Danica to NASCAR

[Ron61]

What about the monster carburetor that was on the Chevette? It was so small you couldn't drop a bolt into it.

Ron

[Ron61]

Well Danica got her first real test yesterday and she didn't do bad, but as I have argued all along, it is going to take time and racing at Daytona is not an example of how well any new driver will do. The fact that she finished four laps down didn't bother me. I watched how she handled the situation and a couple of times she got a little panicky. Car wasn't handling and she couldn't drive it is not good feedback to the crew chief. But by the time the race ended she was dong a lot better and had moved up several positions from her lowest. I believe she is going to race next weekend and then be off for about 6 months.

Ron

[Don]

Danica was credited with completing 149 laps and finishing 31st, 3 laps down, ahead of 7 other drivers still running at the end and 5 others that were out of the race. I do not recall the drivers names, but the commentators mentioned she finished better at Fontana than other drivers making the transition from open wheel. The primary objectives of completing all laps, not causing a wreck and gaining seat time was met, in the 1st high speed non-restrictor plate race which is the majority of the future races. Competitive, not even close, but a worthwhile start.

Again, if Danica's presence helps to retain and attracts sponsors, improve track attendance & TV viewing, then the other drivers, Tracks and Teams will benefit. It's still a business requiring funding , even the President/Owner of Fontana thanked her.

" Patrick suffered a pair of pit road speeding penalties and lost one of her three laps on a pass-through penalty. "

" She was rudely introduced to the vagaries of NASCAR's pit-road speeding system, twice getting ticketed by the radar gun and once having to serve a pass-through penalty that cost her a lap. "Where the hell was I speeding?" she demanded once over the radio, sounding in that instant like a NASCAR veteran "

There were a total of 10 speeding violations

Above, experienced drivers have suffered the same fate, part of the learning curve, a little different than having the Indy car button which limits pit speeds. On the pit stops, don't think she missed her spot and didn't slide by requiring backing up

Some other news quotes:

" She wanted to run with other cars, but not hold up anyone on the lead lap. She had her radio cut in and out."

" This was an enterprise where the victories were small ones -- Eury telling her "good corner," a speed at one point that matched what those in the top 15 were running, an improvement of a few positions after the car rounded into shape."

No doubt the 31st place finish met with Danica having a less than favorable press interview, rock star status to reality of NASCAR racing, after the race at her trailer, but the same attitude has been present with other Cup drivers, or is it the competitive spirit of desiring better finishes ? Las Vegas next week is thought of as a less challenging track than Fontana, experience gained should help.

Taking 4 months off and then going to the 1 mile flat track at New Hampshire in June, not the best situation. Testing/practice is allowed at tracks not having a NASCAR race, one of these being Pickens County Speedway in Greenville SC, which has been used by other Teams, wonder whether Danica & Eury will have these sessions ?

" After Vegas, Patrick will then take a four-month hiatus to focus on her Izod IndyCar Series responsibilities before returning to drive the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevy in the June 26 race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The remainder of her Nationwide schedule: Chicagoland Speedway (July 9), Michigan International Speedway (Aug. 14), Dover International Speedway (Sept. 25), Auto Club Speedway (Oct. 9), Charlotte Motor Speedway (Oct. 15), Gateway International Raceway (Oct. 23), Texas Motor Speedway (Nov. 6), Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 13), and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 20). "

[Ron61]

Don,

No doubt the 31st place finish met with Danica having a less than favorable press interview, rock star status to reality of NASCAR racing, after the race at her trailer, but the same attitude has been present with other Cup drivers, or is it the competitive spirit of desiring better finishes.

I was hoping that she would do better but no other driver who finishes 31st even gets mentioned, let alone interviewed. As for the speeding tickets, they carried right over into the Cup race yesterday. I am wondering if NASCAR should check their speed loops at the end of pit lane as nearly every ticket the whole weekend was on exit.

EDIT: Just saw this and it seems she may not be learning as fast as she thought she would. Surely she has more sense than to think that after two races she is going to be among the top drivers.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?...yhoo&type=lgns


Ron

[Don]

Excerpt from a news update regarding JR Motorsports that included comments from Danica

Motorsport.com

Danica Patrick
No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet

" Explain a little bit more about the No. 7 team's goals over the past three races. "Last week's performance really wasn't what we had hoped for. I'm a competitor and I'm used to running up front. That's why a 31st-place finish didn't sit well with me. But we're being realistic about this too. We're not going to come out of the gates and immediately start winning races and running in the top-10 with our Go Daddy car. I know at some point we'll get there. Now, we just need to do what we can, and that's to gain seat time and learn more each week. With that in mind, we're still on pace with our goals."

How are you going to approach another new track like Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend? "It's no secret Vegas is going to be another challenge for me. It's a completely different track from Daytona and California. So I'll spend time learning the lines in practice again. I know it's a fast track and our Go Daddy car will need to handle well. I've got all the confidence in [crew chief] Tony [Eury] Jr. to set these cars up right. He's a veteran of setups, and knows what it takes to get around all these tracks. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have in my corner than him."

This is your last race before returning to IndyCar for four months, how are you prepared to handle that transition? "I've got a busy week with the IndyCar test and then the NASCAR race this weekend. We've put a lot of effort into these first three stock-car races, but my ultimate goal is still to win the Indy 500 and the IndyCar championship, that's the primary focus. It doesn't mean I'll lose touch with my team at JR Motorsports while I'm back in the IndyCar Series. I'll still stay in contact with Tony Jr. and keep up with the guys as they get things prepared for my return in June. And I'll be cheering on my JRM teammate Kelly Bires over the next few months."

[Ron61]

Another first for Danica. She will be the first car on the track at Las Vegas for qualifying.

With her rather lengthy lay off from NASCAR coming up, I wonder how it will affect her driving when she returns. Also wonder if the NASCAR stint may affect her for the first race or so back in the open wheel ranks.

Ron

[Snakebit]

Welcom to NASCAR the upscale version of demolition derby combined with "Days of Our Lives" soap opera. Why these F1 drivers lower themselves to this bull**** they call racing is beyond me. If you want to see what happens from inbreeding, just watch the idiots that host the pre race show! Rubbin is racin, that is why there is a wreck every third lap. I don't see how people can watch this crap! Driver training "Just get it in 4th gear Billy Bob and remember to keep turnin left!"