Fast Times
A NASCAR BLOG BY Kris Johnson
The deconstruction of Danica Patrick
Tickled, troubled and torn.
Funny to think you can be all three simultaneously, but that is the range of emotion – if tickled even qualifies as such – experienced when considering Danica Patrick’s expected arrival in NASCAR.
Let’s deal with tickled first. NASCAR, despite its standing as the unquestioned motorsports leviathan in America, needs a shot of adrenaline. Poaching the reigning megastar of U.S. open-wheel racing – even for part-time duty in its No. 2 series – could be the start of something truly special if Danica makes a Juan Pablo Montoya-like transition to stock cars.
The potential upside for NASCAR is as obvious as Patrick’s pulchritude.
The troubling aspect involves Patrick’s megastar status. When you reach that final destination after a journey not so much paved by performance, your status is in question. At least, it should be questioned.
Patrick, at 27, is already an American icon. That probably reveals more about us as Americans, and our willingness to buy into television– and marketing–driven “superstars” as brands, as it does anything else.
At the intersection of tickled and troubled, that’s where you’ll find torn.
Whether she will be good for the sport depends on where you view it from. Look through the lens of a sponsor, fan, track, TV network or NASCAR and you’ll see her in very different lights.
Here’s hoping Patrick performs at a level never before realized by a female driver in NASCAR.
That way, everyone should agree the sport she leaves behind will be better off than it was upon her arrival.
Kris Johnson
Kris Johnson has worked in racing since 1997. He has covered NASCAR full time since 2005 and is an assistant managing editor for NASCAR Scene.
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Comments
16 responses to "The deconstruction of Danica Patrick". Post a Comment.
mrclause said:
Nov 14, 2009 at 1:44 PMAnd we can't get behind our own female drivers who have earned their way and make them into the stars we seem to crave so badly. We are telling everyone of our female drivers that Danica is better. Not true!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmissouriracefan said:
Nov 14, 2009 at 4:01 PMWell said, MRCLAUSE.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportTXdeb88 said:
Nov 14, 2009 at 10:15 PMI can agree with troubled and torn. She will be a huge distraction taking media attention from deserving drivers who are already mostly overlooked.
Report as AbuseMRCLAUSE is right; NASCAR could use female drivers and there are some in development series who have earned a shot, but will not get it.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWormDirt said:
Nov 14, 2009 at 11:05 PMAh yes... I say..... (clinching my pipe betwixt my teeth) yes, yes... I see (sneering above my eye-glasses which have slipped down towards the tip of my up-turned nose)... I do say.... old chap (as I lay my glass of cognac on the table and re-ajust my turtle-necked collar to rest comfotably under my tweed blazer)... You nailed it old boy.... (sounding like Thurston HOwell the Third)....(speaking with my teeth CLINCHED).... yes.. yes.... it must be the evermost "Pulchritude"???????? I do say... "Pulchitrude" is ever-so-much fun. Oh dear... LOOK AT ME.... i just said "pulchitrude"!!!! Oh dear... time for tea and biscuits. I do beg your pardon for my abrupt departure... Oh yes.... one more thing.... "pulchitrude!!!" "Pulchitrude"
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» Confirm Abuse Reporttinynascarfan said:
Nov 14, 2009 at 11:52 PMdoes anyone who is not in Michigan or Tennessee remember who beat Peyton Manning out of the Heisman Trophy, ESPN does, they beat Manning out the the award due to biased coverage of the other player. The media doenst cover talent they make stars out of pretty faces.
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» Confirm Abuse Reporttinynascarfan said:
Nov 14, 2009 at 11:54 PMDoes anyone remember the quarterback who was picked 2nd to Peyton Manning? ESPN thought he was the better quarterback going into the draft that year, i remember he went to San Diego, but i dont remember his name, he made millions for riding the bench though, another superstar brought to you by the good people at ESPN.
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» Confirm Abuse Reporttinynascarfan said:
Nov 15, 2009 at 12:00 AMDanica Patrick is an over-rated, no talent, wishes she was a model, race car steering wheel holder! that is what she is! you can disagree with me, but in 5 years you will know i was right! her career will show her up! The only reason she is coming to nascar is the MONEY$$$$$$$$$ people. she will make millions of your and my dollars and she cant drive her way out of a mall parking lot! The only good thing about this is she will make dale Jr Motorsports millions of dollars too! so jr will have enough money to buy some talent to put in his real car which will be running for the title.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjessydoyle49 said:
Nov 15, 2009 at 12:55 AMALL this hype for a female driver who has NEVER won a race.,,,AH,, now folks, you can not count the Japan race as Rodger GAVE that one to her to try and stop her from sucking ALL the oxygen out of the advertising side of racing.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportkrisjohnson_sd said:
Nov 15, 2009 at 12:39 PMWorm Dirt gets my vote for best response of the year! That is good stuff, right there. Thanks to all for reading and taking the time to post your thoughts. Enjoy the PHX race today. -Kris
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» Confirm Abuse Reportwmvjr1960 said:
Nov 15, 2009 at 3:40 PMIs it just me, or does Danica look 10x hotter in a driving suit with no makeup, than in a bikini with her tramp face on ??? just sayin'.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportdemorrow said:
Nov 16, 2009 at 9:40 AMDear Mr. Dirt: I usually think you're mad as a hatter, but your response on this one is the best laugh for a while. Meanwhile--Danica? Puhleeez!!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSTP43FAN said:
Nov 16, 2009 at 6:08 PMWe're kind of assuming that Danica Patrick in fact is a major draw in Indycars, even though there is zero evidence of this beyond media hype.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportphillipwafford said:
Nov 16, 2009 at 7:55 PMher pulcritude sells phones and web sites BUT she is still trying to find her way out of the mall parking lot
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» Confirm Abuse Reportvermontcritter-1 said:
Nov 17, 2009 at 5:04 AMYou all must be members of the "We hate woman drivers and Kyle Busch Club". I've heard some nasty freaking comments about drivers on the site, but these have to be some of the worst. Sounds like Danica is the Sarah Palin of the racing world. NASCAR should let her race because they need a big time shot in the arm right about now. Face the facts, ratings are down, the same teams keep winning all of the time, and watching races with 200 to 500 laps is getting boring. I'd rather watch the LPGA.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSTP43FAN said:
Nov 17, 2009 at 2:51 PMVERMONTCRITTER-1 - Danica Patrick adds nothing to anything. The sport needs 58 lead changes among 25 drivers in far more races. It doesn't need Danifraud.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportvermontcritter-1 said:
Nov 18, 2009 at 5:08 AMNASCAR needs more than just 25 drivers changing the lead back and forth, it needs a totally new format. The chase is a huge joke and an insult to drivers leading the standing after the "regular season" ends. What really sucks is having to watch the same teams and drivers winning week in and week out, not so much because they have awesome drivers, but because the owners are ultra rich. You say Danica is a fraud, that is still to be seen. If she sucks so bad then why are Junior and others attempting to lure her into stock cars? Even if she doesn't do that well she won't be alone at the back of the field. There are usally a number of big names riding at the tail end of the lead lap, or running laps down.
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