Danica in the 500

[javadog]

Her last race, any chance of an orchestrated, miraculous win? Or will she fade away into obscurity, with a back of the pack non-finish. I think she starts 28th.

Not that I really care about either her career or NASCAR in general, but you have to wonder how far they'd go to help her if she was in the running near the end.

Place your bets...

[JackDidley]

If she stays out of trouble, she will come in 16th. No help from NASCAR. With 40 cars on the track it would be pretty hard to dictate where anyone will finish. I will predict, only 20 cars will be crossing the finish line at the end.

[stevej37]

[widgeon13]

Originally Posted by JackDidley

If she stays out of trouble, she will come in 16th. No help from NASCAR. With 40 cars on the track it would be pretty hard to dictate where anyone will finish. I will predict, only 20 cars will be crossing the finish line at the end.

My thoughts exactly.

[Steve Carlton]

I'll be happy to put 500 miles on her.

[ted]

Does
Anyone
Notice
I
Crash
A lot?

[legion]

She's being shown the door to racing...no way anyone is going to help her on the way out. This is not a graceful retirement for a living legend.

Let me start by saying that Danica has more real talent than most of the armchair racers on this BBS. But being dominant in lower forms of competition (be it racing, football, or just about any sport) doesn't guarantee dominance at the top levels. How many times has "the next big thing" in basketball, football, hockey, or racing just flamed out? It happens fairly often. I had really hoped that Danica's career would amount to more than mediocre results.

What Danica had going for her and why she was able to have a 15 year career in racing despite mediocre results is that she is a genius in marketing and self-promotion. She basically had the market cornered on aspiring female racers. Any guy with her results would have lasted 2-3 seasons, tops. And now that she is "retiring" (can't find a team), I think she'll end up doing just fine as a paid spokesperson for a variety of products. I wouldn't be surprised to see her pop up in sports cars either.

[rattlsnak]

Originally Posted by javadog

Her last race, any chance of an orchestrated, miraculous win? Or will she fade away into obscurity, with a back of the pack non-finish. I think she starts 28th.

.

I vote for obscurity.. I had no clue she was still driving. I thought she had "retired" a few years ago. Haven't even heard her name in the last few years...

[JackDidley]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

My thoughts exactly.

For the record, I would not mind if she won today. I do not see it happening but I think it would be a cool ending for her.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by legion

She's being shown the door to racing...no way anyone is going to help her on the way out. This is not a graceful retirement for a living legend.

Let me start by saying that Danica has more real talent than most of the armchair racers on this BBS. But being dominant in lower forms of competition (be it racing, football, or just about any sport) doesn't guarantee dominance at the top levels. How many times has "the next big thing" in basketball, football, hockey, or racing just flamed out? It happens fairly often. I had really hoped that Danica's career would amount to more than mediocre results.

What Danica had going for her and why she was able to have a 15 year career in racing despite mediocre results is that she is a genius in marketing and self-promotion. She basically had the market cornered on aspiring female racers. Any guy with her results would have lasted 2-3 seasons, tops. And now that she is "retiring" (can't find a team), I think she'll end up doing just fine as a paid spokesperson for a variety of products. I wouldn't be surprised to see her pop up in sports cars either.

Great post Legion.

Like I've always said about her on here, She's sitting behind the wheel of a race care at the biggest racing events in the world. We are sitting in front of a computer screen in our houses...

I have no dislike for her. Would like to see her do well in her last race.

.

[AFC-911]

I'd like to see her end up in sports cars.

[ted]

I'd rather see the best driver not the best driver at Marketing win.

Racing is so jaded today.
You marketing guys congratulate her on exploiting herself and her racing for marketing.
Results should mean more than marketing in racing.

Sadly racing today is not the best drivers competing.
Too much of pro racing is either driver's with the deepest pockets or the best at marketing.
Teams gotta pay bills so its show us your Deep pockets or marketing skills, then we will consider driving skill.

As if your marketing skills should be included with race results.
For example Xyz driver finished 19th but she can market her sponsor like a top 10 driver.
I think even Danica would take that as a back handed compliment.

I'm not going to miss Danica's gift of selling lady products during Nascar races. lol

[astrochex]

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

I vote for obscurity.. I had no clue she was still driving. I thought she had "retired" a few years ago. Haven't even heard her name in the last few years...

She is going to be driving for ECR at the Indy 500. You will hear her name a lot more.

[Jeff Higgins]

The best race car driver in the world is out pulling nets on the North Sea, or bagging groceries at your local Safeway.

Racing is quite unlike any other sport, in that even at a low level it takes more money than most have to spend. It's not like the "stick and ball" sports where we have achieved near saturation of opportunity from grade school on up, and the talent gets recognized.

As such, Danica merely represents what racing has always been all about - access through money. She brings it in. No talent required, at least not on the racetrack. I'll have to disagree with legion - I would bet an awful lot of the "armchair racers" on this forum would out driver her, given the same opportunities.

[Crowbob]

Originally Posted by AFC-911

I'd like to see her end up in sports cars.

Only a bad, bad man could believe this.

Well played.

[javadog]

I'm going to bet she's a DNF, from a crash.

[astrochex]

Originally Posted by javadog

I'm going to bet she's a DNF, from a crash.

That will apply to many drivers, and in most cases as collateral damage, in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by astrochex

That will apply to many drivers, and in most cases as collateral damage, in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Yeah, but the further back you are, the more likely you'll end up in a wreck...

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by ted

I'd rather see the best driver not the best driver at Marketing win.

Racing is so jaded today.
You marketing guys congratulate her on exploiting herself and her racing for marketing.
Results should mean more than marketing in racing.

Sadly racing today is not the best drivers competing.
Too much of pro racing is either driver's with the deepest pockets or the best at marketing.
Teams gotta pay bills so its show us your Deep pockets or marketing skills, then we will consider driving skill.

As if your marketing skills should be included with race results.
For example Xyz driver finished 19th but she can market her sponsor like a top 10 driver.
I think even Danica would take that as a back handed compliment.

I'm not going to miss Danica's gift of selling lady products during Nascar races. lol

Professional top level racing has always been this way, ever since money became part of the equation

Without it racing teams wouldn't survive as there would be no sponsors

Not a Dancia fan but she deserves a good result, not because she is fastest but because she out lasted a lot of good ole boys in essentially a mans world

Wish there were more women involved in top level racing

[pwd72s]

If I had to bet, I'd bet a Penske car will win. Never bet against Penske.

Danica? some truth in all the opinions above.