And this has changed since 1947? Racing has always been a sport where money is huge. Some get it from sponsors, some from personal wealth, some from performance.
You can by all the pretty race cars you want, but if you suck on the track, you're just making laps.
Danica is nothing more than a marketing ploy. Marketing ploys make for crappy racing. I look forward every week to watching her crash, that's all.