# Danica-mania Run Amuck



## Keith48 (May 28, 2012)

New blog post up! Tell me what you think about it.

http://racefanonline.com/2012/05/28/danica-mania-run-amuck/


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## Miguel Cervantes (May 28, 2012)

Keith48 said:


> New blog post up! Tell me what you think about it.
> 
> http://racefanonline.com/2012/05/28/danica-mania-run-amuck/



Well said, and very accurate. While I was attempting to keep my attention on the doldrums of that long boring race something dawned on me. I asked myself is there really is a place for women in NASCAR. The answer I gave myself was; Of course there is, just like the LPGA, there should be a LNASCAR, where all women drivers get out there are bend fenders with each other. This I would watch with enthusiasm, like I'm sure others would as well. But mixing them into a field of men, thus far at least, hasn't proven to be worth what it has been built up to be.


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## NE GA Pappy (May 28, 2012)

makes me glad I quit watching NASCAR 4 years ago. 

It is no longer manufacturer vs. manufacturer nor driver vs. driver.  It has become multi-car team vs. multi-car team and the fans have lost out big time.

When you can't tell if the car is suppose to be a Chevy, Ford or Toyota from the body style, it is time to hang it up.


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## KyDawg (May 28, 2012)

Does anyone else notice that everytime she hits the wall, that the commentators immediately rush to tell us that it was not her fault. They usualy do this before they even know why she wrecked. I know I am sick of it.


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## riprap (May 28, 2012)

She should be on next years hall of fame ballot. I loved how they were showing her get out of the way driving style.


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## KyDawg (May 28, 2012)

riprap said:


> She should be on next years hall of fame ballot. I loved how they were showing her get out of the way driving style.



Jabe Thomas invented that style 40 years ago


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## BornToHuntAndFish (May 28, 2012)

That was fair reasonable comments in the blog. 

So far it appears Nascar & Fox are using Danica too much as a marketing & sales distraction instead of letting her racing performance do the talking for her.  Slow start for her so far this year except for her 4th place finish in a Nationwide race. 

I did not realize that she finished so low in the Charlotte 600 race qualifying until I read about it at the web link below:  



http://www.nascar.com/news/120525/dpatrick-charlotte-on-indy-weekend/index.html 

"Patrick's car was *43rd fastest in 600 qualifying* Thursday night, meaning *she wouldn't have made the field* had her No. 10 not been locked in."


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## Dudley Do-Wrong (May 29, 2012)

BornToHuntAndFish said:


> So far it appears Nascar & Fox are using Danica too much as a marketing & sales distraction instead of letting her racing performance do the talking for her.



I believe this is what it is all about.  Event attendance has dropped in recent years and I believe NASCAR is trying to expand their fan base, trying to draw in more women (as fans). 

There will soon be a push to promote other minorities in the sport which is fine if they can drive.


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## kracker (May 29, 2012)

David Mills said:


> I believe this is what it is all about.  Event attendance has dropped in recent years and I believe NASCAR is trying to expand their fan base, trying to draw in more women (as fans).
> 
> There will soon be a push to promote other minorities in the sport which is fine if they can drive.


Already started. If the kid can drive, fine. He'll make more money than Dale Jr. We just don't need an AA driver for Nascar to make excuses for.

http://joegibbsracing.com/2011/01/18/darrell-wallace/


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## specialk (May 29, 2012)

the very last paragraph sums it up nicely.......my thoughts exactly........give her 5 years and compare it to ''johnny montana'', a proven winner in the pointy-noise car........


_If you asked Danica, I doubt that she would want to be treated differently any other driver in NASCAR. Let her performance be what she is judged by. She will learn. She will get better. Will she be a top-tier driver in NASCAR one day? Based on her career in Indy Car and what we’ve seen so far in NASCAR, I doubt it. But I am not against her. Neither are most other fans. What we don’t like – or have ever liked for that matter – is to have something forced down our throats._


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## Miguel Cervantes (May 29, 2012)

David Mills said:


> I believe this is what it is all about.  Event attendance has dropped in recent years and I believe NASCAR is trying to expand their fan base, trying to draw in more women (as fans).
> 
> There will soon be a push to promote other minorities in the sport which is fine if they can drive.



Can't be it, because most women I know that tolerate NASCAR cannot, let me re-iterate, CANNOT stand Danica Patrick.

Most women watch NASCAR for (in their words) the wrecks and the hot drivers. (the same reason Jeff Gordon is there) And a woman driver that can't drive is no draw on a female audience what-so-ever.


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## pstrahin (May 29, 2012)

I think the commentators have the "she can do no wrong" attitude because she is the only woman in NASCAR and they are trying to boost the popularity of women in NASCAR.  And, because they are men and she is a young and easy on the eyes.


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## Miguel Cervantes (May 29, 2012)

pstrahin said:


> I think the commentators have the "she can do no wrong" attitude because she is the only woman in NASCAR and they are trying to boost the popularity of women in NASCAR.  And, because they are men and she is a young and easy on the eyes.



There are plenty of others, just in lower series of NASCAR, and like Danica, have been driving since before they could walk (supposedly) and also like Danica, can't drive.


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## bfriendly (May 29, 2012)

She is just about the Only thing I like about Nascar...............And I LOVE Her



Dont ask me why, but everytime I see her, I smile


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## riprap (May 29, 2012)

KyDawg said:


> Jabe Thomas invented that style 40 years ago



How about Jimmy "smut" Means. You could always count on him in the back and in a wreck.


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## irishleprechaun (May 29, 2012)

Back before all the political correctness most of the local tracks had a ladies race..typically called it the powderpuff race or something like that.

But NASCAR has become so big that it is just like corporate america...political correctness to the point of becoming boring vanilla.  

At least the local tracks still have the feeling of how racing use to be...


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## KyDawg (May 29, 2012)

riprap said:


> How about Jimmy "smut" Means. You could always count on him in the back and in a wreck.



I guess the characters we had back then is what I miss most in today's NASCAR, most of them never won a race, paid most of their own exspenses and never made much money but did it becaused they loved it. like Neil "Soapy" Castles.


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## riprap (May 29, 2012)

KyDawg said:


> I guess the characters we had back then is what I miss most in today's NASCAR, most of them never won a race, paid most of their own exspenses and never made much money but did it becaused they loved it. like Neil "Soapy" Castles.



Sad to see guys today like Joe Nemechek or Needacheck. Just qualifies and races one lap to get his last place money. No fuel or tires or quality pit crew to pay for.


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## Miguel Cervantes (May 29, 2012)

KyDawg said:


> I guess the characters we had back then is what I miss most in today's NASCAR, most of them never won a race, paid most of their own exspenses and never made much money but did it becaused they loved it. like Neil "Soapy" Castles.



We had Tammy Jo Kirk driving the pink Loveable Bra car. Whenever she was in a race there wasn't a car on the track that didn't have pink paint on it in the end, and finally at one race our driver made it a point to tell the NASCAR officials about it too!!!


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## KyDawg (May 29, 2012)

QUOTE=Miguel Cervantes;6951682]We had Tammy Jo Kirk driving the pink Loveable Bra car. Whenever she was in a race there wasn't a car on the track that didn't have pink paint on it in the end, and finally at one race our driver made it a point to tell the NASCAR officials about it too!!! [/QUOTE]


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## tcward (May 29, 2012)

As I have said before she is nothing but a gimmick-to make money! She will NEVER win a race on the cup level.


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## KyDawg (May 29, 2012)

I dont think she will either, but I have seen alot of stange and unlikely finishes through the years in this sport.


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## Miguel Cervantes (May 29, 2012)

KyDawg said:


> I dont think she will either, but I have seen alot of stange and unlikely finishes through the years in this sport.



No kidding. I actually watched Kyle Petty win a race!!!


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## riprap (May 29, 2012)

KyDawg said:


> I dont think she will either, but I have seen alot of stange and unlikely finishes through the years in this sport.



Surely you don't mean rigged. If she's close...


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## KyDawg (May 29, 2012)

Now Rip you know that the WWE,, uh I mean Nascar would ever rig anything.  Have you ever noticed that 90% of the mysterious "debris cautions" come out during commercial breakds.


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## riprap (May 29, 2012)

KyDawg said:


> Now Rip you know that the WWE,, uh I mean Nascar would ever rig anything.  Have you ever noticed that 90% of the mysterious "debris cautions" come out during commercial breakds.



I also notice all the commercials are during the green flag. They show all the pit stops and the action packed caution laps so we can see Jeff hammonds awesome tan in the hollywood hotel.


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## KyDawg (May 29, 2012)

riprap said:


> I also notice all the commercials are during the green flag. They show all the pit stops and the action packed caution laps so we can see Jeff hammonds awesome tan in the hollywood hotel.



The sport has past us by Rip. But I do have the memories, such as Richard Brickhouse winning the first Talledega race in 1969. I believe.


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## irishleprechaun (May 29, 2012)

My wife's late cousin was who got me involved in racing back in the late 80's.  He would talk about when he raced against sam ard and tiny lund in the original grand national circuit in the early-mid 70's.

It was amazing what they would do back then...he said one of his secrets was to take off the flywheel, cut the ring gear off around the edge.  cut the flywheel in half, then mill each side from the inside.  Basically what you would have is a hollowed out flywheel and couldn't tell it with the ring gear back on.  He said guys would just mill it and then get caught when the put the micrometer on it as it would show thin.  His would be normal thickness but hollowed out.  He said that was good for about 1/2 pound off the crank.  Just enough to get about a car length coming off the corner....

He was a big ford guy but he said during his time it was tough to keep a ford competitive because they would break a lot of valves.  So he took chevy valves and did some machining and ran them in his ford motors.  Never broke valves and they never caught him.  Since he was one of the few competitive Ford's, he would get "come money"....the track owners knew that a good ford/chevy battle would fill the seats, so owners would pay him to run at their track.

Oh, the stories I could tell.....


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## KyDawg (May 29, 2012)

irishleprechaun said:


> My wife's late cousin was who got me involved in racing back in the late 80's.  He would talk about when he raced against sam ard and tiny lund in the original grand national circuit in the early-mid 70's.
> 
> It was amazing what they would do back then...he said one of his secrets was to take off the flywheel, cut the ring gear off around the edge.  cut the flywheel in half, then mill each side from the inside.  Basically what you would have is a hollowed out flywheel and couldn't tell it with the ring gear back on.  He said guys would just mill it and then get caught when the put the micrometer on it as it would show thin.  His would be normal thickness but hollowed out.  He said that was good for about 1/2 pound off the crank.  Just enough to get about a car length coming off the corner....
> 
> ...



Who was he, I probably saw him run.


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## Miguel Cervantes (May 30, 2012)

irishleprechaun said:


> My wife's late cousin was who got me involved in racing back in the late 80's.  He would talk about when he raced against sam ard and tiny lund in the original grand national circuit in the early-mid 70's.
> 
> It was amazing what they would do back then...he said one of his secrets was to take off the flywheel, cut the ring gear off around the edge.  cut the flywheel in half, then mill each side from the inside.  Basically what you would have is a hollowed out flywheel and couldn't tell it with the ring gear back on.  He said guys would just mill it and then get caught when the put the micrometer on it as it would show thin.  His would be normal thickness but hollowed out.  He said that was good for about 1/2 pound off the crank.  Just enough to get about a car length coming off the corner....
> 
> ...



Shhhhh, we don't talk about bb's, mercury, solid steel wheels and the such..



KyDawg said:


> Who was he, I probably saw him run.



I'm curious also.


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## specialk (May 30, 2012)

if u ever get a chance go see the HOF in charlotte....whole wing with parts and stuff from the cheaters.....my fav is the eighty pound lead filled helment...had nothing to do with a car part


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## bfriendly (May 30, 2012)

tcward said:


> As I have said before she is nothing but a gimmick-to make money! She will NEVER win a race on the cup level.



I dont necessarily disagree, but Who Cares

And it must be working too

I'd still rather see Her on the Tube than Dale or Tony or Whoever...........JMHO

I Like her.............ALOT


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## irishleprechaun (May 30, 2012)

His name was Craven Kiker.  If you google his name he shows up in google books in a preview of a book "Rebel Speedway".  It is a book written about the track in sumter, SC.  Many big names ran there back in the day.  Real interesting seeing some of the people that ran there...take a look.

My wifes grandfather "uncle pete" kiker, owned and ran the sumter speedway for many years.  He was also a well know radio personality.


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## pstrahin (May 30, 2012)

irishleprechaun said:


> Back before all the political correctness most of the local tracks had a ladies race..typically called it the powderpuff race or something like that.
> 
> But NASCAR has become so big that it is just like corporate america...political correctness to the point of becoming boring vanilla.
> 
> At least the local tracks still have the feeling of how racing use to be...



I might be telling how old I am, but I remember powder puff basketball.


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## Miguel Cervantes (May 30, 2012)

specialk said:


> if u ever get a chance go see the HOF in charlotte....whole wing with parts and stuff from the cheaters.....my fav is the eighty pound lead filled helment...had nothing to do with a car part



It was for tech and weigh in. Solid steel wheels did the same thing. On the first pit stop you lose a ton of weight on the car.


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## irishleprechaun (May 30, 2012)

there are some links several pages in google...I thought this one was interesting even though he finished 3rd.  Look at some of the names in this 1973 late model sportsman race in Wilson NC.

http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19850


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## Miguel Cervantes (May 30, 2012)

irishleprechaun said:


> there are some links several pages in google...I thought this one was interesting even though he finished 3rd.  Look at some of the names in this 1973 late model sportsman race in Wilson NC.
> 
> http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19850



Junior Johnson was the one that used the steel wheels at weigh in...


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## pstrahin (May 30, 2012)

bfriendly said:


> I dont necessarily disagree, but Who Cares
> 
> And it must be working too
> 
> ...



Could it be because she is easy on the eyes?


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## Miguel Cervantes (May 30, 2012)

pstrahin said:


> Could it be because she is easy on the eyes?



There are better racing women out there to look at, just sayin.


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## pstrahin (May 30, 2012)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> There are better racing women out there to look at, just sayin.



I am not much of a racing enthusiast, but I have heard of a lady Indy driver.


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## Twiggbuster (May 30, 2012)

http://forum.gon.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=669499&stc=1&d=1338384367

I,d give her a provisonal- 
every race!


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## Miguel Cervantes (May 30, 2012)

Twiggbuster said:


> http://forum.gon.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=669499&stc=1&d=1338384367
> 
> I,d give her a provisonal-
> every race!



How do you think she makes the races to begin with?


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## irishleprechaun (May 30, 2012)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> How do you think she makes the races to begin with?



owner points?  


"she is a black haired beauty with big brown eyes, and points all her own sitting way up high....way up firm and high".....


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## Les Miles (May 30, 2012)

Isn't Dutchman a huge Danica fan???


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## Miguel Cervantes (May 30, 2012)

Les Miles said:


> Isn't Dutchman a huge Danica fan???



I thought that was Turtlebug that was the big fan of DP..


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## Les Miles (May 30, 2012)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> I thought that was Turtlebug that was the big fan of DP..


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## Twiggbuster (May 31, 2012)

Miguel, " provisonal" is just a metaphor for....... you know
Get it?


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## Barry Duggan (Jun 1, 2012)

Just another media fabricated star, but I must admit she is fairly easy on the eyes.


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## tv_racin_fan (Jun 1, 2012)

I remember watching Tiny Lund 'rastle a stock car at Road Atlanta. Loved the story from the Silver Fox about Tiny and the pie, I believe it was Martinsville.


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## BornToHuntAndFish (Jun 2, 2012)

Today in Dover's Nationwide race Danica finished 30th & was 67-laps behind.  I did not have access to watch it on TV but maybe anyone who did can offer some details what happened, besides Joey Logano winning & leading over 75% of the laps so his team could be a major contender in tomorrow's Cup race.


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## tcward (Jun 2, 2012)

BornToHuntAndFish said:


> Today in Dover's Nationwide race Danica finished 30th & was 67-laps behind.  I did not have access to watch it on TV but maybe anyone who did can offer some details what happened, besides Joey Logano winning & leading over 75% of the laps so his team could be a major contender in tomorrow's Cup race.



Yeah Patrick was a real factor today.... But she said she learned alot.... what a joke!


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