This Danicamania, as one Associated Press story put it today, is getting a bit ridiculous. Danica Patrick, who is known just as much for her photo spreads in a bikini as her driving, is scheduled to make her NASCAR debut at Daytona International Speedway this weekend in the Nationwide Series.
This is on the heels of Patrick finishing sixth in the ARCA race, a minor league to the minor league of stockcar racing. In that event, she nearly wrecked after driving onto the infield grass.
Here's my problem: While it may be good for the sport and great for NASCAR, which has struggled through this recession, Patrick hasn't paid any dues. She's just a cute girl with a nice smile who can drive a car. OK, she drives better than anyone I know, but I'm sure there are hundreds of guys who have waited for their shot to take to the Daytona Speedway.
Not only that, but she's deflecting attention away from guys who deserve it - guys who drive in the Sprint Cup. If I were a real NASCAR fan, and I'm not, I'd be a little peeved by all this attention given to a driver in a race that few actually care about.
And let's not forget that she's not even that good. She has one victory to her name in the Indy Series, so it's not like she was tearing it up elsewhere and was looking for a new challenge. There have been women to come before Patrick, and there will be women after her, but none will garner the same attention.
She's the Michele Wie of auto racing, someone who gets a free ride everywhere she goes. Literally.
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3 comments:
The attention she gets is a little out of control. But as you're so fond of pointing out, sports is about money, and Danica is worth a ton of it.
She's generating interest in a minor league NASCAR race that otherwise only hardcore fans would watch. There's no question Saturday's Nationwide Series race is going to see a huge ratings boost as people tune in to see how Patrick does. She has the same effect in IRL races, even if she's not that good.
And it's not as if she's bumping Dale Earnhardt or Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson. I guarantee any of the big names who want to race will have a spot.
Yeah, all the fanfare is annoying. But the woman can drive, so let her drive.
Why should they let her drive? Because she wants to? What about the guy who has waited to drive on the Nationwide Series but can't because Danica "decided" she wants to drive?
Don't get me wrong, I can see the plus side from NASCAR's standpoint, but it would be a bit hard to swallow if I were a driver on that series.
I say she doesn't finish in the top 20.
not being a fan who cares.she is pretty hot and for all us non nascar fans she gets our attention. hell they should let her race in her bathing suit if it sells the race world.....
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