Danica Patrick

[RobMoore]

..and it was dead for a reason. Whether you want to blame the poor management, the split from cart, whatever, this is only a temporary fix. I think this newfound interest in Indy is a fad. It won't last.

I WANT it to succeed, even thought I'm not into Indy or CART. I'd love to see some diversity in what passes for "racing" in the US. I'd love to answer the question of "what sport do you watch", be able to respond with "car racing", and have the person not assume I mean NASCAR.

[Flexmoney]

First woman ever to win an Indy car race. She basically won it on fuel when the others had to pit and the leader was forced to slow because of low fuel. A win is a win though....

Of course you could say her superior driving skill in conserving fuel earlier in the race, set her up for being in position to stay out, be aggressive late, and RACE the last few laps while everyone else was sliding in to the pits on fumes...... of course it was the Team's strategy, but she executed it well.

A win is a win.

Like I said, "A win is a win."

I still want to see her win one where it wasn't a fuel issue. I'd say the team had a lot to do with that win. Yes, she did her part and I think she's a great driver, but she still has some things to prove in my eyes. It's not because she's a woman either... I would think that way about any driver regardless of sex.

EDIT: If you want to see how hot she really is... from the SI swimsuit.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/...ick/index2.html

I'm sure Danica is losing sleep over the lack of your endorsement!

I'm really surprised you boys didn't bring up the "Danica Rule". New rule this year about the driver's weight. It's rumored this new rule came into being because Danica is so light and some feel she has an unfair advantage. So weight was added to her car. As I understand it...where the weight was added could actually help Danica. SOOOO maybe Danica won because weight was added to her car in just the right spot....and that gave her better fuel mileage...etc

A win is a win.

Danica is the best thing that has happened to Indy racing. IT WAS DEAD!!! NO ONE was watching. She has brought it back to life. I can hardly wait for Danica to get to Indy in May. More winning from her would only make things better IMO.

+ a bunch (all good points)

[Tom S.]

First woman ever to win an Indy car race. She basically won it on fuel when the others had to pit and the leader was forced to slow because of low fuel. A win is a win though....

Of course you could say her superior driving skill in conserving fuel earlier in the race, set her up for being in position to stay out, be aggressive late, and RACE the last few laps while everyone else was sliding in to the pits on fumes...... of course it was the Team's strategy, but she executed it well.

A win is a win.

Like I said, "A win is a win."

I still want to see her win one where it wasn't a fuel issue. I'd say the team had a lot to do with that win. Yes, she did her part and I think she's a great driver, but she still has some things to prove in my eyes. It's not because she's a woman either... I would think that way about any driver regardless of sex.

EDIT: If you want to see how hot she really is... from the SI swimsuit.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/...ick/index2.html

I'm sure Danica is losing sleep over the lack of your endorsement!

I'm really surprised you boys didn't bring up the "Danica Rule". New rule this year about the driver's weight. It's rumored this new rule came into being because Danica is so light and some feel she has an unfair advantage. So weight was added to her car. As I understand it...where the weight was added could actually help Danica. SOOOO maybe Danica won because weight was added to her car in just the right spot....and that gave her better fuel mileage...etc

A win is a win.

Danica is the best thing that has happened to Indy racing. IT WAS DEAD!!! NO ONE was watching. She has brought it back to life. I can hardly wait for Danica to get to Indy in May. More winning from her would only make things better IMO.

Well, I have a solution that will win me instant insertion into the male chauvinist hall of shame: how about giving her a boob job?

[bountyhunter]

..and it was dead for a reason.

And the reason was pure greed. The organizers of the Indy 500 thought they were bigger than the sport and could force all the CART drivers to join their new league for the PRIVILEDGE of driving in their race.... hence the Indy Racing League.

The IRL is owned by Hulman and Co., which also owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex and the Clabber Girl brand.

Of course, CART wasn't going to die without a fight so basically the pool of drivers and cars split up and the losers were the fans. Their events stage at different places at the same time, rules in IRL are different enough that the cars have to be different and the whole thing is a mess. CART eventually went under from the spilt.

I read that the IRL was also hovering near bankruptcy most of the time, I hope that's true. They deserve it for what they did.

At its inception, the series and George himself were widely ridiculed by members of the media and some CART competitors. The IRL's early seasons consisted of sparse schedules, mostly unknown drivers, and novice-level teams, even in the Indy 500. Eventually the schedule expanded, and caliber of drivers improved. The IRL began to draw teams from CART starting in 2000, contributing to the latter's bankruptcy and rebranding as Champ Car in 2003.

The most bitter point of conflict between Champ Car and the IRL is the Indianapolis 500, long considered the crown jewel of North American motorsports. After the beginning of the IRL in 1996, Tony George restricted entry of the starting 33 cars to 25 IRL cars from full-time IRL teams, with only eight other cars being permitted to start. In retaliation, CART scheduled what was supposed to become its new showcase event, the U.S. 500, at Michigan International Speedway on the same day, but it drew far less fan interest and was discontinued after its 1999 running. Although modified in 1999, the initial Indy 500 policy toward CART has continued to be held up as proof of George and the IRL's ill-intent towards CART.

In 1997, Tony George specified new technical rules for less expensive cars and "production based" engines that outlawed the CART-spec cars that had been the mainstay of the race since the late 1970s. For the next few years almost all of the CART teams and drivers did not compete in the race. While this situation allowed many American drivers to participate in an event they might otherwise have been unable to afford, the turbulent political situation and the absence of the many of the top IndyCar drivers, the big-name sponsors and faster CART-spec cars casting something of a shadow over the race; it was certainly arguable that to the average fan the replacement of at least fairly-well-known foreign drivers by almost-unknown American ones was not perceived as a real gain.

Edited April 24, 2008 by bountyhunter

[Hairtrigger]

Here is a related post

be sure to scroll down and read what Samolsen wrote!

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/u.../page/0/fpart/1

[bountyhunter]

Here is a related post

be sure to scroll down and read what Samolsen wrote!

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/u.../page/0/fpart/1

Good one.... I would have put Tom Cruise, he's prettier......

[Paul Santiago]

Well, I have a solution that will win me instant insertion into the male chauvinist hall of shame: how about giving her a boob job?

Would that disqualify her for adding artificial weight to her front end?

[Hairtrigger]

From what I see in today's Indy 500 Danica seems to think she is owed something. I doubt Indy's people will like having to chase her down pit lane to calm her down

This one was far from her fault but she acts like a B!^&* .

There have been several incidents that were her fault and she just blew them off. Paybacks.

If she did not have her looks she would not be where she is today.

Edited May 25, 2008 by Hairtrigger

[smokshwn]

From what I see in today's Indy 500 Danica seems to think she is owed something. I doubt Indy's people will like having to chase her down pit lane to calm her down

This one was far from her fault but she acts like a B!^&* .

There have been several incidents that were her fault and she just blew them off. Paybacks.

If she did not have her looks she would not be where she is today.

First she doesn't have the "drive to win", "not tough enough" etc. then when she is pissed off at some hack who ruins her race she's a bitch (I guess when AJ Foyt acted like that he was just a passionate driver )...guess she just can't win on that one.

And as far as looks being the only reason she has a ride...I would say that not finishing out of the top ten this season speaks volumes about her lack of driving ability.......

[Larry White]

Well the fact is, Danica owes somebody a ass whoopin. Oh for the good old days with AJ.-------------Larry

[Viggen]

The Indy is a great race and all the drivers are back. That's great - it's been a long time.

The game needs cheesecake,when it comes along, to strike a pose, pout, and sell the idea of racing to the corporate suit crowd. They suck in the cheesecake sale and get to move more product.

DP stalking the pits should bring in more revenue by generating buzz. A job well done. Mow down a mechanic one week, get your rear suspension broke the next, it's all good buzz for the marketing divisions. It builds media "tension" for the next "big' race. It's all good.

What we should be thinking about is how to get sponsorship from nice folks like Sony, Lowes, Home Depot, Target, Wal-Mart, etc., etc.,etc...

That sponsorship thing is something the auto racing world has really taken to heart. I guess they figure the more money thrown into the game the better things get for the sport, athletes, promoters, and all associated.

Edited May 25, 2008 by Viggen

[Jman]

American open wheel racing owes much to the five foot nothing, hundred nothing "supergirl" racer. More guts than most.

Great seeing a big field and a huge crowd. Best team won.

Jim M

[Hairtrigger]

When a driver wants to fight but does not take off their helmet it makes racing one step closer to pro wrestling. It seems very common for those Indy drivers to act like they want to fight another driver but keep the helmet on.... take a hint from Hockey

[bountyhunter]

When a driver wants to fight but does not take off their helmet it makes racing one step closer to pro wrestling. It seems very common for those Indy drivers to act like they want to fight another driver but keep the helmet on.... take a hint from Hockey

I forget what ex pro football player was commentating a game when massive fight broke out on the field. Some of the players took off their helmets and started swinging them at the other players. The announcer said:

"You can always tell which ones are rookies... they're the ones who take off their helmets."

[bountyhunter]

From what I see in today's Indy 500 Danica seems to think she is owed something. I doubt Indy's people will like having to chase her down pit lane to calm her down

I was shocked... such behavior is unprecendented. I am going back to watching NASCAR where you would NEVER see drivers get angry enough to start fighting after an on track incident....

[bountyhunter]

From what I see in today's RACE, DALE seems to think HE is owed something.

There have been several incidents that were HIS fault and HE just blew them off. Paybacks.

Read that again with the edits: if that isn't the most accurate capsulation of dale Earnhart Sr's career, I don't know what is.... funny: nobody ever whined about his chronically sour attitude on the track, or constant belief everybody owed him the inside line.

Edited May 26, 2008 by bountyhunter

[Front Man]

I liked Boris's advanced apology for taking someone out in the future (payback) a couple of weeks ago.

And he will do it.

FM

[Calamity Jane]

Notice the contrast....

Sarah Fischer gets taken out...we find her in the pits tearful.

Danica gets taken out...and we find her storming down pit row ready to rumble. She reminded me of AJ Foyt back in the good old days.

Danica is Indy Car. Don't believe me....play back the race and listen to the commentator....you will find her name mentioned more than any other driver. Thank God she is out there making it interesting again!

[Hairtrigger]

I agree... Indy car racing has become dull and boring, drawing very small crowds. Last year at MIS they said 30,000 in attendance. Indy has put their money on Danica to bring in more people... just like McDonalds... sell to kids and they will make their parents attend as well

[38supPat]

I always found it amusing to hear a 5'3" 130lb male driver complaining about Danika's unfair weight advantage, anybody remember certain CART drivers complaining about C. De Matta when he was winning and getting CART to change the weight rules?

[Jman]

I always found it amusing to hear a 5'3" 130lb male driver complaining about Danika's unfair weight advantage, anybody remember certain CART drivers complaining about C. De Matta when he was winning and getting CART to change the weight rules?

Great point! Danica has to roll with added lead in her ride. Still though, she'll never win consistently hugging that low line. If she won't put a tire in the gray it just ain't gonna happen. Look at her line (and others) compared to Scott D's at the apex of the short chutes. Doesn't look like much. But a foot or eighteen inches there is everything.

[Calamity Jane]

I always found it amusing to hear a 5'3" 130lb male driver complaining about Danika's unfair weight advantage, anybody remember certain CART drivers complaining about C. De Matta when he was winning and getting CART to change the weight rules?

Great point! Danica has to roll with added lead in her ride. Still though, she'll never win consistently hugging that low line. If she won't put a tire in the gray it just ain't gonna happen. Look at her line (and others) compared to Scott D's at the apex of the short chutes. Doesn't look like much. But a foot or eighteen inches there is everything.

Well done! Finally a critique about her actual driving skills!

[lmccrock]

Sarah Fischer gets taken out...we find her in the pits tearful.

Fischer's wrecked car was her's. Danica's belonged to someone else. I might cry, too, if my season was done in that way.

Lee

[John Heiter]

She may have gotten breaks in the past that helped her to get where she is today based on her sex appeal, but that's not just racing or professional sports. Being good looking or having sex appeal is very rarely a career detriment. Just look at what being hot has done for my shooting career. Ok, bad example.

At this point, she strikes me as a very good driver with a very good team behind her and her consistent high finishes reflect that. Sure she takes a different line than the winner but everyone out there takes their own for the most part. It all depends on how the car is hooking up, how much fuel is on board, the laps on the tires, etc. etc. There is a mathematically perfect line out there for every car but it's not the same one across the board.

Like I say, as far as her driving, I give her full respect with no issues about her sex... but I have to say the Indy march down pit row struck me as kind of silly looking. If she was going down there to demand an apology or to threaten to seek on track revenge then ok, but if she was really going down there for a "confrontation" like the media keeps hyping, she needs to keep in mind that just because you're in the right doesn't mean you need to take on a 5'8" 150lb 26 year old Australian man when you're only 5'2"and 100lbs helmet included.

[Jman]

I stand by the profoundness and accuracy of my previous post.

Jim M