Danica Patrick is on the pole!

pitt83 - 2013-02-21 9:13 PMGiggity, Giggity., goo!

tri808 - 2013-02-21 9:25 PM

Her team set her up with the fastest car, and she didn't screw it up.

japarker24 - 2013-02-22 7:34 AM

My guess is that her finishing position will equal her age...........

bradleyd3 - 2013-02-22 8:59 AM I'd totally rub and bump her..... Then draft off her from behind.....then come around front and finish strong. Wouldn't know what to do if we were both in cars though.

Bigfuzzydoug - 2013-02-22 9:03 AM

Old, chauvinist, NASCAR fans simply need to accept the fact that women can and will race, will win the pole and will win races.  The team set up the car perfectly and she drove it to the fastest qualifying time.  I live in "Race City" USA where many of the teams are headquartered and the town is buzzing about it.  Some people syaing she's a marketing gimmick - more GoDaddy ads than actual racing skill.  Sort of like Anna Kournikova.  But the fact of the matter is, she won the pole.  So deal with it.

The culture of NASCAR needs to open up and give opportunities to different races/creeds/gender/etc. of drivers.  It would widen the popularity.  Take a look at this web page:  http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/drivers.html

What looks odd about it?  Out of 59 drivers you have 1 woman, 2 Hispanics and FIFTY-SIX white males!  95%!  Just the fact that Danica is in the field is a breakthrough.  You can't tell me that there isn't a single African-American, Asian-American, other woman, etc. that not can not only compete in that field, but win.  Statistically impossible.  They just haven't been given an opportunity.  The culture of NASCAR keeps them out.  Same thing with African-American NFL coaches several years ago.

Compare to another "purely American" form of racing (something not like Formula 1); NHRA Drag Racing:  http://www.nhra.com/drivers/default.aspx  Out of 32 drivers you have a Muslim from Dubai, 2 African-Americans (one who is quite successful who won last year's World Championships), and not one, or two, or three, but FOUR FEMALE drivers!  (Courtney Force isn't on the page, but she does drive.)  Shirley Muldowney was winning the World Championships in top-fuel back in '77, and then went on to do it again in 1980 and 1982.

Time for NASCAR to join the 21st century.

 

Bigfuzzydoug - 2013-02-22 9:03 AM

They just haven't been given an opportunity.  The culture of NASCAR keeps them out.  Same thing with African-American NFL coaches several years ago.

Bigfuzzydoug - 2013-02-22 8:03 AM

Old, chauvinist, NASCAR fans simply need to accept the fact that women can and will race, will win the pole and will win races.  The team set up the car perfectly and she drove it to the fastest qualifying time.  I live in "Race City" USA where many of the teams are headquartered and the town is buzzing about it.  Some people syaing she's a marketing gimmick - more GoDaddy ads than actual racing skill.  Sort of like Anna Kournikova.  But the fact of the matter is, she won the pole.  So deal with it.

The culture of NASCAR needs to open up and give opportunities to different races/creeds/gender/etc. of drivers.  It would widen the popularity.  Take a look at this web page:  http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/drivers.html

What looks odd about it?  Out of 59 drivers you have 1 woman, 2 Hispanics and FIFTY-SIX white males!  95%!  Just the fact that Danica is in the field is a breakthrough.  You can't tell me that there isn't a single African-American, Asian-American, other woman, etc. that not can not only compete in that field, but win.  Statistically impossible.  They just haven't been given an opportunity.  The culture of NASCAR keeps them out.  Same thing with African-American NFL coaches several years ago.

Compare to another "purely American" form of racing (something not like Formula 1); NHRA Drag Racing:  http://www.nhra.com/drivers/default.aspx  Out of 32 drivers you have a Muslim from Dubai, 2 African-Americans (one who is quite successful who won last year's World Championships), and not one, or two, or three, but FOUR FEMALE drivers!  (Courtney Force isn't on the page, but she does drive.)  Shirley Muldowney was winning the World Championships in top-fuel back in '77, and then went on to do it again in 1980 and 1982.

Time for NASCAR to join the 21st century.

 

Bigfuzzydoug - 2013-02-22 9:03 AM

Sort of like Anna Kournikova.   

bradleyd3 - 2013-02-22 9:19 AM

I've re-read this several times trying to find the overt or inconspicuous inuenndo(s).....but I cannot find it.

Sous - 2013-02-22 9:16 AM

So what do you suggest?  An affirmative action rule for NASCAR? or a Rooney rule of sorts? Maybe, just maybe these "minorities" exist simply because that is the nature of the collective interest group.  I think that in our politically correct at all costs world we sometime overlook the potential that something may appear discriminatory simply because it is overwhelmingly popular with a certain race/sex/religion/etc.

NASCAR, for example, is massively dominated by sponsors.  These sponsors do so for one reason only... to make money.  I'd hazard a guess that if there was an underrepresented {fill in the blank} driver that was good enough they would want to highlight them as much as possible.  This would help them attract and market to a whole new demographic with the potential to make more money; which of course is the ultimate goal.

Bigfuzzydoug - 2013-02-22 9:03 AM

Old, chauvinist, NASCAR fans simply need to accept the fact that women can and will race, will win the pole and will win races.  The team set up the car perfectly and she drove it to the fastest qualifying time.  I live in "Race City" USA where many of the teams are headquartered and the town is buzzing about it.  Some people syaing she's a marketing gimmick - more GoDaddy ads than actual racing skill.  Sort of like Anna Kournikova.  But the fact of the matter is, she won the pole.  So deal with it.

The culture of NASCAR needs to open up and give opportunities to different races/creeds/gender/etc. of drivers.  It would widen the popularity.  Take a look at this web page:  http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/drivers.html

What looks odd about it?  Out of 59 drivers you have 1 woman, 2 Hispanics and FIFTY-SIX white males!  95%!  Just the fact that Danica is in the field is a breakthrough.  You can't tell me that there isn't a single African-American, Asian-American, other woman, etc. that not can not only compete in that field, but win.  Statistically impossible.  They just haven't been given an opportunity.  The culture of NASCAR keeps them out.  Same thing with African-American NFL coaches several years ago.

Compare to another "purely American" form of racing (something not like Formula 1); NHRA Drag Racing:  http://www.nhra.com/drivers/default.aspx  Out of 32 drivers you have a Muslim from Dubai, 2 African-Americans (one who is quite successful who won last year's World Championships), and not one, or two, or three, but FOUR FEMALE drivers!  (Courtney Force isn't on the page, but she does drive.)  Shirley Muldowney was winning the World Championships in top-fuel back in '77, and then went on to do it again in 1980 and 1982.

Time for NASCAR to join the 21st century.

 

Bigfuzzydoug - 2013-02-22 8:31 AM

Better?

Bigfuzzydoug - 2013-02-22 9:36 AM

... It all depends on IF they want to move away from the "redneck, good old boy, southerner, white" stereotype and image that it has.  We all know the roots of the sport.  I guess the big question is wether they want to maintain that as much as possible, or evolve.

Bigfuzzydoug - 2013-02-22 9:36 AM

NASCAR has a problem, a big problem.  The audience is flat (or even shrinking) because of the time investment it takes to watch a race.  Ridiculously long compared to other sports.  The drop in world economy has also hurt as people have less disposable income.  As a business they need to attract an audience starting at a younger age (NFL Rush Zone is BRILLIANT!) and they need to broaden that base.  Women, non-Americans, etc.  Start to get a more international audience to attract newer sponsors and sources of revenue.

... It all depends on IF they want to move away from the "redneck, good old boy, southerner, white" stereotype and image that it has.  We all know the roots of the sport.  I guess the big question is wether they want to maintain that as much as possible, or evolve.

... Just thinking.

 

Bigfuzzydoug - 2013-02-22 7:03 AM

Old, chauvinist, NASCAR fans simply need to accept the fact that women can and will race, will win the pole and will win races.  The team set up the car perfectly and she drove it to the fastest qualifying time.  I live in "Race City" USA where many of the teams are headquartered and the town is buzzing about it.  Some people syaing she's a marketing gimmick - more GoDaddy ads than actual racing skill.  Sort of like Anna Kournikova.  But the fact of the matter is, she won the pole.  So deal with it.

The culture of NASCAR needs to open up and give opportunities to different races/creeds/gender/etc. of drivers.  It would widen the popularity.  Take a look at this web page:  http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/drivers.html

What looks odd about it?  Out of 59 drivers you have 1 woman, 2 Hispanics and FIFTY-SIX white males!  95%!  Just the fact that Danica is in the field is a breakthrough.  You can't tell me that there isn't a single African-American, Asian-American, other woman, etc. that not can not only compete in that field, but win.  Statistically impossible.  They just haven't been given an opportunity.  The culture of NASCAR keeps them out.  Same thing with African-American NFL coaches several years ago.

Compare to another "purely American" form of racing (something not like Formula 1); NHRA Drag Racing:  http://www.nhra.com/drivers/default.aspx  Out of 32 drivers you have a Muslim from Dubai, 2 African-Americans (one who is quite successful who won last year's World Championships), and not one, or two, or three, but FOUR FEMALE drivers!  (Courtney Force isn't on the page, but she does drive.)  Shirley Muldowney was winning the World Championships in top-fuel back in '77, and then went on to do it again in 1980 and 1982.

Time for NASCAR to join the 21st century.