Posted on 07/26/2005 8:34:44 AM PDT by gopwinsin04
Apparently everyone has not fallen head over heels for Danica Patrick.
According to a report in the Indianapolis Star, four Andretti Team racing drivers-Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon, defending IRL champion Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti and Bryan Herta-boycotted a mandatory autograph session Saturday night at Wisconsin State Fair Park because organizers at the fan-friendly event created a different line for Patrick.
According to the report, the drivers haven't been pleased with the way the IRL has promoted Patrick over the other drivers.'Its a serious issue, and one we need to talk with league officals about,' AGR co-owner Kevin Savoree told the Star.
The drivers will be likely fined for the protest, and maybe lose championship points, although IRL president Brian Barnhart told the Star that the scenario was unlikely.
AGR drivers have grown tired of all the media attention that Patrick has recieved since the Indy 500 in May, where she became the first woman to lead the race while finishing fourth overall.
Kanaan and Herta, who have taken shots at Patrick after recent races, chose not to comment about the boycott after Sundays Milwaukee Mile 225.
Savoree, however, says the issue is something the Indy Racing League has to deal with. 'We don't have an issue with Danica at all, She's a great young talent and she's proven it every weekend. But we've got some things to talk to the IRL about.'
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...
Sports are built on personalities, Patrick is the first seriously marketable IRL driver since before the fight that created CART, they should be happy. If her star keep rising the sport will gain in popularity, sponsors will pay more, prize purses will get bigger, and their fame will increase on the rising sea effect, in the end meaning more money for them too.
Honestly, if I were them. I might just keep my mouth shut.
Patrick is bringing alot of money and attention to the IRL. She is making all of these guys wallets fatter, re: larger purses/prizes and more sponsorship dollars.
I wouldn't be complaining about her if I were them.
Surprise, surprise.
/not
Maybe they think the controversy will generate even more ratings.
You know...as a woman who absolutely loves Nascar...well any auto racing for that matter, I was really excited that finally a woman was able to hold her own in this sport. Unfortunately, the hype and publicity and apparent "segregation" is becoming tiring. I think that if women truly want equality in the field, then maybe we all better start acting equal!! The sport is about driving not about what gender you are!!!
Sounds like sour grapes to me. It is all about being able to promote a product and too may race car drivers sound like they have a 6th grade education. No slam on Southerners, I am one myself, but if you want to be successful in promoting yourself, you have to lose the accent and speak well.
Protests are for wimps. If you don't like her just drive her into a wall like they do in Nascar. BTW, who in their right mind would want an autograph from these gear monkeys when you can get one from a hot babe?
if it wasn't for the media attention Danica has brought to the IRL it is questionable if there would be an IRL season this year. Even with Danica next season is looking very questionable. Anything that brings exposure to the sport is a good thing. The NASCAR drivers aren't crying because Jr. is still getting all the headlines even though he is running like crap.
What a bunch of whining wimps. Without her, the IRL wouldn't get any attention.
Haven't the Indy car types learned that the vast American public will not support a racing league that relies heavily on foreign drivers? Without an All-American type, the IRL would stand poised to become just like CART.
Danica Patrick has not only brought her driving talent to the track -- she's bringing the coverage they so desperately need.
I guess the complaint is she gets more attention than better drivers. But what do they expect? No woman has ever done this well in pretty much any mens sport. It's history, they should be happy she's helping the IRL get noticed in the swarm of NASCAR popularity.
She's whining like Michelle Wie. She says she's got nothing left to prove on the LPGA. How about winning? ME ME ME!
I don't think it's segregation so much as simple logistics. I've run a couple of mass autograph sessions myself working on sci-fi conventions, and one of the keys to making it go smoothly is to figure out if you've got one person that's seriously more popular (like a good 30 to 50% of your autograph seekers will be gunning for just that person's autograph and nobody else's) and put that person on an edge where they won't interfere with the traffic to everybody else and won't make a line of people passing by and ignoring your other autographers (talk about a slap in the face, try offering autographs to a bunch of people who don't want them from you they're just waiting for the line to get them to the person they want). Your three primary goals when setting up one of these autograph sessions are: get it over with as quickly as possible, give every fan an opportunity for every autograph they want, make it as painless as possible for your signers. A seperate line does a good job of handling all three.
Do you know that there are alot of women who can out-drink guys too? I do like Danica Patrick, her talent, and charm buI simply hate today's male clone-- the modernized, feminized, immodest, brassy, unrefined female.
I am also a female race fan. Grew up at both drag strips and road racing courses. Was really impressed with what I saw of Erin Crocker this past weekend at Pocono. This intelligent young lady may be able to compete with the big boys in the heavy cars given the right development opportunities.
If she stays focused she should have those opportunities with Evernham Motor Sports.
I agree with the AGR drivers ~ in the long run, the IRL and Tony George suck ~ they/he were wrong for breaking up CART.
Honda will not stick stick around after Toyota leaves and Chevy (built by Cosworth) engines are through ~ what will they be using for engines. :):)
I wouldn't even have known the Indy 500 was still being run if not for the Danica Patrick coverage this year. I guess these guys will be happy to sink their own ship.
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