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Danica Patrick's Victory in the Indy Japan--Are the Rules Fair?
GlennSacks.com ^ | 4/24/08 | Glenn Sacks

Posted on 04/24/2008 10:43:23 AM PDT by PercivalWalks

Danica Patrick became the first female winner in IndyCar history recently, winning the Indy Japan 300 by 6 seconds.

Some women's advocates and Patrick herself are complaining about a new rule which feminists claim is "aimed at the women in Indy." The rule says that lighter drivers have to carry ten more pounds on them.

Race car driver Robby Gordon has a different perspective, saying that Patrick is at an unfair advantage over the rest of the competitors because she only weighs 100 pounds. Because all the cars weigh the same, Patrick’s is lighter on the race track. He says:

“The lighter the car, the faster it goes. Do the math. Put her in the car at her weight, then put me or Tony Stewart in the car at 200 pounds and our car is at least 100 pounds heavier."

I know nothing about auto racing beyond what I learn from watching old Speed Racer cartoons with my daughter, but Dan H., a reader, does. He writes:

"Auto racing is about accelerating and decelerating weight in a straight line and an arc (corner). It takes a calculated amount of fuel (power) to accomplish this feat with the largest variable by several orders of magnitude the amount of weight that is being thrown around. Ever hear of 'Power-to-Weight Ratio?' In heavily equalized cars weighing 1500 pounds, a 100lb driver vs. a 165lb driver is a rigged race. Robbie Gordon is dead right: Forget It!

"With nearly the sole exception of Tony George’s Indy Racing League, all of the major series, and quite a few of the club racers, recognize this and either weigh the car and driver together or separately and make adjustments. The IRL introduced a laughable adjustment just this year.

"While racing officials do not concern themselves with the driver’s height, muscle mass, shoe size, eye color, gender, carbon footprint, or about a hundred other personal characteristics, they very much want to balance the weight across the drivers then let 'em race. In auto racing, the driver’s weight looms as large as horsepower, tire width, vehicle height, spoilers, and more.

"People demanding that Danica’s huge weight (speed) advantage be ignored have never fielded a $45,000,000 race team. She weighs 75 pounds less than the average male driver in a sport where the teams pay $500,000 to get 2 pounds out of the weight of a manifold.

"She is a mid-pack performer at best that finishes higher up because of her incredibly advantageous weight. Bolt 20 pounds in the chassis beside each shoulder and her gender-provided weight bias disappears...and so does her up front finishes."

From what Dan H. says, it sounds a little like the Boston Marathon where a woman "won" the race because the female runners started the race 29 minutes before the men. If they spend $500,000 to decrease a car's weight by two pounds, a 75 pound difference seems staggering, and the 10 pound balancing that Patrick and feminists are complaining about seems pretty minor.

On the other hand, I wonder if Patrick's strength disadvantage also means something. Let's say, for example, that they equalized the weights, as they apparently do in most of the races. Would it then be unfair to Patrick because she is effectively forced to carry "dead weight," while the male drivers' extra weight is at least in the form of muscle that helps them drive the cars?

On another level, even to compete and be a "mid-pack performer" as a professional race car driver, as Patrick has done, seems like quite an achievement.

[Note: If you or someone you love is faced with a divorce or needs help with child custody, child support, false accusations, Parental Alienation, or other family law or criminal law matters, ask Glenn for help by clicking here.]

Glenn Sacks, www.GlennSacks.com


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Society; Sports
KEYWORDS: danicapatrick; indycar
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To: grellis

Sure,

But why are they whining now? She’s been around for years. How about the Chicks that run top-fuel...never heard a gripe then either.

And if were going to balasst Danica, then everyone under a certain weight get’s balast..not just some arbitray 10lbs. Bring them all up to the FAA standard 170lbs or some SAE standard. No problemo. But then we’ll hear griping about where the balast goes. She will still have an advantage in that the weight can be anywhere they need it to be to balance the car...their fat butts have to be in the seat.


21 posted on 04/24/2008 10:57:52 AM PDT by Dead Dog
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To: PercivalWalks

So before this all drivers have weighed the same? Haven’t some drivers been larger than others before this race?

I think a wambulance is in order.


22 posted on 04/24/2008 11:00:48 AM PDT by dmz
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To: PercivalWalks
obviously the answer is MORE female drivers.
23 posted on 04/24/2008 11:01:40 AM PDT by wallcrawlr
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To: PercivalWalks
Ah, boo frickin hoo. Before it was "she can't win a race" and now its "Its unfair. Make it stop." She won the race fair and square. But now this tool wants affirmative action?

Get in better shape and drop some weight. Boy, what a wuss.

24 posted on 04/24/2008 11:01:55 AM PDT by KC_Conspirator
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To: pnh102
I don't know golf, but the few women who try to qualify in the PGA (NOT THE LGPA!), do they tee off from the same position as the men?

Do women tennis stars play against the men, and win?
Marathon runners, skiers, soccer, female boxers, weight lifters?

So is it whining by the men? Your statement should be reversed and directed at the women. IF YOU CANT PLAY BY THE SAME RULES AS THE MEN. GO BAKE COOKIES!

25 posted on 04/24/2008 11:02:57 AM PDT by Tahoe3002 (USMC 1972-1981)
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To: Dead Dog

Actually this is obsolete info.
Starting in 2008 the Indy Racing League has incorporated ballast to equalize car weights depending on the driver category.

Now there is another part of the technical equation where her slight stature allows better airbox pressure (more power) due to better ram air (less helmet obstruction of the airbox entry).


26 posted on 04/24/2008 11:04:39 AM PDT by nascarnation
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To: steve-b

I read that story in junior high. It had a huge effect on my life outlook. I wish more kids would read it. But most of their teachers probably wouldn’t understand its meaning.


27 posted on 04/24/2008 11:05:38 AM PDT by hoppity
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To: absolootezer0

I told my wife, I read FreeRepublic for the articles.


28 posted on 04/24/2008 11:06:27 AM PDT by live+let_live
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To: nascarnation

Or that less weight gave her less traction.


29 posted on 04/24/2008 11:07:41 AM PDT by Dead Dog
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To: nascarnation

Now, that she’s win a race,will she still show her assets?


30 posted on 04/24/2008 11:08:34 AM PDT by Dr. Ursus (( commander of the simian host))
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To: Yo-Yo

Re: “On one hand,

On the other hand,”

Do a Google image search . . .both hands would want to be all over that !!!

She’s nice.....


31 posted on 04/24/2008 11:09:37 AM PDT by Jeffrey_D. (Some people are alive simply because it's illegal to shoot them !!!!)
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To: live+let_live

you shouldn’t lie to your wife like that :)


32 posted on 04/24/2008 11:12:12 AM PDT by absolootezer0 ( Detroit: we're so bad, even our mayor is a criminal)
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To: steve-b

Ah, a Harrison Bergeron fan.


33 posted on 04/24/2008 11:13:35 AM PDT by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: PercivalWalks
Is this why she is not married ? One mouth full of wedding cake is always good for at least 20 lbs .
34 posted on 04/24/2008 11:13:47 AM PDT by kbennkc (For those who have fought for it , freedom has a flavor the protected will never know)
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To: PercivalWalks
Boo Hoo!

Waaah!

Maybe she should pick on someone her own size...

35 posted on 04/24/2008 11:14:24 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly.)
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To: Dr. Ursus

Having seen her many times in person at the track, it’s kind of one of those celebrity deals. They tend to look a lot in better in pics with makeup and photoshop polishing.


36 posted on 04/24/2008 11:15:04 AM PDT by nascarnation
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To: Tahoe3002
Your statement should be reversed and directed at the women.

Of course it can. But it is just plain unsporty and lame for a man to complain about losing to a woman. Men lose in sports to women, it happens, but whining about it... only a girly-man does that.

37 posted on 04/24/2008 11:23:07 AM PDT by pnh102 (Save America - Ban Ethanol Now!)
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To: PercivalWalks

Damn! What a bunch of cry babies.

Glad I’m a CONFIDENT heterosexual.

Rex: “I thought it was just a heterosexual.”

Bob: “No, it’s a confident heterosexual”


38 posted on 04/24/2008 11:27:48 AM PDT by Lee'sGhost (Johnny Rico picked the wrong girl!)
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To: PercivalWalks
...in a sport where the teams pay $500,000 to get 2 pounds out of the weight of a manifold.

Why would they do that if "all the cars weigh the same" at the start of each race?

39 posted on 04/24/2008 11:29:39 AM PDT by Steve0113 (Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. -A.L.)
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To: Jeffrey_D.

No doubt. She used to host the Power Block on Spike TV before Courtney Hansen. A definite step in the wrong direction in this viewer’s opinion.


40 posted on 04/24/2008 11:29:48 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
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