[rog4vmi]

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!"

[Steve_Seattle]

"NASCAR promotes an All American image at a time when IRL and CART teams are increasingly coming from Brazil."

One of the purposes of the IRL was to showcase American drivers, but I think the economics of the sport have undermined that. The Brazilian and other foreign drivers often bring big sponsorship money with them, and many American drivers simply can't compete with that. And to make matters worse, the foreign drivers also happen to be pretty good. I think this hasn't happened (yet) in NASCAR because there is relatively little foreign interest in NASCAR; worldwide, people tend to prefer open wheel racing. The ultimate goal of the foreign drivers is F1, and the IRL and CART are seen as possible entryways into F1.