more girls are starting to race. This is how it needs to be done. So when they get to the top level, they have the same experience wrestling these cars as everyone else does.

What's working in Danica's favor, IMO, is she's such a star that it has gotten her a top ride and plenty of job security. Stewart wanted to run a third team for while but couldn't do it because of sponsorship. Danica walks in with a sponsor. That's huge.

 

[Questfor6]

The bottom line to me is if Nascar is ever going to grow, the fields have to be filled by something other than all white males. If only one segment of the population has any real chance to participate in the sport it severely limits interest. I welcomed the foreign drivers but I didn't expect many results. They didn't have the stock car experience.

They've tried in the past forcing a woman in but they didn't have the talent. I think Danica is the first who actually has the talent to at least hold her own. I just completely disagree with how they've fast tracked her to the top level.

The minority program is a good thing and about to reap some rewards. Darrell Wallace Jr. is a very good up and coming driver. More and more girls are starting to race. This is how it needs to be done. So when they get to the top level, they have the same experience wrestling these cars as everyone else does.

What's working in Danica's favor, IMO, is she's such a star that it has gotten her a top ride and plenty of job security. Stewart wanted to run a third team for while but couldn't do it because of sponsorship. Danica walks in with a sponsor. That's huge.

Same can be said for Paul Menard, he's a nationwide series driver at best but the family business will keep him driving in the Cup Series for as long as he wants. I'm with you on the minorities coming to NASCAR because I'm sure Brian France & Mike Helton don't want NASCAR to be looked at as just a redneck sport.

Danica is in the same boat that Bill Lester was in about 10 years ago when they basically tried to shove a black man into racing in the Cup Series. No offense to him but he wasn't even an average Truck Series driver. NASCAR's drive for diversity program since then has really found some good up & coming talent like Bubba Wallace & Kyle Larson who are both going to be household names in the next 5 years.

 

[Zordon]

I find her really hot, not annoying.

Really? She's an average looking women. She comes dime a dozen in the Dallas suburbs.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

What's working in Danica's favor, IMO, is she's such a star that it has gotten her a top ride and plenty of job security. Stewart wanted to run a third team for while but couldn't do it because of sponsorship. Danica walks in with a sponsor. That's huge.

Sponsor money is what its all about. If she has enough money following her and she can be somewhat competitive she will have a ride for a long time.

In NHRA, Alexsis Dejoria has daddy's Patron sponsorship money so it worked out great for Connie Kalitta. He added another funny car to his team and she had her own sponsorship. She has money, he has the team, she has a ride.

 

[jimmy40]

Danica >> Johanna

Danica's ride, team, money >>>>> Johanna's

 

[jimmy40]

That's probably true. I don't find her attractive at all but a lot of people do.

There's a talented lady in Nationwide who isn't considered all that attractive and she's basically been ignored. IMO, she out drove Danica last year when you consider the budget of their respective race teams.