Not to Danica-Bash..but..

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Zeke

12 YO boy? I guess you haven't paid attention to things like the Sports Illustrated swim suit edition. No, she's not my cup of tea, but at one time, maybe.

And what do you expect from PR folks? At one time Franchitti's name could have been inserted in that PR. Or at one time it would have mentioned where in the order Jeff Gordon was starting. It's all in the hype. Don't we expect that?

I admit I haven't seen the SI swimsuit edition you are referring to.
Did they airbrush in some hips and boobs and curves so she would look like a woman?

[tharbert]

Ever heard "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game"? The whole point of professional racing has little to do with drivers much like the NBA has little to do with the score. It really is about, as Sammy put it, "...a whole bunch of mush-headed fans who can be manipulated and brainwashed with a stupid TV commercial." It's about the money. Yeah, there's great incentive to put on a good show but, as a group, the sponsors don't care who wins. They care about the money flowing back to them because of their sponsorship. And let's face it, sponsorship fuels the whole thing. $1.4 for 1st at the Daytona 500 wouldn't keep the winning team in engines for a year.

Danica has commercial power, much more than most all the other drivers together. She has a certain appeal just like the train wreck that was Brittany Spears. To Danica credit she's kept her legs together and car and career on track...mostly. If it really were about racing, she wouldn't stand a chance. But, she brings to the table a modest racing skill set and the commercial appeal that will keep her in the sport. Once done with driving, she'll be some major network's sports/race co-anchor. I think she's here for the long haul. I, for one, like the oddity of someone who looks equally great in a G suit and a G string.

[romad]

To Danica credit she's kept her legs together and car and career on track...mostly

[tharbert]

Originally Posted by romad

Exactly! People would love to see more but you won't find it. You won't see a sex tape either. She's done a great job managing the brand with just enough spice to make you look...and not find anything. What's that have to do with racing. Absolutley everything if you're her sponsor.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by tharbert

Exactly! People would love to see more but you won't find it. You won't see a sex tape either. She's done a great job managing the brand with just enough spice to make you look...and not find anything. What's that have to do with racing. Absolutley everything if you're her sponsor.

simply nothing to see here...move along.

[homer944]

Is she out already???

[Tervuren]

[QUOTE=intakexhaust;6584482]

Originally Posted by lonewolf

Pro's today do have talent but mostly are buy-in and it’s more about the image plus how much sponsor money they can bring to the team. Not the other way around such as driver talent first and then the money package. That’s the problem and the balance has unfortunately changed.
On the contrary, I’m guilty too and don't have an issue with those 'couch potato' racers who bash drivers. Pro level racers are expected to have the highest skills. Unfortunately many are not. Most are wonderful and humble people but are over their head in the big leagues.

At the CUP level, anyone with a full season ride is a darn good driver, and it took money from somewhere for ALL of them to get there.

There are CUP driver's that keep coming out and checking out my local kart track for the first time, I always keep tabs on how well they do. You'd be surprised. Pretty much anyone that comes from another form of racing, if they get a ride in NASCAR, also ends up there when they are in Charlotte. This includes Kimi Riakkonen. Ryan Truex was there the week before Kimi, I have local track advantage, Ryan Truex was able to almost keep my pace, Kimi....1.8 second a lap slower.

Danica was schedules to come out and race with us when she first got her nationwide ride with Jr Motorsports, she chickened out at the last minute, so I have no relevant first hand info to how adaptive she is when not able to have sponsors buy the best equipment.

[VaSteve]

I read an article in the paper...."a lot of zipper sounds but not a lot of skin....". Seems true.

[intakexhaust]

There's been a few other women through the years in open wheel pro level racing but none exploited as a sex symbol and if had, it was never intentional. I've met Janet Guthrie and she's an interesting, intelligent person. Talk about a breakthrough and what she had to do get in with the boys and it was not about sponsors and money. D. Patrick no doubt is serious about her racing but the sex exploitation is her priority. Its all about the bottom line with agent management. The leagues flat out have bought her gig and she's rich because of it and not rich from winnings.

I gave my opinion, won't say much more about it but I know many behind the Indy car scene that are hoping the Patrick fanism is long gone. Yes, there were differences of what happened between IRL and CART with Penske or Forsythe but neither would ever go for this Danica Patrick crap.

No further commentary.

[CMDR Perry]

She can drive a "stock" car fast, so what. Can she do this with a cell phone held up to her left ear like all the other women in this country? To me she has zero sex appeal. However she and her agent are very smart to exploit the Nascar marketing universe while they can. In the press they have called her a former Indycar Star? Did I miss something, did she actually win the Indy 500 or the IRL series Championship? Look at her record on road courses in IRL, it is quite bleak.

There is no big money in IRL so she went where the cash is ala Jerry McGuire. In my opinion she does not have F1 level ability or international sex appeal. Now if she looked like one of Flavio's old supermodel girlfriends and could drive very fast I might become a fan. With apologies to the BB writers I am sick of hearing about her everyday of the week; Danica, Danica, Danica.

This is a good example of what is wrong in our short attention span / electronic linked society. It is no longer about results it is all about the social buzz you can generate on TV and on the web. DP

[widebody911]

[dennis in se pa]

I think she is cute. I hope she does not get hurt.

[widebody911]

Take away the fame (and fortune) and most guys would walk right past that at the bar.

[dennis in se pa]

Originally Posted by widebody911

Take away the fame (and fortune) and most guys would walk right past that at the bar.

Not me. I would require a breast implant (I think - I have not actually seen them) though. But the status/prestige/fame/fortune focus never was a part of me.

[motion]

She did very well in Formula Atlantic, which is extremely competitive. I'm sure she could out-drive blindfolded. I would say she 'was' a very good driver, before things went to her head. At this point, she knows she doesn't really have to deliver to still be a great marketing vehicle.

[A930Rocket]

Maybe it's me, but she would stop me in my tracks to talk to her.

I'd hit it like a screen door banging in a wind storm.

Originally Posted by widebody911

Take away the fame (and fortune) and most guys would walk right past that at the bar.

[T77911S]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

Maybe it's me, but she would stop me in my tracks to talk to her.

I'd hit it like a screen door banging in a wind storm.

so would the rest of the guys here, even though they say not.

i think she is a spoiled brat that thinks she does no wrong, but she is a hot piece.
i think godaddy has had more to do with her showing it off than she has, and who can blame them, sex sells.

[romad]

Take away the fame (and fortune) and most guys would walk right past that at the bar.

I think you guys are on drugs.......".most guys" that's friggin funny. I can only imagine what a bunch of mutts you are.......Bro you probably couldn't get your pants off in time to hit that.

[VINMAN]

I aint about to walk past this in a bar..... when that happens, I go get a job flying for FedEx..

[URY914]

No funbags will make me keep walking.