And now a word -- Really? -- from Danica Patrick: finally.
And Danica Patrick says.....(Photo: Indy Racing League)
By Mike Mulhern
mikemulhern.net
Danica Patrick says she'll be making an announcement Monday about her plans for 2010, presumably answering the NASCAR question. And the venue – ABC's Good Morning America.
Apparently her contract limitations on discussing, or doing anything about, her long-debated NASCAR plans runs out Monday Nov. 30.
Whether the Phoenix, Arizona, resident will be at a track to discuss her decision is unclear.
It has been speculated that her stock car debut, if she goes for it, would be in Daytona's ARCA 200 during next February's SpeedWeeks. But NASCAR officials have apparently not yet okayed her for anything, though that okay would seem pro forma for the high-profile Indy-car star.
NASCAR has made no bones about wanting the vivacious, and extremely marketable, Patrick in NASCAR. And Tony Stewart, after meeting with her in August during a round of visits she made to various NASCAR shops, said he was convinced she would be coming to NASCAR eventually.
What timetable is unclear.
Also unclear is if she can even drive one of these heavy stock cars. She has apparently never run one of them on a race track.
Patrick has just signed a new Indy-car contract with team owner Michael Andretti to run the full 16-race Indy Racing League tour in 2010. That would still leave her plenty of opportunities to run NASCAR and ARCA during the year, but it's unclear how many stock car races she might want to do. The latest word is that she's looking to run eight to 10 NASCAR Nationwide/Truck and ARCA events in 2010.
While her business agents have been busy all year cranking up the volume on a possible Patrick venture into NASCAR, she herself has said virtually nothing.
That apparently is about to change.
"I am heading off to New York from (sic) an announcement about next years plans!" Patrick said on Twitter. "I will be on GMA monday morning!"
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I find it offensive that the
I find it offensive that the mainstream media and even some NASCAR beat reporters are treating this chick with kid gloves. What are the NASCAR beat reporters afraid of? I don't expect much from the mainstream media, they're all about polarizing one vs something else vs something they don't cover or no anything about. In Danica's case, a woman vs the good ol' boys vs NASCAR. SMH
Dont think mikemulhern.net
Dont think mikemulhern.net has given her a free ride....
But she's getting bashed pretty good the past couple of months for saying nothing....she should have been at Phoenix; heck, she lives in town. That was a snide move on her part imho....but she all but vanished after that early october irl finale (had to vacation, after that brutal 16-race season). i guess i could stake out her house and try to catch her for an interview.....or wait, hey, how about the Arizona Republic? Her hometown newspaper should be right on top of the story, eh? Local news angle and all? Uh, sorry, that paper has canned its NASCAR reporters and goes only with canned stuff or stringers. great job out there, boys.
oh, and hate to break it like this, but there are no nascar beat reporters any more; papers around the country have canned them all, or cut them back to three or four area races. And mainstream media? well, i have very mixed emotions about TV as any real journalism in this sport.
Who really cares if she comes
Who really cares if she comes to NASCAR? So far, the only people who seem to have any real interest are Brian France, who needs a major cash infusion to save NASCAR, his media puppets, and that's about it. The only thing we've heard from Danica is her worrying about her branding and marketing. Not a single word about her competitive abilities in a car or truck. When and if she finally shows up and dons a firesuit, then wake me up. Until then,let me hibernate.
I agree: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
I agree: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
What if they gave a "press"
What if they gave a "press" conference and nobody cared? "I will be on GMA Monday morning!" says Patrick... Yippee. "I'll be watching the CBS Morning Show." I reply.
Can Danica Patrick drive a stock car? Is she too small to manhandle a car--unlike its previous incarnations of the past--with power steering, air conditioning, and enough creature comforts to make it easier to drive than my '64 MGB (which had a clutch so bad it needed two feet to stomp it so I could change gears)...
Stock cars are so easy to drive these days that the next stars in Nascar will be a class of kindergarteners (and looking at most of the drivers in the sort these days, that trend has already started). They're short, thin, and weigh all of a 110 pounds on a good day. So can Patrick be their equal? Dunno about that, but she'll be able to handle a stock car.
Danica and Nascar? The problem won't be her being able to drive the equipment. The problems will come when she starts to think that she isn't being "respected" (and she does have history with that issue). Then she'll throw temper tantrums that'll make Kyle Busch seem like he's on Prozac.
And the fans, drivers, and officials will tire of her pretty damn fast. Her negatives will far outweigh the positives of having "name" bring renewed interest to Nascar. And therein lies the problem with today's Nascar. It's not about racing anymore, that's just a means to promote product advertising. Which is too bad, if it was just about racing, it be a great sport.
J.J.
Maybe if NASCAR banned power
Maybe if NASCAR banned power steering we could really get back to the good old days, where you had to be a bull like Cale Yarborough to run one of these things.
and, hey, didnt he fit in one of those old indy cars? maybe -- Mr. Synergy talking here -- we need to get some drivers who can do double-duty NASCAR/Indy-cars at the same track the same weekend? Tony, Robby, John Andretti, probably a couple of others too. And doesn't ABC do the Indy 500 as well as NASCAR? All looks marketable to me.
oh, i cant wait for another hissy-fit driver to show up in NASCAR....as if we don't have enough prima donnas already.
Remember she does not need
Remember she does not need Na$car's approval to run in the ARCA race she needs ARCA's.
oh, yes, you're right. but
oh, yes, you're right. but isc would probably want to okay her too...and we know what that phone number is....
heck, she's probably already run so many secret laps in a stock car she knows what it's all about. remember how secret all these tests are anyway.....
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I’m amazed how girls like her
I’m amazed how girls like her drive so well. Danica Patrick really can drive well, but will she be suited for NASCAR? It would be great if the sport is focused on racing, not too much advertising.hanging clothes rack