Most liked posts in thread: Danica on Pole at Daytona!

Long time NASCAR fan, long time local oval racer and truly enjoy racing. Period. Having said that, while I like Danica and agree she's put up with a fair amount of crap in her career, she really hasn't done anything spectacular. Nothing to garner a top level NASCAR ride. Especially one of that magnitude.

I remember when MEN with talent used to drive race cars. Not kids whose dads have a big wallet. Don't get me wrong, there are kids with talent. I've raced Legends with the Buescher brothers and my son used to race Bandoleros with Jake Crum (K&N est series) and a few other kids. I ran Grand Stocks at Langley Speedway when Denny Hamlin was a 14 year old kid running mini (not our type) stocks. All of them are good kids who are very mature and have talent. Their parents put everything financially on the line to further their kids careers. So there are a bunch of kids with talent. Sadly, some will never get the chance or break some of these kids are getting. Marc Davis, another young Legends racer who happens to be a young man of color had a chance to drive for Joe Gibbs. Sadly, not much transpired from that. Another kid of color, Darrell Wallace Jr who also raced Legends is getting a chance now. While I'm not a fan of his and especially his dad, he does have some talent and a potential career if he can not drive like an ass. Much like the Late Model race at Daytona Tuesday night. Another kid who did pretty well, C.E. Falk from Chesapeake drove a great race until another young phenom Kyle Larson, drove him around on the last lap to win. That's what todays kids do. They wreck you to win, because their dads always had money to fix their cars. Bumper replace talent real well.

Anyway, back to Danica, while she is a decent driver, most of us know if she were a guy, she wouldn't have gotten a second look at that ride and probably not even a shot at the Nationwide ride. She was less than spectacular in the NNS last year in an absolutely top notch ride. She has a great ride and great support crew this year in the cup series. One that someone else could be taking advantage of, but they don't have her marketability. Plain and simple. Here's my prediction: she won't be on the lead lap by half way IF she's still on the track at half way. I doubt she'll finish in the top 25 both in the Daytona 500 and the year end series. She may not even lead a lap Sunday. She may have a few top 5's this year and maybe a handful of top 10's, but mainly she'll be an also ran. Nothing against her, but she doesn't have enough experience to handle the level of competition yet. Remember when she got pissed and wrecked herself trying to wreck someone else? Takes talent to wreck someone too, on purpose anyway.

Just my opinion, sorry. I do wish her luck though. I think she'll need it.

 

You are absolutely right--it was Rahal who gave her the break, brain fart there--but for the same reason, they knew the potential payout (as did Andretti later, too bad Rahal couldn't have reaped more of that, another guy I really respect). There's nothing wrong with that, but it drives me crazy when Patrick is portrayed as being better than she is/was, she was not the best driver of her generation coming up, but she did get the big break, and her ability as a driver wasn't the overriding factor. That being said, she is improving, and I hope to see her do well; she did get a huge break, and to her credit she has worked hard once she got it.

Maacodale, for what it's worth, I agree with you 100%. Menard is a guy who got a shot because of his parents deep pockets--he might have made it anyway, he is good enough that he truly belongs, but many people get advantages others don't, which is why I really don't begrudge Patrick the shot she got, especially because she is working her tail off. I used to dislike her--not so much because she got the shot because of her looks more than her ability, but because of how childish she behaved initially in the IRL, especially toward fans. Funny thing was that many people who got close to her back then and (fortunately) there weren't all that many, came away disappointed or worse. She has become much more gracious, especially around kids, since then.

 

:cornut: Go Danica! My Granddaughters Madi, Rose, Trinity, and Kennedy are all root'in for you(which of course means-I am too).

Grandpa Jason

 

:cornut: Danica had ignition problems today at the Nation Wide Series and dropped out. She wouldn't have had to drop out had she gone to the pit area instead of the area that she mistakenly went to. After that there was a huge crash with multiple cars involved and many spectators injured. Because she had to drop out by going to the wrong area, she'll be fine for tomorrow's race. Strange..................Twilight Zone Stuff...................

Jason

 

Just eating some crow watching the Daytona parade. Danica in fact lead a green flag lap. Did it well. Not only on the lead lap, but doing pretty well. I'll leave out the fact that several major contenders are out. Listening to her radio communication on NASCAR track pass, she's asking some intelligent questions. Her spotter is coddling her a bit, but for a rookie, I'd expect that. Overall, she ain't doing bad so far.

 

IMHO it had more to do with the money and challenge of NASCAR than Wheldon's death, as it was already in the works, but I'm sure that contributed to her decision.

At some point, the exposure has to be paired with some level of success though--and reading between the lines, Stewart has kind of hinted at this being the make or break year for her. She has no more excuses; this is the year she either becomes Sharapova or Kournikova. She may be able to skate one more year due to her popularity, but I don't see her going beyond three years unless she gets a win somewhere along the line. I don't think that will happen on a 1.5 or smaller track, but it could happen on a restrictor plate race, where almost anyone can potentially win, or maybe, just maybe, a road course, which would be better for her--that's a legitimate win if she pulls it off.

Yes, you have to be talented just to even run there, but that doesn't mean you BELONG there. Last year, the majority of the Nationwide drivers without a Cup ride would have had a better shot than her--but they don't have the endorsements or the extra X chromosome (well maybe a few may have the latter, I don't know for sure). Like I said, I don't have a problem with that--it's not how you get the opportunity, but what you do with it that's important. But it sucks to be the guy who is 1st or 2nd in Nationwide points and unable to get a Cup ride, then watch Danica consistently run one lap or further down on the short tracks.

 

Agree, I think they both have had more than a few things handed to them because of who they are. Dillon will go farther just because he has been groomed for this. Grandpa has sponsored everything he has done up to this point, I would find it hard to believe if anything changes in that aspect of his career.

 

She shined in Indy Cars?

One win, on fuel strategy, with a reduced field (only 18 cars; half of the best drivers were racing on a different track that weekend--Motegi came during the transition when Indy car reunited; half the drivers were obligated to run the Toyota Grand Prix that weekend). Granted, she's better in Indy Car than Nascar, but the problem with her Indy Car experience is the same as with NASCAR--she was rushed up before she was ready for the publicity and sponsorship, and she never grew into a serious contender as series champion, although she did get the one win and did run respectably--although not spectacularly. The fact remains though had she had been anyone else she probably doesn't hold that high quality of a ride for as long as she did.

If Johanna Long had Danica's photogenicity, she'd still be racing Nationwide, in a full time ride. I thought she'd be the one to make everyone forget about Danica, but she's on the outside looking in now, which is a shame. I don't really pull for Patrick, other than if she does well it helps racing in general; but I always pulled for Johanna Long, and before that, Sarah Fisher, but I am bummed out that Long hasn't gotten a legitimate long-term shot, and that Sarah Fisher, who is a racer through and through, isn't a household name.

 

Yep I think she did shine in Indy cars. Lots of drivers would love to have her record in Indy cars.

I think given equal opportunities & equipment Sarah Fisher would have done very well. She has loads of talent & would have kicked Danica's butt for sure. We know Sarah here, she lived down the road not terribly far from Cowtown. Her grandad still does, I love talking with him, he is a fountain of race car knowledge.

 

+1. Sarah is an excellent driver....nice kid too....hails from Commercial Point, OH, just down the road from us here in Columbus.

 

Danica WON!

Oh wait that was on Playstation set to easy mode. :lol::lol::lol: