Robby Gordon says Patrick has an unfair advantage (Indy 500)

Sports Illustrated ^ | 5/28/05 | Various

[BurbankKarl]

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) -- Robby Gordon accused Danica Patrick of having an unfair advantage in the Indianapolis 500 and said Saturday he will not compete in the race again unless the field is equalized.

Gordon, a former open-wheel driver now in NASCAR, contends that Patrick is at an 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.

"The lighter the car, the faster it goes," Gordon said. "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 won't race against her until the IRL does something to take that advantage away."

The Indy Racing League does not consider the weight of the driver in its race specifications. The car has to weigh at least 1,525 pounds before the fuel and driver are added, and teams in Indy have estimated that Patrick will gain close to 1 mph in speed because of her small stature.

Although her rivals in Sunday's race have said she doesn't have a huge advantage, pole-sitter Tony Kanaan told reporters he would like the Indy Racing League to look into the issue.

"Right off the bat, a guy my size is spotting her 105 pounds," Gordon said. "That's the reason she's so much faster."

[Reform4Bush]

My guess is his mnother used to kick his ass at tiddly winks when he was six, and he still holds a grudge.

Throw a towel on Racer's head and you'd swear he was the Saudi Islamic scholar al-Qarni (not the new al-Qaeda appointee). He considers it a sin for women to drive.

[Schwaeky]

sounds a lot like another Gordon...

[Joe Boucher]

Just shut the hell up and race there nancy boy.
Try to win a rece, not make excuses before hand.

[FreepOnTheBorderlands]

Danica came from Formula Atlantic. Last time I checked the FCS section of the SCCA GCR (surely all racing experts know that THAT is) FA required a minimum weight WITH driver. Danica did very well when weight was NOT a factor. While Robby Gordon *IS* a whiner (and the sour grapes might have as much to do with with being jealous of Tom Kendall)

The praise in here is really backhanded. Just as with Affirmative Action, if Danica wins, people will be able to say "well, it's because she weighed less". That's a disservice to not only Danica's racing talent, but all small drivers who went before her. Jim Clark didn't need that advantage and neither does she. A truer "weight advantage" in racing is being able to put ballast closer to the CG of the car. The fact that anyone is making a big about this now, as opposed to when that Fisher brat showed up, says that there is alot more respect for Danicas driving talent.

As to all the variants of the "just shut up and drive" comments. RG couldn't do that as the Indy 500 start time was moved to create a scheduling conflict with the NASCAR race, thereby preventing any NASCAR regulars from entering.

[xp38]

I wonder if he wants to put asterisks beside all the drag racing victories of Shirley Muldowney?

[garyhope]

I'd like to see Condi for President. S'OK with me.

I'd like to see Ms. Patrick drive a good competitive race, dicing it up with the good guys.

[rabidralph]

He is his own mother.

[rabidralph]

Throw a towel on Racer's head and you'd swear he was the Saudi Islamic scholar al-Qarni

Or a serial killer.

[InvisibleChurch]

then put me or Tony Stewart in the car at 200 pounds

kwitcher cryin', robby... just because you'n tony are on an all-u-can-eat diet doesn't mean danica has to follow suit ... tony actually use to be fairly thin until he left the irl and went rasslin' toe-to-toe with the boys down south

[MikefromOhio]

boo hoo hoo...

Robby Gordon has always been a jack@$$


someone needs to tell him to shut up and go cause some more wrecks in NASCAR....

[MikefromOhio]

you know what, I hope she wins, so I can laugh at you and your ignorance.

What an EXTREMELY trollish statement. What's the problem? Was DU slow or something?

[Miss Marple]

Hmmm. Doeson't look very "butch" to me:

[Miss Marple]

LOL! Here's another picture of Danica Patrick:

Fox and Friends discussing this story right now. When those three think Robby Gordon has made a fool of himself, you know he's REALLY stepped in it!

I hope she wins. You should have seen the high-fashion ad she posed for in the Indianapolis paper yesterday! Quite the talk around Indy, let me tell you!

[MikefromOhio]

hehe

well I saw a picture on si.com that had her in all leather...it was NICE

[pepperdog]

I truly don't understand this guys complaint. Haven't racers been competing for years even tho some weighed more than others? Has body weight ever been an issue in auto racing? Excuse my ignorance but I thought car racing was different from horse racing.

[muir_redwoods]

What does he want? One of those signs like at the amusement park, "If you're this tall you can ride at Indy..."

Crybaby indeed

[Miss Marple]

Yes, they have competed at the 500 since the early part of the last century without weight restrictions or handicaps. In fact, for some time there were TWO people in the car, a driver and a riding mechanic.

Gordon is just whining. I bet he voted for John F. Kerry.

[goldstategop]

Uh huh. A woman places big brawny guys at a competitive disadvantage? Now if Robert Gordon would stop whining like a silly metrosexual and act like a man. The Indy 500 expects better of sportsmen.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[q_an_a]

I want to be Bill Russell and 6'9" tall or short like Willie Shoemaker and ride to fame and fortune. The fact that she is 100 pounds lighter means she has less body mass i.e body strength which is his advantage. Get over it crybaby. /working class rant off

[goldstategop]

Women drivers in general are safer and more responsible than male drivers. That's why racing events hold little interest for them. Speed racing is viewed as a "macho" thrill. That doesn't mean a woman can't do it. There used to be lots of things men thought women weren't good at. Danica Patrick may not win the Indy 500 but if she doesn't its not because of her sex.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)