By Frank Alford
Ever since then end of last season all we heard about is that Danica Patrick was going to be driving in NASCAR for JR. Motorsports. Yes it was news then. That was all the media could talk about. Speedweeks came to Daytona and we hear more of Danica. I expected it. In her first ever stock car start in the ARCA race she did great. She finished sixth, beating some drivers that have more experience driving this kind of car and on that kind of track. And the media frenzy continued. She didn’t do as well the following week in the Nationwide race but the media still drooled. She got caught in someone else’s wreck, no surprise there, that has happened to every driver that has raced Daytona at least once. But still the media was all over her.
Then comes Fontana, the real test to her skills in stock car racing. This is the kind of track she will face on a regular basis. Things did not go so well but she hung in like a trooper. She kept her car out of trouble and finished the race running. So what she was three laps down, she was not the only one. So what am I complaining about?
The media of course!!
Danica was not the only driver not on the lead lap. I got tired of being reminded every 5 laps that she was still 3 laps down. Did someone expect that too change? There where more experienced drivers one or more laps down, but they did not keep reminding us.
I am not saying she is not a talented driver. Her Indy record speaks for itself.
81 starts, 1 win, 16 top fives, 46 top tens, 3 poles. Not championship caliber but she can hold here won with the best of them. I really do hope she does well in NASCAR. She is good for the sport. But unless she is running in the top 15, she blows an engine or she gets in a wreck I don’t need to be reminded every 5 laps were she is on the track. I don’t want to hear that much about any driver that is not able to get at least to the top 15 and play with the leaders. They did not talk about Jr. that much in the Cup race Sunday. When someone is beating Dale Jr. in air time, well that is something isn’t it?
She will be racing the GoDaddy.com #7 Chevy this Saturday in Los Vegas. I hope she does well in the race.
See you at the finish line.
Frank-
I agree- Enough is Enough. She is good, she is learning and we have to give her a break there, but she does not warrant all the media hype. Thankfully, we will be done after Vegas until Michigan in June. But I am also sure that the countdown will begin as soon as Vegas is over EVERY week as to the return of Danica in June, something to look forward to. This stuff is getting about as annoying as Digger
Right now, she is the media darling and, more importantly, the NASCAR Cash Cow, and we are not gonna change that, unfortunatly.
To give credit, the ratings on the tube are through the roof(record #’s) when she races. So the media will not stop.
Good stuff
Thanks Dave. I only got to watch part of the race Saturday and I got annoyed really fast at it.