Danica Patrick spent the weekend in Daytona Beach Florida, and despite some critics who were ready to pan her first appearance in the world of big time stock car auto racing, she seemed to actually impress more people then she did provide fodder for additional criticism.
Prior to her announcement that she will enter over a dozen NASCAR Nationwide Series races for JR Motorsports next season there seemed to an equal numbers of fans who were for her, and against her attempt.
Some of the disparaging bias of course comes from her appearance in a bikini in Sports Illustrated and her titillating roles in TV commercials scattered among her other off track activities.
The Danica Patrick that showed up in the garage area Friday for an ARCA series test at Daytona International Speedway though was indeed fully clothed; no doubt partially owing to the fact that it was a cold, windy, rainy Central Florida day, but also due to the fact that the Danica Patrick who arrived to wait out the rainy day was the one known as the racecar driver, not the aspiring pin-up model that most NASCAR fans have seen.
There is no doubt that Patrick’s star power gained from her off track activities led to the media circus that followed her all weekend at a testing event that normally begs for coverage. And while the media obviously fed into the hype, one outlet reported what she ate for breakfast Friday, it didn’t seem to faze her one bit.
Instead NASCAR got their first taste of Danica Patrick the racecar driver. She was confident, willing to learn and displayed a charming personality that impressed most. Between signing autographs for fans, talking to the media and introducing herself to everyone, Patrick began to show the side that will probably win over a lot of fans. Not the woman who looks good in a bikini, and who happens to drive a racecar, but the racecar driver who just happens to be a woman.
She performed well on the track as well finishing the weekend fifth on the speed charts while drafting in packs of cars at near 200 miles per hour.
Of course no one can predict what will happen come February of next year when the cars take to the track in anger, but if Patrick’s testing performance both on and off the track this past weekend is any indication, NASCAR and its fans may just be in for a pleasant surprise.
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Comments
I'm just putting this out there...but it seems you may be softening a little about Danica. All that is fine with me. I think she will energize the fan base, generate corperate dollars and be someone to watch in 2010. The timing is perfect. NASCAR has been dropping off a bit the last several years and she'll get us all picked back up again. By the way...where can I buy a Danica Patrick race shirt at?
Even Erin Crocker had some top 5 finishes in ARCA. In the Busch series it was a different story. As a mediocre Indycar talent I predict that Danica will be uncompetitive in Nationwide competition, yet unsurpassed in being able to attract media hype. I don't care if Nascar becomes more successful, the France family are billionaires anyway.
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