According to a published report, and perhaps in some minds against all better judgment, it now looks like Danica Patrick will dip her painted toenails into the NASCAR waters to see how warm it might be.
Patrick, who is expected to re-sign with her current IndyCar team any day, has been rumored and un-rumored for months concerning a foray into the world’s largest stock car auto racing sanctioning body. Some felt, and still do, that her NASCAR overtures were merely an attempt to secure a better contract in the IndyCar Series, much like she seemed to do the last time her contract was up for renewal.
The last time the rumors concerning her jump into NASCAR simply died out after her contract was signed, but the latest rumors seem to have grown legs, just like the ones seen by millions in her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue layout.
According to the rumored plan, Patrick would like to try stock cars by first running in select ARCA then Nationwide and Truck Series events.
One also has to wonder, though; will her tentative steps into NASCAR turn out like Indy open wheelers before her such as Tony Stewart or Juan Pablo Montoya who have been successful and competitive, Sam Hornish Jr. who seems to be slowly coming around, or like Dario Franchitti who left NASCAR after a fruitless effort and headed back to greener Indy pastures?
Patrick has won a single race in the IndyCar Series, while Stewart, Montoya, Hornish and Franchitti won multiple races and championships in all those series.
No doubt Patrick’s arrival in NASCAR will be a marketer's dream; trumpets would blare and red carpets would be rolled out. The news of her pending NASCAR debut will probably rival the news of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s move to Hendrick Motorsports.
Patrick will most likely be under a microscope, with her every movement in the garage area tracked by hordes of photographers, most of which will be akin to the paparazzi that follow celebrities everywhere. Because it seems that while Patrick began in racing with the best of intentions, once she figured out that she looked good in front of a camera, she rode that beauty all the way to the bank. And while no one should bemoan a person making money, it seems that in recent years, Patrick has become less of a racecar driver who happens to be female and more of a woman who happens to be a racecar driver; and more of a celebrity than an athlete.
So what makes Patrick think she could enjoy any type of success given the history of female racers in NASCAR?
Women racers in NASCAR have stretched all the way back to nearly the sports inception. With female drivers such as Sara Christian who entered seven races in 1949 and 1950, Louise Smith who raced 11 events from 1949-1950 and Ethel Mobley, Ann Bunselmeyer and Ann Chester who ran at least one race in 1949 and 1950.
In the decade of the 1970’s there were women such as Janet Guthrie who competed 33 times, and Christine Beckers and Lella Lombardi who entered one race in 1977. In the 80’s we had Robin McCall and Patty Moise.
In recent times drivers such as Shawna Robinson, Deborah Renshaw, Kelly Sutton, Erin Crocker and Sarah Fisher have all taken their turn in NASCAR.
None of the women mentioned though have ever won a race in NASCAR’s top three touring series and even their top-10 finishes combined equal less than a dozen.
When all is said and done the odds seem to be against Danica Patrick in terms of her enjoying any kind of success in NASCAR. Of course she’s welcome to try and while no one should wish her anything but the best of luck, she should prepare for what could turn out to be a very humbling experience.
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Comments
I see you deleted my comment as you probably had to with everyone who has commented on your sexist article. Delete this one too as it does not matter. You are still irrelevant.
A few points, but first the most relevant:
Patrick has not competed at any level in any USAC series. She has competed in Formula Atlantic, Barber-Dodge series, Formula Ford Festival in England, Formula Vauxhall Championship and the World Karting Association.
But I guess you missed all that.
Secondly, you seem to discount Dario Franchitti's efforts in NASCAR, is that fair of a driver that was not only in what can called a "crapwagon," but was hurt as much be a lack of sponsorship dollars AND suffering a left ankle fracture that was a major setback.
And finally, can you honestly say "Patrick has become less of a racecar driver?
You need a reminder that she has progressively moved up the series points ladder each year in the IRL. While racing with the non-competitive AGR team she has performed better than her three teammates two of which having multiple IRL wins and one that has won the Indy 500.
Some "less of a driver."
One minor point to add: Danica could care less if she flops in NASCAR. She's dipping her toes into it purely for the money & attention that will gush in at any level of performance. My recommendation to her is to hit the gym and put as much muscle on her petite frame as she can muster, because her biggest challenge, first and foremost, will be trying to wrestle a 3,500-lb car that, in comparison to IRL rides, will feel to her like a driving a rhino wearing roller skates on an ice rink. Still, I wish her the best of luck, and with a mentor like "Smoke" she'll have the best leg up in this foray of any female driver in history.
To me, this is what's wrong with NASCAR. Forget about the racing, let's go with hype and make more money on that til it all dries up. Danica, is a "decent" driver. But if you were a Cup car owner, are you "really" interested in a driver, from another racing series, totally different than what you have in your stable? Only won "one" race in the four years she's been in the series she's competing in. In those four years, only lead 108 laps in that series. That's FOUR YEARS! Never won a championship on a major level. Why would you hire a driver like that, when you have championship, race-winning type drivers like Travis Kvapil around in the garage area or a Matt Crafton doing very well in trucks. Shouldn't they get an opportunity first and foremost or it's because of the Danica's T&A, milk money that she should get first dibs at NASCAR?
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