Danica ??

[FL Knifemaker]

How would you rate her first 3 races??  I'd give her a B-.

It would seem that any of the good NASCAR guys could have swerved and avoided that wreck yesterday.......Even spinning through the grass probably would have resulted in a better outcome.

[Wayne P.]

Looks-------------------------------------B

Body--------------------------------------C

Nascar driving---------------------------- C+

[preach4bass]

B-/C+?

Are ya'll talking about Danica Patrick, the lady who is racing in the Nationwide series?  If so, here are some of her stats:

     Races: 3

     Best Finish: 31st

     Points Standings: 34th

Based on those stats she dosn't deserve a B-/C+.

I hope she starts to live up to the hype when she comes back.  She's great for the sport, but it's embarrasing when we give the most praise to one of the worst drivers on the track.

[Fishing Rhino]

Daytona. Caught up in someone else's mess. Jimmy Johnson finished where in the Daytona 500?  How would you score him if that was his first cup race?

California. Not good. Car or her?

Vegas, yeah, she could have swerved, onto the apron, which would have shot her up the track, not onto the infield.

In all three races, she drove smart races. She did not cause any of the wrecks.

ARCA race. No need to get excited about her good finish. No doubt her equipment was superior to most of the field in that one.

But she drove a smart race in that one too.

She has one important thing going for her. She does not need the instant results most do when they start out.

She has the sponsors who are more than willing to stick with her through the learning curve.

How good is she? I don't know, but from what I saw, she is smart, and knows how to handle a race car.

We'll find out if she starts to mix it up with the top dogs in the Nationwide Series, and perhaps, eventually the Sprint Cup Series.

[wvbucketmouth]

Its going to take time for her to get the hang of stock cars. She has natural driving ability and plenty of money so thats two good things right off the bat.

Stock cars are a whole different animal than Indy cars, but I think she will get the hang of it. IMO she will need many more ARCA races and at least 3 full Nationwide seasons before she is even close to being ready to run with the big boys.

I hope she sticks with it. I think she could do quite well in 4 or 5 years.

Who knows, she may run stock cars for a while then go back to Indy cars and win a Championship.

I wish her well in whatever she decides to do.

[FL Knifemaker]

Daytona. Caught up in someone else's mess. Jimmy Johnson finished where in the Daytona 500? How would you score him if that was his first cup race?

California. Not good. Car or her?

Vegas, yeah, she could have swerved, onto the apron, which would have shot her up the track, not onto the infield.

In all three races, she drove smart races. She did not cause any of the wrecks.

ARCA race. No need to get excited about her good finish. No doubt her equipment was superior to most of the field in that one.

But she drove a smart race in that one too.

She has one important thing going for her. She does not need the instant results most do when they start out.

She has the sponsors who are more than willing to stick with her through the learning curve.

How good is she? I don't know, but from what I saw, she is smart, and knows how to handle a race car.

We'll find out if she starts to mix it up with the top dogs in the Nationwide Series, and perhaps, eventually the Sprint Cup Series.

All good points. 

Having no stock car experience,  you cannot expect instant good results.  I'll stick with my grade and add a A for effort.

[zero limit]

Question for you guys? do they weigh the cars with or with out the drivers in them? she can't weigh more than 95lbs would that be an avantage to her once she figures out this new to her kind of racing

[skunked_again]

Danica at Daytona was dangerous. every time a there was a wreck in front of her all she could do was drive straight. that said Danicas last 30 laps at Daytona showed the racing world why she got a shot at the car.

Fontana the only thing you can say is she got laps. she was definitely scared in the car.

Vegas. 100% inexperience on her and Michaels part.

IMO a great ride is being wasted on Danica while kids who have been in stock cars for years and have the talent to win in that car watch a sponsors dream get hyped.

i give her a very low C-.

[I Love BassResource]

X2 with the above...

  It appears to me that when she see's a wreck, she just locks up and drives the straight and narrow.  She's all hype, and not even that great lookin.

C- on the driving

B on the looks

[FL Knifemaker]

Question for you guys? do they weigh the cars with or with out the drivers in them? she can't weigh more than 95lbs would that be an avantage to her once she figures out this new to her kind of racing

>>>

NASCAR mandates that all Cup cars must weigh 3400 pounds, including the driver and all of his safety gear, when the cars enter sanctioned competition. All cars are inspected and weighed by NASCAR prior to any type of competition<<<

I heard them say that they figure her weight at 125lbs all suited up. I'd have to guess she probably weighs 100-105lbs nekkid Any weight the can put lower in the car like around the frame rails would be a SLIGHT advantage.

[cart7t]

She's used to Indy cars. Crashes in those don't happen in the slow motion pace like they do in the cabs and typically, drivers aim at the wrecking car as it probably won't be there by the time they get there.

As for her driving ability?

Since 2005 she's managed to win one race. That was a fuel mileage deal where she wound up on the winning end. She does well on the track by herself, put her out there with 20,30 or 40 other vultures and it's a different story.

Her MO is to qualify well, start the race and immediately drive backwards until she hits her comfort level. She inevitably will complain about something on the car not being right. Numerous pit stops will be made to fix the gremlin and nothing works. She moves up through the field when others ahead of her crash or fall out due to mechanicals.

She's a sponsors dream, good looking and she usually keeps the car in one piece finishing in the lower tops 10's to midpack.

The hype though has never been backed up with results.

BTW, Danica openly admitted to using the FHM spread early in her career to gain attention to herself. She needed it, her racing results were never worthy of the good rides she's been given.

[Wayne P.]

Good point Knifemaker, she can have an advantage over the men divers if she would get "more junk in her trunk" aka-lower center of gravity--LOL

[TimJ]

please tell me...how the heck can you knock a driver who has driven indy and formula cars in excess of 230 mph??? so she's learning stock cars. it's too bad her learning curve is visible to all and not hidden away like many rookies have been.

I guess what I'm getting to is, give her more than three races before condemning her...but, I'm with anyone who would rather see her run ARCA/Nationwide, maybe even ASA to get needed experience.

as for her "driving straight" into wrecks, she hasn't lost her indy habit...when going into a wreck, pull your arms off the wheel and cross them across your chest. this keeps the indy driver's wrists from being broken.

TJ

[skunked_again]

please tell me...how the heck can you knock a driver who has driven indy and formula cars in excess of 230 mph??? so she's learning stock cars. it's too bad her learning curve is visible to all and not hidden away like many rookies have been.

I guess what I'm getting to is, give her more than three races before condemning her...but, I'm with anyone who would rather see her run ARCA/Nationwide, maybe even ASA to get needed experience.

as for her "driving straight" into wrecks, she hasn't lost her indy habit...when going into a wreck, pull your arms off the wheel and cross them across your chest. this keeps the indy driver's wrists from being broken.

TJ

im not knocking the driver, im grading her on what shes done to date in a stock car. IMO she has no business in a NW car, maybe a Truck, most likely the Trucks and nothing over 1 mile.

[FL Knifemaker]

Good point Knifemaker, she can have an advantage over the men divers if she would get "more junk in her trunk" aka-lower center of gravity--LOL

I'd put some...............  :-? Nevermind   ;D

[TimJ]

FLK...ok, I'm with you on the NW point...and I'd put some........too!

TJ

[Keri]

OMG this is a funny thread. Do you all really think her weight is an advantage? Really come on, Mark Marten, Jeff Gordon for the love of Pete, Joey Logano, all these guys might weigh 150 pounds apiece and Logano 135 soaking wet. Really NASCAR has been doing this for years and trust me no advantage for weight.

As for her grade I'd say B- she is a lot better than most of the rookies I see in the Nationwide series and the cup. Just because she's great in public and a sponsor's dream means nothing when it comes to driving. Using her looks and style to her advantage, good for her any good looking man would do the same.

She did win one Indy race using the fuel mileage strategy. Why is this wrong for her and not other drivers? In NASCAR it happens all the time, I've seen it. Does the winner due to rain not deserve it? They know it's coming so they race to be in front……. What happen to the best strategist and smart driving wins….. think about it.

How many rookies do we see start well and go to the back…… oh wait this happened in cup with the pro's…. oh wait I see a lot of cup drivers go to the back at Daytona and Talladega to avoid the “big one”? Dang I thought being smart as a rookie was a good thing and doing what your crew chief say's is as well. She listens and makes the same rookie mistakes I've seen for years.

Her ARCA race was impressive to say the least and a bit of luck with a lot of skill did it for her. Others with not so much luck got caught up in the wrecks, does not mean their driving ability was bad just unlucky. I don't see you all trashing the other rookies that are far worse. The way she drove out of the spin was impressive and then to come back and keep racing, what a great job.

And OMG a driver complain about the car….. ARE YOU KIDDING ME…. Have you ever listened? Every, and I mean every driver complains about every little thing they can. I tell you this because I've heard it with my own two ears. As a matter of fact I'm listening to it now.

Danica at Daytona dangerous, what about all the other rookies…… she has far more experience than any of the rookies out there. She deserves the ride as much as anyone else does. Now she's got 4 months off to concentrate on her Indy car. She will take what she learned and think about it and use it to her advantage.

She is a great driver and deserves to get the shot. It won't be easy and from what I can tell she knows this. I like the way she is using every single piece of information she can get her hands on to improve with every race.

Just my opinion and since I'm female the the right one.

[Fishing Rhino]

Regarding the weight specs of a cup car.  They were changed a few years ago.  It used to be 3450 without driver. 

There were huge discrepancies, with some drivers who were over 200 pounds, and others, such as Jeff Gordon who was lucky if he went 140. 

Now, the cars must weigh the same minimum 3450 sans driver with fuel, but they must weigh a minimum of 3650 with driver.  That means a car with a lightweight driver will have to add weight to meet the 3650 including driver.

The big boys, over 200 pounds with suit will still have a bit of a handicap, but not as it was ten years ago.

It may have been a "Jeff Gordon" rule change.

The Indy boys whined about Patrick's unfair advantage for the same reason.  The Indy cars were weighed without driver, and that was it.

Don't know if they've changed that in the past couple of years or not.

[Fishbone]

She sucks. Never did much in Indy cars. Always throwing a hissy fit about something/someone causing her problem.

Real talent comes on fast....Logano, Bush, Stewart...

A good day for her will never be more than mid pack.

Next thing you know, NASCAR will be giving her a 2 lap head start

[Glenn]

I've seen some trolls before, but that one takes the cake!  LMAO!!  ;D ;D

[cart7t]

The Indy boys whined about Patrick's unfair advantage for the same reason. The Indy cars were weighed without driver, and that was it.

Don't know if they've changed that in the past couple of years or not.

The Danica rule in Indy cars now has ballast added to any car to match the weight of the heaviest car. 

[cart7t]

....

as for her "driving straight" into wrecks, she hasn't lost her indy habit...when going into a wreck, pull your arms off the wheel and cross them across your chest. this keeps the indy driver's wrists from being broken.

TJ

Only when a driver knows they're about to face an impact, usually frontal, do they remove their hands from the steering wheels.  Wrist and mostly thumbs can get broken when the wheel snaps after the front suspension impacts twisting the wheels.

[1inStripes]

Danica's got a long way to go.   She isn't that good in Indy cars and shes way behind the 8 ball in Nationwide.  She rides around at the back of the pack in superior equipment and at this point does not have the knowledge to tell a crew chief what needs to be done during pit stops to help improve the car.   She's no Danny O'Quinn.

[Gone_Phishin]

When she stepped into the spotlight in the open wheel cars, she did an exponential amount of good for women in professional sports...that said, she threw it all out the window with those skanky godaddy commercials.

I find it funny that she promised never to use her 'looks' to help propel her career. 

[roadwarrior]

Every Sunday there are 23 cars used for filler.

What difference does it make if one of those

cars is driven by a women? They usually get

out of the way. Dancia can do that, too.

:-X