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 ...
I will watch lawn mower (when I can find it) racing as well as boat racing. The only thing I don't really care for is dog racing.
Oh really? The only thing Danica has brought to the attention of the media is... Danica. Have you not been paying attention to the comments made the last two days about this situation. Let's see... "If it wasn't for her we wouldn't be talking about you," is the common quip the media idiots like Wilbon have been using.
The point is... the only person getting any sort of publicity is Danica. I forgot which MSM Sports outlet it was but the headline I saw after the Milwaukee race was... Danica wrecks, finishes 16th. They couldn't even be bothered to mention who won the race.
Yeah, they are really talking about the other drivers because of the Danica factor. *eyeroll*
The fact that you wouldn't have known the 500 was still being run means... you have no argument here because you don't know what you are talking about.
How did AGR screw the fans? They had their own session that anyone (wristband or not, which wouldn't have happened at the official session) could go to if they chose to do so. They stayed longer than at a normal session and stayed longer than Danica did at hers. I wonder how many people that stood in line for Danica got screwed because she only stayed for 20 minutes when the session is supposed to last an hour?
Tell me again how AGR screwed the fans?
I thought she ran pretty well, They overhyped her though. She has been racing something since she was a kid. She started in go-carts, I think she has a future if the hypers dont make it hard for her by makng the rest of the drivers gang up on her. The old way of getting into racing was to make yourself a car and then make yourself a name, These days if your Daddy wasnt a racer,or hasnt got a pee-pot full of money. you havent much of a chance of making it to the big leagues.
"However, even if this were a valid complaint-"
If the complaint about wait is valid, I expect more tiny people to be hired.
Look flashofgenius....
1. I have been paying attention to the comments re: Patick, Kanaan, Andretti Green Racing, et alia for the past couple of days. I think that they are being a bunch of whiny whimps. I stand by that comment.
2. Totally aside from the issues surrounding the Danica Patrick phenomenon, IRL and CART have been in danger of extinction for years now. NASCAR has gained market share. Indy racing has lost it. Why do you suppose that is?
NASCAR promotes an All American image at a time when IRL and CART teams are increasingly coming from Brazil. No offense to the Brazilian drivers...but the American marketplace demands to see drivers with whom they can relate.
In this regard, Danica Patrick has become the classic American success story. Add a little sex appeal....and the results speak for themselves: increased ratings. Just how is that a problem?
3. These whining Indy drivings need to follow an old adage well known in NASCAR circles...."Shut up and drive!"
Then why aren't more race teams hiring the smallest portion of persons, male or female?
Whatever. The bottom line is that logistically these actions are required to ensure that all fans get to have the best experience possible. These whiners are just jealous of all the attention, and they would prefer to lower the experience of all fans to ensure they get equal billing. Much like liberals want to drag the successful into failure to ensure that everyone has equally bad experiences.
They should work harder at building their fan base and ensure their drivers get that level of attention. If they don't do that, then they should just quit bellyaching.
Maybe they could get some implants like Brian Zembic and garner more attention.;)
It is a valid argument. If it weren't, every other major auto racing series would not have rules that take driver weight into the total weight of the car.
It doesn't matter how many people stood in line to get autographs. The point is, there were two seperate lines... Danica and everyone else.
The convenience of the Danica fan was deemed more important to the IRL and the track than the convenience of the fans of the rest of the drivers and that is inherently wrong.
If they were really worried about fan convenience and comfort, they should have made a seperate line for every driver like there was in the past.
Sounds like your team needs to hire smaller drivers.
My team is winning. Is Danica?
"My team is winning. Is Danica?"
Then I guess driver wieght doesn't matter all that much.
While the complaint about the weight difference is true from a physics standpoint, in the real world there's one small catch. Not just anybody can make those cars go fast around the track. Although a professional Jockey and and a 10-year-old child weigh the same, there's an obvious difference in skill level.
If you had a large supply of equally good drivers, then the smaller ones would tend to get the jobs. However, there just isn't that large a supply of IRL-level drivers out there.
So: Ya still gotta be fast There have been women drivers in the past, but no one who could keep up with the boys. Those who are complaining that because she hasn't won a race (yet/), might do well to glance down the roster of the other drivers out there who haven't won one yet, before they dismiss her.
Yep. I suppose they don't have the ability to hire publicists to advert them or their team. Heck, it would probably help them get more sponsors. I suppose if they aren't happy, they could move to CART or any number of other race series.
These whines are one of the reasons I can't convince myself to become a fan. However, I have been warming up to the IRL, all because of Danica. I guess you would prefer that I stay away from the series and leave the room for you true fans.
""He enunciates! And there ain't no place for that in NASCAR..."
- Jeff Foxworthy
LOL!!!!
That just caught me right!
I'll be chuckling all day!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.