Danica

[TroyB911]

Really don't know what to say. I just fear she will get seriously hurt or worse. I wont even give her more than 50% of the blame in her 2 crashes. This is not about her being a woman. I thought Johana Long in the #70 car did AWESOME! She was in 2 wrecks including the BIG ONE! She was poised and never panicked. She had a good finish and car came home clean. Saw the 19 yr olds do very well too. As for the kid who won...way to dodge them bullets and get your first win.

Thursday a car got loose and sent Danica to the infield. Many things to do here. Get on the brakes...yank it back some and work that wheel. No braking until half way to the wall. Then she lets go of the wheel and screams as she waves her hands back and forth around her head. She was frantic. Panicked. Sent her car straight into the wall. Could of died without that safer barrier. Today she is getting help from her owner Dale Jr. He is pushing her to the front. They swap and she is behind him a few laps then just drives it into the wall. She fades back and picks up some help. He gets her back into the top 10 and she makes an aggressive and ditches him. Then finds herself alone and fading back. Now when her teammate gets back to her he gets her back around the 20s after she faded near the back. She complains she is blind in the draft and this is crazy. While bump drafting she turns early and the bump gets her loose. That comes with experience. BUT someone talked to her about yesterday and the eratic hand action. SHe should have dumped it and tires is all needed. Instead she overcorrects and re-enters the track and hit the wall. If she had been running in the top 10 she would of got smashed.

At least this time she fought to save her car and when letting go of the wheel she waited til the last moment and then just let go and not all the OMG im gonna die hand waving. So u gotta give her the fact she IS learning. I just wish she would stay in Nationwide full time all season then try CUP next. A decent looking girl with a ton of ads and endorsements doesnt need to risk it this much. Duels was not her fault at all. N'Wide race still not totally her fault. Thing that DOES irritate me is she is such a distraction from the race. Even as her race is OVER we have to get shots and interviews on if they can get the car back so she can finish 37th instead of 40th. I mean come on. A lot of good young people to focus on. Not just 1. No matter if she is a woman or a Godaddy.com half naked model.

[rich76]

I disagree with her panicking on Thursday. I watched it live and all I remember is the "experts" in the booth saying she did exactly what she was supposed to....and her formula training did her well. She was supposed to let go of the wheel when she did...it probably saved her a broken arm or wrist at least. I don't remember her screaming or panicking. She had no responsibility in that wreck.

[SiteWolf]

It is interesting, however, that she has crashed in now 18 of 30(?) NASCAR races she's been in.....fault or not, has she just been unlucky or has she been in places she shouldn't be...

[rich76]

There is only one driver that has a higher wreck percentage than her....Buescher. I read an article on this last week and the "claim" is that only 4-5 of them were actually her fault. As any NASCAR fan knows...you can have a lot of wrecks when you're usually running "in the pack" that are not your fault.

[rich76]

I've been thinking about this for a while now. NASCAR needs Danica. No doubt about it. It needs a shot in the arm (now that Johnson's crazy run is over) and she is, by far, the one person that can bring in some new fans....sell a TON of new merchandise....and put more fannies in the seats at races.

Now, that being said....are there drivers out there with more nascar driving experience? No doubt. Are there drivers out there with more driving experience? Not that many IMO. There are people...owners/drivers/announcers... that know a HELL of a lot more than I do and the general concensus seems to be that the majority of them all think her being there is good. I haven't heard any negative comments yet...but am waiting. IMO this race tonight will tell us more.

[SiteWolf]

I don't disagree, Rich....but NASCAR would NOT want it to become like tennis was with Anna Kournakova...as in nice enough looking to draw men in, but never wins anything

[ProneEisenrott]

I disagree. Just having a woman in the field is enough of a novelty to draw general public interest. If she does start winning then that would even be more impressive, but not necessary. I mean, how many women have actually made it into the professional racing ranks in the first place?

I give her tons of credit.

[rich76]

make it 19 of 31 Orren...... . Again.....not her fault. She showed some skills in that wreck.....good girl.

Troy....I hope you saw what Jimmie did and heard what the announcer said when he did it.......

[P562045]

Just so a person knows Jimmy Johnson in an very early wreck was shown with his hands off his steering well. I wonder where Jimmy would have learned that from. And those are some very nasty licks there was more than one that Jimmy took early in the race that was for sure.

[TroyB911]

All I know is I grow tired of every 10 laps them showing what Danica is up to in the garage. I mean not saying she is at fault when she gets collected. But she nearly got Jimmie killed tonight. She saw the accident and took a left turn into the 34 car and sent him into Johnson's side door. It isnt she doesnt know how to drive. She doesnt know how to avoid bad situations. I saw a 19 yr old girls Johan Long who drove like a seasoned vet compared. She was in the big one and another in Nationwide and she worked that wheel and made it through the field.

Someone talked to Danice about her arm flailing around her head when she was headed to the wall. Because Sat. she had another wreck but this time as she was about to hit the wall she let go of the wheel and left her hands on the side of the wheel. Correct technique. But this isnt open wheel. Wheel are mounted to break away and dissapate the energy of a crash. I did see Jimmie do it after he made impact. I think he really jammed his wrist good. Notice in his replay he worked the wheel and hit the wall THEN let go and grabbed his wrist. Then as he was about to be T- Boned he made himself as skinny as possible.

They showed a shot of Danice during the Red flag. She was all alone walking on a large portion of track. So much empty around her. She was truly all alone out there. It was sort of poetic. I feel for her. Would like to see her stick to Nationwide and get some confidence. I mean she has never won a race. Now boom a owner who has qualifying points let her take his spot? I mean pay your dues. Qualify on your own. Mikey Waltrip is a multiple winner at this track and he had to sit it out. Not even when Robby offered to sell his spot did he balk at it. Waltrip said that isnt in the spirit of racing. He wouldnt want to get in that way. Apparently Danica and GoDaddy do.

As far as Nascar needing her? That is bogus IMO. Indy needed something...anything...she bailed because she only won 1 race due to fuel mileage and really had no where to go. Coming to Nascar is good for GoDaddy and Danica. Period. 100s of thousands will be out anyway. Even in Phoenix w the shaky economy and such that track will be packed to capacity. Rednecks to execs love this sport. While NFL is still #1 I would venture Nascar is in the top 5 for sure or better.

[TroyB911]

looked it up
NFL
Baseball
College Football
Nascar
NBA


after that it drops big time
NFL around 33%
Baseball 15%
the other 3 are 10-13%
After that it ranges from 1-7%

[TroyB911]

Wow Wrestling ahead of Hockey. Martial Arts. Golf down with Cricket. Tennis not even listed.

[P562045]

Originally Posted by TroyB911

I mean she [Danica] has never won a race.

she [Danica] bailed because she only won 1 race due to fuel mileage and really had no where to go.

These two statements are interesting to me for some reason.

As for Danica being in a Sprint Cup car to me it nothing more than business. She did have the most amount of Twitter mentions during the week. That was announced by a graphic during the long delay of a little over two hours. And NASCAR just like any other sport is a business when it comes right down to it and a business need various ways to attract customers and NASCAR also needs sponsors as well. That may seem a little harsh on my part but it is so very true.

[TroyB911]

When I said she never won a race it was in ref: to Nascar. SHe did win 1 race in her career in the IRL on fuel mileage. Im not saying she sucks. But she is not Linsanity. Not even Tebow. She is Michell Wie. Someone who thought they could just come beat the boys and fail miserabley. Many argue she has an unfair advantage due to weighing much less. I dont know about that. SHe doesnt really produce results. I think she is being used by Godaddy. Nascar isnt really benefitting. They are already huge and have some of the highest attendance #s. Any Twitter or Facebook post about her are usually negative. She is very polarizing. I find myself disliking what she is about. Then just hating on her. Now kinda pulling for her. I being a father of 3 girls HATE to see any girls hurt, alienated, or abused. I think she needs to stay away from Sprint Cup. Do SOMETHING in NASCAR on a Consistent basis. Not just one race. Maybe run top 5 for the entire season. Half the teams running wont even be running for points in Nationwide. She wrecked out last in the first race but still 26th in points. The winner isnt even taking points as former Sprint Cupper Elliot Sadler shows as point leader. Funny more Sprint Cup drivers arent taking points in Nationwide instead due to the top 20 cars in Sprint being so dominant. Like the Robby Gordon etc.