Posted on 06/01/2005 10:18:58 AM PDT by freepatriot32
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 31) - Robby Gordon was not being critical of Danica Patrick when he said she had an unfair weight advantage in the Indianapolis 500. Rather, he said he was simply discussing a flaw in the Indy Racing League's rules.
"The only thing I was saying was that I have a problem with the rule, not any particular driver," Gordon said Tuesday. "I've been impressed with Danica from the first time she got in an IRL car earlier this year, and I certainly did not mean to disrespect her or any other driver."
Patrick wowed the racing world by becoming the highest-finishing female driver in Indianapolis history with a fourth-place finish on Sunday.
Gordon stated the day before the race that because Patrick weighs just 100 pounds, her car is lighter than everyone else in the field. Unlike other series, the IRL does not include a driver when setting its weight limit.
In NASCAR, where Gordon currently competes, the minimum weight requirement includes the driver.
But in the IRL, a car must weigh 1,525 pounds before the fuel and driver are added. A smaller driver would have at least a slight edge over heavier ones because of the rule.
"This rule has been around for years, and it's something that Paul Tracy and I have talked about for a long time," said Gordon, who weighs nearly 200 pounds.
Gordon's comments actually echoed those of several drivers in Indianapolis who complained that Patrick had an advantage.
"It makes a big difference," race-winner Dan Wheldon said Tuesday. "If it didn't in qualifying, you wouldn't worry about the fuel. We try to make it basically run out during qualifying, and that's what a difference of six or seven pounds makes. I definitely think it's an advantage and I'm pretty sure in due time you'll have a rule change on that."
Sam Hornish Jr., who weighs roughly 60 pounds more than Patrick, said two days before the race that the size difference gave her an edge.
"That's got to be worth something," Hornish told the Toledo Blade. "Whether you calculate speed or fuel economy, that little difference is a factor."
Hornish's bosses at Penske Racing even figured out the mathematical advantage Patrick had.
"That's probably worth something like 0.8 of a mile an hour," team president Tim Cindric said.
Gordon, who didn't run in the Indy 500 this season for the first time in 10 years, said he was trying to make the same point.
Instead, his comments were interpreted by many as Gordon being critical of Patrick. He stressed Tuesday that was never his intent.
"Indy is one of the toughest races in the world to finish, let alone win, and the fact that she ran up front for most of the 200 laps proved her ability to drive," he said. "Given that she is so young, I would be amazed if she didn't win at least one Indy 500.
"Had she won, it would have done more for the IRL and the Indy 500 than could ever be imagined. As one who loves that race as much or more than any other, it would have been great to see because it would have been huge for the IRL."
IRL officials have said they are not considering changing the weight requirements.
Wheldon said the rules have forced the IRL regulars to be as light as possible.
"A lot of us have changed our training regimen for that," he said. "I'm not lifting as much weight as I used to, and I'm running like a son of a gun."
Sarah Fisher was a pretty good driver, but I think Danica can be a multi-winner, even a series champion, not just a once or twice fluke winner.
It only matters as a technicality. Over the course of a 500 mile race, I'd guess that driver skill and endurance, mechanical reliability, and a good bit of luck are all much more important factors than a 40-50lb weight advantage (that's the difference between Patrick and an average IRL driver).
As for Robby Gordon, he put his foot in his mouth with his earlier comments, he's been called on it by the fans and media, and now he's having to backtrack.
Hard to argue with you. I used to race formula ford a bit, and the difference of a few pounds is even more important there, and the truth is it's not that big a deal.
My only reason for suggesting it is to eliminate the whine babies. We have rules for so many other things to make the cars equal, no big deal adding the driver to the equation.
"... either…..."
Do you have some information that indicates she is a "slut" or you drawing that conclusion from this photo?
(there's a good chance it isn't danica who "apparently doesn't know the meaning of "slut")
Oh my solitas, it would be good to get out of the cave now and then.
here's a snip from a crash-course on the word "slut"
It seems like any wrong move can result in being labeled a slut. But why are girls so intent on putting each other down?
Girls feel threatened by other girls who are sexually active. They fear losing their boyfriends to "sluts."
Girls who are not having sex spread slut-rumors to show that they are "better" than the "slut" who is sleeping around.
Girls who feel threatened by freedom and confidence label those who are not afraid to be different sluts.
It is insecurity, fear, jealousy, and pettiness that drive girls to put each other down.
much more at:
http://www.teenwire.com/index.asp?taStrona=http://www.teenwire.com/infocus/articles/if_20020122p144.asp
She's an awesome driver, and the press isn't the only one who has a boner for her!
Too little, too late.
IRL does not adjust for driver weight.
In fact, most of the world's major automobile racing series do make weight calculations based on car minimum weight AND weight of driver; the FIA Formula One series is a good example of this. That way, every car's weight is carefully adjusted to weigh pretty much the same, eliminating the advantages of lighter drivers.
In short, if IRL were to impose a driver weight equivalency rule, Danica Patrick's car could be saddled with as much as 60 pounds of ballast weight. That could slow her down quite a bit, especially in light of the fact that an IRL racer has a minimum weight of 1,525 pounds.
Methinks he is fukk of shi'ite. Mark Martin weighs little more than Miss Patrick, yet Gordon previously did not complain.
A horse has only one horsepower, so the extra weight is proportionally a large factor. A 1525 pound car with 6 or 7 hundred horsepower is not so proportionally affected.
I guess that's my point. It matters, just not very much compared to lots of other things.
I'm not impressed.
I have to see an optometrist. My eyeballs have whiplash!
did you see post 95 yet :-)
Oh man. Thanks.
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