Daytona 500 & Danica Patrick

[jordan 572]

Originally Posted by rmpackers

My problem with Danica, and yes I am a woman, is her little hissy fits after a race if things don't go her way. It is OK to be upset with somebody if they have done you wrong, but she can't go over to a male driver and start pushing or shoving him around, and I've seen her do that more than once. There is NO WAY a male driver could ever push or shove her back without being crucified in the media. Grow up girlfriend!

thats why i dont like here

[CamaroScotty]

Did you see the video where she wasn't impressed with a Z06???

http://www.motortrend.com/av/roadtes...est/index.html

I am impressed by a Z06....not sure what she expects for that price tag....

[superstockcam]

Originally Posted by Wikedwil

Anybody know what the odds are in Vegas that she crashes?

Will Danica Patrick win a Nationwide Race?
Yes 8/5
No 5/11

Will Danica Patrick's best finish come in
Nationwide series 2/1
IndyCar Series 1/3

Will Danica Patrick have more DNF in
Nationwide series 6/5
IndyCar Series 5/8

Will Danica Patrick be involved in an on track altercation in 2010
Yes 6/5
No 5/8

Will Danica Patrick race in the NASCAR Sprint Series in 2011
Yes 5/2
No 1/4

What will Danica Patrick's highest Nationwide finish in 2010
Over 4 5/6
Under 4 8/5

PS, it's cool and all but it will be a passing fancy IMO, she is an average driver at best. Now Ashley Force....There's a female driver!! I know straight line big deal but the pressure of it is greater, again IMHO

[CamaroScotty]

Originally Posted by jordan 572

shes a female dog. if the racers dont put here in here place jimmy johnson will

I'm betting that Kyle Busch will.

[2ndgenz28]

Originally Posted by CamaroScotty

I'm betting that Kyle Busch will.

Oh Lord, if Danica every pushed Kyle after a race, she will find her self in trouble for violence against women.

[CamaroScotty]

Originally Posted by 2ndgenz28

Oh Lord, if Danica every pushed Kyle after a race, she will find her self in trouble for violence against women.

[Scrappy Doo]

Danica Patrick in racing = Anna Kournikova in tennis.... FAIL at the sport, but they are skinny so somebody will think they are hot.

[MLL67RSSS]

Originally Posted by rmpackers

My problem with Danica, and yes I am a woman, is her little hissy fits after a race if things don't go her way. It is OK to be upset with somebody if they have done you wrong, but she can't go over to a male driver and start pushing or shoving him around, and I've seen her do that more than once. There is NO WAY a male driver could ever push or shove her back without being crucified in the media. Grow up girlfriend!

Apparently you've never seen Kyle Busch or Tony Stewart throw their little temper tantrums. She is VERY competetive, fired-up and emotional, she wants to win BAD!!! I thought that was a good trait in a race car driver.

I'll say this, on Pole Day '09 while the cars go down the line, go though tech, and the line waiting to qualify, most every other driver stayed nice and comfortable somewhere else and ran up to get in the car at the last second. She stood by and stayed with her team/crew the whole time (and with a smile on her face as you can see.)

[MLL67RSSS]

Also if you go to this SITE and go through the years, you'll see that the statistics, season points, etc, tell a different story as to her racing ability. Look who finished below her, and note the number of wins column. There are a LOT of drivers that have never even won a single race. Perfectly OK for people not to like her, but statistically as a driver she performs well above average.

12th in season points '05 (first year)
9th in season points '06
7th in season points '07
6th in season points '08
5th in season points '09 (highest of AGR drivers I believe)

[Rogue Leader]

Originally Posted by cschmidt1956

Shoot she only has what, ONE Win in IndyCars. She is average as a driver at best, it's just that she's such a hottie that gets the attention.

Originally Posted by Moose

(Getting ready to duck n run)

Personally, I can't stand Danica. And looks? I don't see it.

I believe she'll have success similar to her Indy career...a "midpack" driver.

Her ARCA debut was impressive, but consider that she's in equipment better than 85% of the field. Also, tracks such as Daytona and Talladega are tracks where its more about the cars performance versus the driver. Put her at a track like Darlington and see how she does.

I don't see her winning in NASCAR.

Exactly, she is a good looking chick, thats about it.

Originally Posted by mscaggs

That's right... She is hot and I like it that she's out there racing. More guts than most men I know...

I'd be out there racing too if I had boobs and an ass and the opportunities HANDED to her because shes a pretty girl. The rest of us who try and go racing have to break their ass and spend thousands of dollars of their OWN MONEY trying and failing at getting sponsors and training to get racing licenses only to have it slip through our fingers.

Originally Posted by rmpackers

My problem with Danica, and yes I am a woman, is her little hissy fits after a race if things don't go her way. It is OK to be upset with somebody if they have done you wrong, but she can't go over to a male driver and start pushing or shoving him around, and I've seen her do that more than once. There is NO WAY a male driver could ever push or shove her back without being crucified in the media. Grow up girlfriend!

Originally Posted by Moose

THAT'S my primary problem with Danica.

Every driver who has got behind the wheel has gotten mad and had outbursts...but I think Danica has a feeling of "entitlement", and I've seen her go after other racers (both male and female) far too often.

It's called "racing" for a reason Danica..."incidents" happen on the track...but most drivers learn that and move on as opposed to having public "hissy fits".

(OK. I'm off my soap box now)

Exactly. Listen to her in race radio broadcasts during her IndyCar races. She berates her crew NON-STOP about the car, like every problem on the track is because her crew is incompetant. EVERY RACE she does this, the whines cries and screams and explains her lack of results by her car. Meanwhile she drives for a REALLY good and well funded team that was in championship years before she got there.

Originally Posted by bwindham

IMO, Danica is a very good race car driver. I thought she ran very well in the ARCA race last week and I hope she does well in the Nationwide Race Saturday. As far as her Indy car career, I think she has performed pretty damn good there also. Look back and see how many open wheel racers raced many years and never won a race. For that matter, how many professional race car drivers in any type of professional racing that has never won. I had the opportunity to drive an Indy car at the Las Vegas Speedway and it was not all that easy. Imagine driving a go cart at 155+ MPH and that is what it felt like.
I respect her as a racer.

Shes not bad. She keeps it off the wall and hasn't nearly killed anyone like Milka Duno (who should have all her licenses revoked). Theres a HUGE difference between not bad and very good.

Originally Posted by Zeus

It would be even more amazing because of how horrible of a driver she is.


She has been racing how many years? And won HOW many races again? Oh... one.

Originally Posted by MLL67RSSS

Also if you go to this SITE and go through the years, you'll see that the statistics, season points, etc, tell a different story as to her racing ability. Look who finished below her, and note the number of wins column. There are a LOT of drivers that have never even won a single race. Perfectly OK for people not to like her, but statistically as a driver she performs well above average.

12th in season points '05 (first year)
9th in season points '06
7th in season points '07
6th in season points '08
5th in season points '09 (highest of AGR drivers I believe)

She has REALLY good equipment which can make a big difference vs drivers that are at the same level. and she had ONE WIN and that ONE WIN was a fuel mileage strategy lucky shot, She hasn't outright overtaken anyone for the lead of a race or held the lead and won a race for any period of time. Even her storied "4th Place" at Indy was a fuel mileage run, She stayed out to hold the lead because she had just enough fuel to finish the race even though her tires were on their way out. I give her credit for not becoming a greasy spot on the side on the race track, thats about it.

I'm not saying shes a bad driver I'm saying shes overrated. I'm saying Look at JPM who is 500000x more talented than she is and is just barely breaking through after 3 years in NASCAR.

She will never be dominant, and she will never win the Daytona 500 or anything significant. She will put in some good top 10 runs ever year and thats about it.

[Zeus]

She is the least productive most publicized athlete of all time.


If she was an average man... would you know the name? No of course not, what has she done worthy of recognition?

[Moose]

Stats are just that...stats.

Danica has skills, but wins and championships are what people notice/remember, and what ultimately counts.

Danica is nothing more than a way for Nascar to bring some attention back to the series, where its lost TV viewership and race attendance. Even ESPN has a 'Danica' heading on its ticker that runs across the TV screen.

Ask yourself, what is the reason ESPN, Speed, and Nascar are covering Danica like "the second coming"...when Montoya came over from F1, he didn't receive 1/2 of the coverage Danica has, and his resume is far more impressive...IMO, its Danica looks (again, debatable) and personality (re; past "incidents") that are the main reason.

I'll respect each persons feelings about her, and I'm done with my comments, but I can safely say, when the dust settles, I wouldn't be surprised if she finds success in NASCAR unattainable and returns to being a "field filler" in Indy.

[Captain Vlad]

Originally Posted by Moose

Stats are just that...stats.

Then let's look at her stats for the 2009 Indycar season and see what they tell us, shall we?

Out of 17 races, she had 5 top five finishes and 8 top ten finishes. She had at least one DNF (St. Petersburg), and at the end of the season she was 5th in championship points, ahead of every driver that wasn't driving for Penske or Ganassi, who have dominated the last couple of Indycar seasons.

Now, while I like her, I admit she's not Michael Schumacher (she doesn't cheat enough), but I do find it amusing when people say she's the Anna Kournikova of racing when a modicum of attention or research would reveal that as being baseless.

In other words, while you may call her a 'field filler', this assertion is not backed up by her the actual results. Neither is 'midpack', as she's generally well above, you know, the middle of the pack.

This causes me to conclude that people saying such things have a personal distaste for her. and that's fair...but 'I don't like her' is a different statement than 'She can't drive.' 'I don't like her' is an opinion, and one anyone is entitled to. 'She can't drive' is simply crap.

Danica has skills, but wins and championships are what people notice/remember, and what ultimately counts.

Yep, wins are great. I personally feel a season in ARCA would do her more good than hopping into Nationwide so soon, and I'm pretty confident she could pick up some wins there. I'm hopeful that stock car experience will help her out in Indycar, as one of her big problems is an inability to be aggressive when she really needs to be.

[Moose]

Originally Posted by Captain Vlad

Then let's look at her stats for the 2009 Indycar season and see what they tell us, shall we?.

No need for the sarcasm.

Just answer one question; Why does she warrant the over exposure she's getting?

You're absolutely right, she's no Michael Schumacher, or a Dale Earnhardt, etc., she's in the same "league" as a Montoya, who as I recall, DID NOT receive this much hype/attention when he arrived in NASCAR...(and I've been following it for years, so don't try and tell me he did).

She certainly isn't getting it because she's won numerous races/championship in Indy and is now looking for more challenges.

We'll agree to disagree...she can drive a race car...but being able to win consistently is something she still has not accomplished.