N A S C A R's Brightest Star?

[roadwarrior]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-57569831/danica-patrick-makes-nascar-history/

 

I gave up on NASCAR a few years ago. I use to think the old saying "If you ain't cheating, 

you ain't trying" was just funny redneck-speak. However, I find NASCAR oversight dispictable.

Now this little bright light rekindles my interest a bit. I don't know that I will ever be a big fan

again, but I'm excited about this race!

[tbone1993]

She really is not something special. Besides getting the pole she has not made much of an impact in nascar. 

[MCS]

She really is not something special. Besides getting the pole she has not made much of an impact in nascar. 

 

You took the words out of my mouth. I followed loosley her indy career, cart was better and had better drivers IMO, and she is nothing special. IF she wasn't a female no one would care about the fact that she made pole. Pole means nothing, except she might lead a lap, the first lap. She is not good enough to win a championship in any of the major professional racing series.

[Teal]

Not so special drivers get the pole often every year. She still has a long road. There are 42 other drivers that will be driving out there too. Experience is not on her side. While her odds of winning the race increased by having the top starting spot, but i would venture to say that her odds are still very slim.

I dont say this to take away from Ms.Patrick. What she has done is unpreccidented for women and women trying to break in the sport. Sometimes we as viewers give her funny looks because he biggest success seems to be in marketing and not racing. But that isnt her fault. She was blessed with a beautiful appearance and lets be honest, sex sells.

While i dont think she will win this race nor any race this year, i am really proud of her accomplishments and her will to do something that she wants to do, even if it is a "mans sport". I dont have a daughter, but if i did, I would want her to look at what Ms.Patrick has done as an example of women breaking into a mans world and competing. (Even if it doesnt result in wins, she still got in, and she still competes) i think she is a good role model.

[Teal]

With that said, i will be pulling for Jr. And for Danica!

[OkeechobeeAngler]

Rising star ? No. 

[MCS]

Not so special drivers get the pole often every year. She still has a long road. There are 42 other drivers that will be driving out there too. Experience is not on her side. While her odds of winning the race increased by having the top starting spot, but i would venture to say that her odds are still very slim.

I dont say this to take away from Ms.Patrick. What she has done is unpreccidented for women and women trying to break in the sport. Sometimes we as viewers give her funny looks because he biggest success seems to be in marketing and not racing. But that isnt her fault. She was blessed with a beautiful appearance and lets be honest, sex sells.

While i dont think she will win this race nor any race this year, i am really proud of her accomplishments and her will to do something that she wants to do, even if it is a "mans sport". I dont have a daughter, but if i did, I would want her to look at what Ms.Patrick has done as an example of women breaking into a mans world and competing. (Even if it doesnt result in wins, she still got in, and she still competes) i think she is a good role model.

 

Not really only 9 of the 54 pole position ever won, this if from 1959 to 2013. that is 16.67% of poles winner take the checker.  IMO it has actually lessened her chance. In something like F1 where the car can be superior to the field and tracks can hinder overtaking it might have helped but not in NASCAR.

[MCS]

I think the hype about her being a woman just downplays the lack of talent, it is an excuse for mediocre talent or almost like she is good - for a woman. I have watched other women racers compete, far better talented like Katherine Legge, Shirley Muldowney(who should really get the credit Danica does), John force's daughters shoot even Milko Dunno. To me she is obnoxious, thinks her **** doesn't stink and is not deserving of the acolades she gets. Hell if want my daughters to use sex sells method to achieve press/sucess or follow in her path with her personal drama.  I always find it difficult in general to rationlize an athelete as a role model they just usually let you down at some point in time. Look at Jordan and Chipper Jones, two clean honest hardworking atheletes that were cheating on their spouses(danica ahem) while they appeared to be great role models.

[Teal]

MCS, no argument here!

[roadwarrior]

Lack of talent?

 

Junior is the reason I don't follow NASCAR anymore. It was a few years ago when the man 

took out most of the field while illegally running inside in an attempt to score a Lucky Dog.

Dude was not suspended or fined. I know he is the most popular guy in the game, but he

is a terrible racer. 

[00 mod]

Go #17! 

 

Jeff

[Fishing Rhino]

Not really only 9 of the 54 pole position ever won, this if from 1959 to 2013. that is 16.67% of poles winner take the checker.  IMO it has actually lessened her chance. In something like F1 where the car can be superior to the field and tracks can hinder overtaking it might have helped but not in NASCAR.

 

It would be interesting to see what percent of the winners came from the rest of the starting positions.

 

But, lacking that let's run with what we have.  Forty two or forty three start the race.  That means each position makes up 2.5% of the field.  The pole position wins one sixth of the races while comprising only one forty second of the field.  That's not too shabby as percentages go.

[tomustang]

Danica? Meh, maybe she will run out of gas and pout all the way back to the pits. Terrible attitude.

She needs to go back to Go Daddy commercials

[Glenn]

And what NASCAR racer doesn't have a bad attitude?  I think I can name them all on one hand and still have fingers left over!   

 

[tipptruck1]

Go #17! 

 

Jeff

Matt's no longer in that car. I believe its Ricky Stenhouse. Matt is driving for Joe Gibs.

[tomustang]

And what NASCAR racer doesn't have a bad attitude?  I think I can name them all on one hand and still have fingers left over!   

 

They all have their moments. But Danica is a ***** regardless

[00 mod]

Matt's no longer in that car. I believe its Ricky Stenhouse. Matt is driving for Joe Gibs.

 

 

Thats right!  I grew up racing against "Little Ricky".  I have known him for 20 years.  We raced each other in karts, all the way through dirt track until he left me in his dust(pun intended).  His father is a very well known and respected engine builder here in town and he is the ONLY person who built any of my race engines.  We still talk on a regular basis and I wish him the best of luck! 

[tipptruck1]

Thats right!  I grew up racing against "Little Ricky".  I have known him for 20 years.  We raced each other in karts, all the way through dirt track until he left me in his dust(pun intended).  His father is a very well known and respected engine builder here in town and he is the ONLY person who built any of my race engines.  We still talk on a regular basis and I wish him the best of luck! 

Ok just making sure you knew. There a lot of fans that didn't know Matt is no longer in that car. I find it cool that you know him in a personal level. I will be pulling for Carl on Sunday. But if any of the roush cars are up front. I dont care who wins.

[kadas]

You took the words out of my mouth. I followed loosley her indy career, cart was better and had better drivers IMO, and she is nothing special. IF she wasn't a female no one would care about the fact that she made pole. Pole means nothing, except she might lead a lap, the first lap. She is not good enough to win a championship in any of the major professional racing series.

X2

[MCS]

It would be interesting to see what percent of the winners came from the rest of the starting positions.

 

But, lacking that let's run with what we have.  Forty two or forty three start the race.  That means each position makes up 2.5% of the field.  The pole position wins one sixth of the races while comprising only one forty second of the field.  That's not too shabby as percentages go.

True and good point those numbers need to be looked at. But also the field always has not been 42 cars. some of the earlier races were much less probably half that. I would venture to guess the most wins come positions 6-9 maybe 3 or 4 through 7.

[00 mod]

Ok just making sure you knew. There a lot of fans that didn't know Matt is no longer in that car. I find it cool that you know him in a personal level. I will be pulling for Carl on Sunday. But if any of the roush cars are up front. I dont care who wins.

 

 

Did you know that Carl had a big hand in getting Little Ricky to where he is?  As well as Tony Stewart?  When RSJ was running local, he got a shot to run TSR #20 usac car for the injured Tracy Hines? maybe.  He actually lived with Tony while running for him. He went on to win some big races, and then got a ride with RE Technologies in Memphis(partially owned by Carl Edwards)  Then CE got him hooked up with Roush and the rest is history.  Great young man and a heck of a wheelman.  He was never afraid to hit the high side and throw it sideways on the dirt track.  Would make a groove where no one else would run. 

 

Jeff

[Gone_Phishin]

I think she's trash.  When she broke into the larger racing circuits, she insisted she would never use her sexuality to promote her career or image...then she made countless GoDaddy commercials.

 

She's a spoiled brat who has made a career of throwing her team under the bus.

[preach4bass]

No doubt about it, Danica has used her sex appeal to sell herself, and she whines incessantly.  She is the female Jeff Gordan.  He used his looks to attract female fans, which in turn attracted sponsors, from the time he started racing NASCAR.  And, every racing fan knows that Jeff whines like a little girl when things don't go his way.

 

The only two differences between Jeff and Danica are their genders and their talent.  The difference in their talent levels is as noticable as the difference in their gender.

[Bass Dude]

I thought of this listening to this debate over the various sports channels. 

 

Would everyone be saying the same thing if a good-looking african-american man had won the pole?   Would they say.... well he just got the pole, let's see what he does during the race.  Would they say......Well, he's only known for being a driver because he's the only black man in NASCAR. Would they say..... He's only known because of all the commercials he's done.  I think people would be singing a different tune if that had happened.  They would be talking about how he removed some of the stigma attached to racing and broke the race barrier etc.

 

I think Danica winning the pole is as much of a big deal as that would be.  She has broken a barrier in NASCAR that hasn't been broken until now.  She should get some accolades for that.  She is a good driver and with some more time in the car, I think she'll be successful.  Everyone says she'll never win or she's only won one race in IndyCar.  There are a lot of people that have raced in the Indy series that can't say they have won.  There have been a lot of Cup drivers that have never won a race as well.

 

As far as using her looks to get sponsors, take it all the way to the bank!!   Every driver out there uses what they have to get sponsors.  Jr. uses his name to get his.  Winning one race every two years isn't exactly the success sponsors are looking for.  However, that last name of his gets you a lot of support!  Carl Edwards is on the cover of workout magazines and other sports magazines because of his physique....same thing...isn't it!  I'm sure that doesn't hurt his chances of getting a sponsor he might not have otherwise!

 

[Long Mike]

I thought of this listening to this debate over the various sports channels. 

 

Would everyone be saying the same thing if a good-looking african-american man had won the pole?   Would they say.... well he just got the pole, let's see what he does during the race.  Would they say......Well, he's only known for being a driver because he's the only black man in NASCAR. Would they say..... He's only known because of all the commercials he's done.  I think people would be singing a different tune if that had happened.  They would be talking about how he removed some of the stigma attached to racing and broke the race barrier etc.

 

I think Danica winning the pole is as much of a big deal as that would be.  She has broken a barrier in NASCAR that hasn't been broken until now.  She should get some accolades for that.  She is a good driver and with some more time in the car, I think she'll be successful.  Everyone says she'll never win or she's only won one race in IndyCar.  There are a lot of people that have raced in the Indy series that can't say they have won.  There have been a lot of Cup drivers that have never won a race as well.

 

As far as using her looks to get sponsors, take it all the way to the bank!!   Every driver out there uses what they have to get sponsors.  Jr. uses his name to get his.  Winning one race every two years isn't exactly the success sponsors are looking for.  However, that last name of his gets you a lot of support!  Carl Edwards is on the cover of workout magazines and other sports magazines because of his physique....same thing...isn't it!  I'm sure that doesn't hurt his chances of getting a sponsor he might not have otherwise!

 

Very well said!  It's the most unbiased post in this thread.