Pocky's Paddock
by Bob Pockrass
No Danica-mania in Mexico
April 21, 2008
More blog postings from Bob Pockrass
MEXICO CITY – I got a note from a colleague about the time the Mexico City race started Sunday asking if I had gotten any quotes from any NASCAR people about Danica Patrick’s historic Indy Racing League win Saturday night.
I hadn’t gotten any. And to tell you the truth, there wasn’t that much talk about it in the Nationwide Series garage, at least none that I heard. It was barely a blip on the screen of the minds of people, although I imagine the Chip Ganassi Racing folks couldn’t be pleased that their cars didn’t get the fuel mileage that Patrick’s did in her win.
While the headlines this week will be about the resurgence of the Indy Racing League and Patrick will get well-deserved publicity from her win, NASCAR is an incredible crash or Dale Earnhardt Jr. victory at Talladega away from regaining the national spotlight.
NASCAR shouldn’t be concerned about Danica-mania yet. But her success once again makes NASCAR fans wonder when a female will find that type of success at the Sprint Cup level. It will at least be three or four years as there are no full-time female drivers in any of the three national touring series.
The same is true as far as a Mexican driver, one who would certainly help NASCAR’s popularity in the country where the Nationwide Series raced Sunday. Not every race can be a great event, and this one wasn’t. The crowd was weaker than it has been, and no Mexicans had good days to spark the crowd into a frenzy. It was a decent event – better than some domestic races where the Nationwide Series is an afterthought – and an important event but a little less electric than in the past.
That might be expected as the novelty wears off. But if I’m NASCAR, I’m paying more attention to my product at home and abroad than I am with what Danica Patrick is doing. Unless, of course, she wants to jump off the IRL ship and race these taxicabs.
I hadn’t gotten any. And to tell you the truth, there wasn’t that much talk about it in the Nationwide Series garage, at least none that I heard. It was barely a blip on the screen of the minds of people, although I imagine the Chip Ganassi Racing folks couldn’t be pleased that their cars didn’t get the fuel mileage that Patrick’s did in her win.
While the headlines this week will be about the resurgence of the Indy Racing League and Patrick will get well-deserved publicity from her win, NASCAR is an incredible crash or Dale Earnhardt Jr. victory at Talladega away from regaining the national spotlight.
NASCAR shouldn’t be concerned about Danica-mania yet. But her success once again makes NASCAR fans wonder when a female will find that type of success at the Sprint Cup level. It will at least be three or four years as there are no full-time female drivers in any of the three national touring series.
The same is true as far as a Mexican driver, one who would certainly help NASCAR’s popularity in the country where the Nationwide Series raced Sunday. Not every race can be a great event, and this one wasn’t. The crowd was weaker than it has been, and no Mexicans had good days to spark the crowd into a frenzy. It was a decent event – better than some domestic races where the Nationwide Series is an afterthought – and an important event but a little less electric than in the past.
That might be expected as the novelty wears off. But if I’m NASCAR, I’m paying more attention to my product at home and abroad than I am with what Danica Patrick is doing. Unless, of course, she wants to jump off the IRL ship and race these taxicabs.
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