In defense of Danica
Kris Johnson
Kris Johnson joined Street & Smith's Sports Group in 2003. He is Assistant Managing Editor at NASCAR Illustrated and SceneDaily.com.
Much has been made about Danica Patrick’s first foray into NASCAR.
But how much is too much?
With the Olympics in full force, there is a point of comparison as it relates to hype versus results. U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn was America’s media darling heading into the Vancouver Games.
Vonn appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Olympic preview issue and served as the female centerpiece of NBC’s promotional efforts. Touted as a potential five-medal winner, some folks now deem Vonn’s two-medal effort a disappointment, especially when she failed to finish the other three events.
Vonn and Danica are both talented, telegenic and burdened by the expectations that come from being so hyped in an attempt to lure as many viewers as possible.
Danica’s competitive situation at JR Motorsports, though, is not comparable to Vonn’s. She is a rookie attempting to learn an entirely different form of racing from what she’s been accustomed to in the past. For that, she deserves credit.
When she’s running in the 30s and off the lead lap, Danica remains a focal point for ESPN2’s coverage. Some hardcore racing fans will take issue with that, of course. But it would be interesting to see metrics on new viewers exposed to NASCAR due to Danica’s involvement.
I’m guessing those numbers are significant and that can only be a good thing for the sport.
