Posted on 05/21/2009 7:32:27 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
The Indianapolis 500 is Sunday and we know this because we’ve been treated to a month of questions to Danica Patrick about when she’s going to give NASCAR a try.
It’s a sign of how far general interest in open-wheel racing, not to mention its signature event, has fallen. The hard-core fans will still turn out and tune in this weekend, but it’s saying something when the most asked question is about the future of a driver who isn’t even a favorite to win the race.
Jimmie Johnson has heard the questions and Patrick’s open-ended answers about the possibility of a jump. As NASCAR’s Sprint Cup champion three years running, Johnson’s advice to a potential opponent is pretty simple.
Come on over, although not until you’re ready. And, trust me, you’re not ready.
His suggestion is for Patrick to re-sign with the Indy Racing League and spend her free time driving on minor league stock car circuits so she can learn to handle the vastly different machine. It’s not her lack of talent, he says, it’s her lack of experience.
“If she’s serious about doing it, she needs to spend a year or two, while racing IRL, running ARCA, running trucks, running Nationwide and really understanding the difference in the vehicles,” Johnson told Yahoo! Sports last week.
“Otherwise, she’s going to be put in a tough situation. … You can’t just show up in the Cup Series and go.”
That probably isn’t what Patrick wants to hear because such a transition makes little business sense and, if nothing else, Danica is about business. Patrick is a major-league star, and potentially failing in the minors isn’t worth the risk to her highly profitable image.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
She’s earning a living racing. How many times were you selected as employee of the year or the month at your company? If the answer was zero, did that make you a substandard employee? There’s plenty of other guys who race who never win, yet they’re still out there. It’s not her fault she was born a woman and that she loves racing.
Personally, I’m sick to death of the amount of publicity she receives simply because she’s a woman.
I can only imagine the media’s reaction the first time a woman driver dies in a professional-level race...
think of ‘em as hollowgems ... (.) (.)
HIDs?
“think of ‘em as halogens
“
Xenon.
Except, at least outside NASCAR, Scott Pruett wins races (a couple in CART, several in Trans-Am, IMSA and Rolex).
LOL..true, so imagine a Cup career that’s even less noteworthy than Scott’s....but at least she’s hot.
But, he actually won, verses her who has done what?
I think of them as lunch
You guys need to check out MotoGP. It’s a golden age. Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner are two of the best ever. I’m reveling in it.
Patrick needs to stay right where she is. NASCAR doesn’t need another whiner.
True,
But I think that Spies and Nitros’ season in WSB is even more entertaining.
But Rossi is an artist on two wheels, Casey isn’t quite there yet, but it is fun to watch.
Would love to be going out to Miller in a few weeks to Spies and Nitro.
Got to support a fellow Texan..
Yeah, Ben Spies is a sight to see, the New Texas Tornado. I have high high hopes for him. He’s very competitive and will probably be racing MotoGP before long.
I had never seen this Danica person. So after I read your post I searched for her on Google Images. She’s pretty but I saw that she has this weird square shaped birth mark on her back. And then I click on the image to enlarge it and realise she’s got a tattoo.
Are there any women left without tattoos? It is soooooo unattractive. I mean, I don’t want to get graphic here but needs must... That tattoo would disturb me. I’d have to cut the lights out and I’m a leave the lights on kind of guy because I like to see what’s happening. But I would get to looking at that tattoo and it would just put me off. I’d have to cover it up or something. You know what I mean? The worst is when a woman has something written there in the small of her back- or even worse, some other bloke’s name. I get with a woman like that and I get to staring at the word (or name) and after a while she keeps asking me ‘Hey, why do you keep slapping my ass?’
Tattooed women *****!!! It looks trashy. A message to women- sure, do what you want with your body. It’s yours after all. There’s no better way to show men that you are in control of your body and destiny nowadays than desecrating your flesh with ink, so sure, get a tattoo, why not? But the way your skin is naturally looks even better.
Danica is the 0bama of racing.
A singular attribute, overblown and hyped by a fawning media.
While it took me about two minutes of carefully studying the picture, I finally found the hidden image of the car. :=) Very clever puzzle.
Who the h*ll does he think he is. Bill France?
I don’t think she’d last a season in NASCAR.
Aside from her ordinaire ability (pumped up by the press) her personality is mean, nasty, impatient.
One thing NASCAR prides itself on is fan access to the drivers and the interaction between the two.
I can’t see her being anything but a bi__h.
Plus driving that big car,shifting gears w/ a gearshift instead of a button under the thumb, horsing the car around for 500 miles.
Very strenuous.
Remember Montoya? Hot sh— Indy car driver. He’s all you heard about the first 2 years.
Tried to drive his car like an open wheel. Impatient, causing accidents. Better his second year but the bloom has worn off.
Hardly ever hear his name mentioned this year. Thankfully.
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.