Is Danica Patrick a talented driver or an opportunist?

[Lindsay-GFN]

By: Lindsay - GFN

When Danica Patrick started racing every woman wanted to be her and every man just plain wanted her. This followed by several provocative magazine layouts and covers let to her rapid rise in fame. But is Danica just a novelty that is coming to an end or is she the real deal?

Is she that different from the other drivers? Besides the obvious physical features what separates her from her male counterparts?

Let’s look at Danica Patrick’s Record:

60 - Career starts for Patrick going into this weekend's race at Kentucky

1 - Wins, and a pretty big one at that, which came on April 20 at Motegi, Japan.

10 - Career top 5's including two this season

13.3 - Average finish in three races at Kentucky

34 - Career top 10s, including eight this season

3 - Laps led this season, which were the last three at Motegi

7 - Ranking on Forbes magazine's list of richest female athletes

Now let’s look at some of the issues surrounding Danica Patrick.

Hit a pit crew member on pit road the day before Pole Day qualifying at Indianapolis.

After being involved in a pit road accident with Ryan Briscoe in the Indianapolis 500, made a long walk down pit road ready to confront Briscoe, only to be stopped by security.

Was criticized by two drivers over allegations of blocking following the race at Iowa, including Scott Dixon who called her a "menace." As if Scott Dixon or any of his team mates have never blocked anyone.

Nearly took out members of Scott Dixon's crew at Watkins Glen when, after the leaving her pit stall, the tires broke free from under her, sending her sliding into Dixon's stall.

Got into a confrontation with Milka Duno after a practice session at Mid-Ohio, which was caught on tape.

On youtube.com you can find volumes of footage with Danica arguing with officials, her team, other teams and others.

This sounds a lot to me like another racer in NASCAR named Tony Stewart. Just like Stewart, Patrick is raked over the coals for being a media hog.


Ok, let’s face it, Danica whether yelling or not has helped put fans in the seats of IRL events, increased merchandise sales, added positively to the bottom line of Indy Car. That being said is she really any different than the “boys” that started NASCAR?

I believe there were several fights that put NASCAR on the map back in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Today the arguments are fewer and farther in-between but they still exist.

So what’s the difference? My opinion is that in the “boys club” of racing the boys don’t like it when the girls win or take them down a notch. If Danica never wins again she still has done more for IRL then any other driver on the track today!

But is she popular for the right reasons? As a fellow female that has struggled to make it in a man's world I can say that I have worked as hard and harder then some men and for that I have been promoted in plenty of jobs in the past. I also have not worked as hard and was repremanded at jobs in the past.

As much as I would love to see a woman kick some ass in the world of racing I do not believe this is the woman to do it. She is in a car because she looks good CLEAR AND SIMPLE! If a man had her record he would be replaced for a better driver. So how many great drivers are out there that can not get into a car because Danica can wear a bikini?

At this point you may be confused as to where I stand on Danica Patrick so let me be clear. The issue is not with Danica it is with our society. We are willing to pay and support a lesser driver for the "eye candy" factor! Danica is just playing the system and getting her pockets fat in the process. For that you can't blame her, but hell, do not worship her!

I don't blame a stripper for accepting money, I blame the man for paying the stripper!

[Ol' CW]

What's wrong with giving a stripper money?

How many of the guys have similar stats to Danica? Or worse?

Face it, race fans like a little drama. And hot chicks.

[bigsal]

I like hot chicks and I like looking at Danica. I follow Indy and her stats are in the lowest percentile of the racers out there today. The biggest problem is that Scott Dixon is a cry baby and he hates to be beat by a girl.

I say let her race but she needs to get a better attitude.

Oh and Lindsay-GFN, thanks for the honesty in this post. It is about time our media stoped going to dinner with the drivers and started posting REAL stories.

Peace Out

BigSal

[motogp_girl]

I agree with bigsal this is one of the best articles on the site. I have to give props to Lindsay for actually saying what everyone is thinking. I am an avid reader of insiderracingnews but after seeing this article I had to register.

On a different note is the avatar you or a model?

A new reader of gofastnews and a fan of Lindsay.

[littled]

I almost fell on the floor laughing when I saw this. I agree she is like a stripper! But you know we all are in our onw way. I don't get out of bed unless it has something to do with money.

Nascar needs a woman. That way Jeff Gordon can get passed by a girl too this year.

Disgruntled 24 fan

Little D

[admin]

I can honestly say that the avatar is 100% Lindsay.

[Ol' CW]

I guess I just don't understand the hangup.

She's hot AND she's out there racing.

Did everyone expect that because she's a woman that she would beat everybody?

But is she popular for the right reasons?

This is looking a gift-horse in the mouth. She is helping out future female racers. Would you rather she be ugly and still not win a lot?

So how many great drivers are out there that can not get into a car because Danica can wear a bikini?

I think you may be oversimplifying the skillset required to drive an indy car. I bet it's pretty hard.

Also, Danica has a great body because she is in shape. We like to look at bodies that are in shape.
How many overweight race car drivers do you see in professional racing? Chances are high that any "winning" female racer will have a nice body shape. Danica just happens to have a pretty face too. Would she be more legitimate if she got a crewcut and a nose ring?

Not attacking your article here Lindsay, but perhaps you can appreciate my POV

[Lindsay-GFN]

I love that you expressed your point of view. If you agree or not, to me that does not matter. What matters is that you expressed your opinion to an article I wrote.

thank you!

[Ol' CW]

Glad to hear that

Now if I can just get you to agree with me we'll really be getting somewhere LOL

[panic]

Danica has a great body because she is in shape

Errr... not so much.
Muscle tone and total weight don't hurt, but nothing you can do changes your DNA.
Begin by carefully selecting your 5th generation ancestors...