What's with the (media) fascination and Danica Patrick?

[icedwarrior]

To be fair, it can qualify you for the All-Star Race (I think), where the prize for winning is a million dollars. And you get bonus points for poles, though not much. Achievement-wise, it means nothing, but it's a small bonus in the sport itself.

Fair enough, I stand corrected. I know very little about NASCAR / racing.

[mindbomb]

As stated in the OP, I don't find her to be attractive, and I know many that don't find her to be, either (I've even heard her be referred to as "Manica Patrick"). In regards to T/A, I don't remember her wearing a revealing swimsuit and putting her boobs in your face; sure, she's advertised with GoDaddy, who basically does that, but I remember the other actresses doing so, not her.

Manica Patrick? lol She doesn't fit into MY idea of super sexy but hardly man-like? Guess we'd have to put her in the face analyzer thing for cheek bones, symmetry, etc.

The excitement of...winning a pole? It's about as exciting as posting "FIRST!" in a thread.

It is not "exciting" to me either. But she was first in the pole and that is a fact. Excitement derived from (sports) entertainment for anyone is subjective, I guess. The few guys I know that follow Nascar certainly wouldn't get excited about some WOW content patch like I would. I am pretty sure ESPN/other networks know this topic would spark "watercooler" debates and that's good for them. I am not sure I have ever heard anyone say "Danica is an awesome Nascar Driver"

Not really.

Then I think you may be searching for those that follow Nascar and think Danica is a great driver. Then you can ask them why they think she deserves the attention. Otherwise we are down to asking the networks themselves.

[AceofHarts]

She's the first woman to do so; the previous record for a woman is 9th.



It's the starting position. If you won the pole, as she did, she'll have a couple car lengths advantage when the race starts, iirc.



I don't know much, but that's my limited knowledge. All I'm saying is this: the day of the NBA All-Star game, SportsCenter had 9 minutes of Danica Patrick before they discussed the All-Star game. Really...?

lets face it, all star games are a joke these days anyways.

[King Shark]

Just like Anna Kournikova was all over the media for a time, Danica is an attractive lady who is mildly successful in her given sport, but is more successful in attracting attention outside of said sport. The media plays on that fact, thinking people give a shit; and since the media constantly plays on that fact, it's clear that enough people do. Simply put: sex is selling, nothing more.

[Thallidomaniac]

So, Dale Jr.... how many races did he win in a four year period. ZERO. Why on earth is he the most popular driver? Cuz of his dad? cuz he wears wranglers and throws football with Brett Favre? Cuz he represents a lifestyle? Keep in mind I don't watch or follow racing except what I see on ESPN SC.

Dale Jr. actually won a race last year, at Michigan (?). But yes, he did have a winless drought that lasted for several years.

Manica Patrick? lol She doesn't fit into MY idea of super sexy but hardly man-like? Guess we'd have to put her in the face analyzer thing for cheek bones, symmetry, etc.

Were you looking for this?



(Above is actually James Hinchcliffe, the driver who got Danica's ride in IndyCar after she left to drive in NASCAR full-time.)

[Skarsguard]

She is different that is the only reason why people even notice her if she wasn't a female she wouldn't even be a driving. I could argue the same thing about Juan Pablo Montoya he get's a lot of press because he is Hispanic not saying it's bad or anything like that I'm just saying they are different then the norm which is usually a bunch of white dudes making left turns.

[Pendulous]

She is different that is the only reason why people even notice her if she wasn't a female she wouldn't even be a driving. I could argue the same thing about Juan Pablo Montoya he get's a lot of press because he is Hispanic not saying it's bad or anything like that I'm just saying they are different then the norm which is usually a bunch of white dudes making left turns.

Montoya's accolades are pretty impressive outside of NASCAR though, so you can't really compare the two.

[Rennadrel]

It's unfortunate that she has had such a tough time in NASCAR, cause really, is driving in a circle hard? I don't even think it's the series itself, I believe that there are probably more then a few drivers in NASCAR who don't want to see a woman win in their sport, so they intentionally try to knock her out of races. I mean, if you look at her race record in NASCAR, she has not won a race and has only had a few pole position appearances, but on multiple occasions other drivers have wrecked her car. Whether it's conspiracy or not, it wouldn't surprise me if there are drivers out there intentionally trying to remove her from races just because she is a woman. When you look at the incident last year at Phoenix where there was a wreck on the second last lap and the officials didn't call out a caution when she was leading but her car was losing oil, it makes you wonder if there still isn't a gender bias in the sport. But then again, I think there is more then just a gender bias in NASCAR, you don't see people of other nationalities racing in NASCAR.

[Pendulous]

But then again, I think there is more then just a gender bias in NASCAR, you don't see people of other nationalities racing in NASCAR.

Marcos Ambrose and Juan Pablo Montoya, off the top of my head.

[Skarsguard]

Montoya's accolades are pretty impressive outside of NASCAR though, so you can't really compare the two.

Yeah he did really well but there has been a lot of people come from other driving sports and did good just like he did but because he isn't the "Norm" he got quite a bit of press and sponsors. Dale Jr is another driver that gets a lot of sponsors even thou he doesn't perform well but because of his last name he is one of the highest if not highest sponsored driver in nascar even thou he doesn't win.

[Jibjabb]

They make a big deal about women in who place well in Poker Tournaments too. Like it somewhat matters that they are woman. I think its just the media and public sensationalizing when people are different in appearance, when if you really think about it they are no different than anyone else.

Barack Obama
Jeremy Lin
Danica Patrick
Tiger Woods

Fuck man there was even just a story a few days ago of some chick THAT NEVER HAD ANY KICKING EXPERIENCE ON ANY LEVEL trying out to be a kicker at the NFL combine.

[Varteras]

All I can say is that she's lucky as hell to be famous at all. She is nothing special in her career, take off the make-up they cake on her for photo shoots and she's not pretty at all, and she has about as many curves as a freaking flag pole. Seriously, she almost has negative-ass and I've seen bologna being fried that had more protrusion than her chest.

[Rennadrel]

Marcos Ambrose and Juan Pablo Montoya, off the top of my head.

I am talking about African's and Asians for starters.

[Skarsguard]

I am talking about African's and Asians for starters.

Look up Tia Norfleet Female African American Nascar driver.

[Sills]

Attractive woman who loves fast cars.

'Nuff said.

[Pendulous]

I am talking about African's and Asians for starters.

Wait, what? How can you exclude other nationalities because you don't want to, and then claim NASCAR has a bias?

Also, I don't know how different race teams "recruit", since there's not exactly a college stock car racing league, so if you can prove that foreign drivers are being shunned over American drivers, I'd like to see it.

[Bryntrollian]

I like her

[Blueobelisk]

I heard there was a Daytona 500 or some shit today, my phone app says, and this chick finished 8th.

Oh uhm. I don't really get the Daytona 500. It's like all racing traces back to the total event called NASCAR and Daytona happens to be a NASCAR racetrack in Florida and their annual race is called the Daytona 500, right? Is that right?

[Pendulous]

She finished 8th, and stayed in the top ten all race. Which is good all things considered. It wasn't really a race where skill meant a damn thing. Get lucky, stick in the front, let the line behind you keep your draft. If you're less than first in line, either on the top or bottom, there's no way to pull out and pull ahead of the pack.

[Souichirou]

I don't really see the point of nascar....... Driving around an oval for 3.5-4 hours seems pointless and boring to watch it doesn't really require a lot of skill just luck and timing... Hell its like going on a road trip and sleeping when you arrive you don't really do anything else.

Now if she was in Formula D it would be something to see.