Will Danica ever win a race?

[NAC]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

There are some ? However, danke.

That's what the web site had.

I would also think that if she did actually win the ones with the ???? don't you think that would be up in blazing neon

[Adam43]

I am looking for blazing neon when she wins a Indycar race

[paul-collins]

Originally Posted by luke

Good job she beat non racers really!

To be fair, that's Tommy Kendall, who's a pretty fair pedal himself, and whom she beat in that race too. See, she wasn't the only pro.

On the second in the FFF - my favourite bit of trivia - in their years, Andy Wallace and James Weaver also finished second.

But, since karting days, it is true she has no wins in purely pro races.

[NAC]

Did she win anything in her karting days?

[Knowlesy]

Forgetting the fact she hasn't won a notable race. Does this matter? Is she embarrassing herself in Indycar? Is she utterly unworthy of the seat?

I think there have been worse drivers, are worse drivers and will continue to be worse drivers. She has proven to be a decent peddler (steering configuration and weight "scandals" aside).

[NAC]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Forgetting the fact she hasn't won a notable race. Does this matter? Is she embarrassing herself in Indycar? Is she utterly unworthy of the seat?

I think there have been worse drivers, are worse drivers and will continue to be worse drivers. She has proven to be a decent peddler (steering configuration and weight "scandals" aside).

To some degree it dose matter that she has not won a race as most people who advance their career have not only had the wins but the championship wins, apart from that not really.

I think she deserves to be there and I take my hat off to her for getting where she is at.

As far as embarrassing herself, she holds her own on the track but some of the off track stuff is a little embarrassing.

Agreed there are worse drivers, have been, are now and will also be in the future.

Decent peddler but I hope this thing with the IRL wanting her to win doesn't come at the cost of an unfair advantage like weight or other devices like power assisted steer. She needs to win on her own and it would be great if she could actually earn it and not have it gifted.

I'd still like to know if she won in karts - anyone!!

[paul-collins]

Dunno about individual races, but she was National (points) champion in WKA 5 times between 1994 and 1999. The first title came when she was 10...

[Ryan_Briscoe1]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Forgetting the fact she hasn't won a notable race. Does this matter? Is she embarrassing herself in Indycar? Is she utterly unworthy of the seat?

I think there have been worse drivers, are worse drivers and will continue to be worse drivers. She has proven to be a decent peddler (steering configuration and weight "scandals" aside).

she is in a race winning car and she isnt performing well. Give the seat to someone who will make use of it. for instance, a talented driver (male or female).

[Knowlesy]

Isn't performing well? I'd venture to suggest that she has done rather better than people expected.

She is seventh in points, can theoretically finish fourth (although unlikely) as she is within touching distance of the Penske boys and not a million miles from Wheldon. All three are class, two are Indycar champs.

She is also way ahead of her teammate Marco Andretti.

I appreciate she hasn't won a race yet. I realise, also, that it is fashionable to lambast her mere presence because she doesn't seem a very nice person or somesuch irrelevancy. But have a bit of bloody perspective.

Hopefully she won't ever win a race because I fear I will tire of the "stop at nothing" theories as well!

I have criticised her in the past. But this season I think she's done alright and deserves her place.

[NAC]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Hopefully she won't ever win a race because I fear I will tire of the "stop at nothing" theories as well!

That's why I like coming back here. It's a dam good debate

[NAC]

OK found the details on her karting days. It doesn't go into specifics on races won though. Heavens forbid I actually went to the Danica site to get it. http://www.danicaracing.com/

1992
She began karting at the age of 10 when her sister Brooke wanted to begin racing. Brook abandoned the sport after a few months but Danica was hooked.

She was lapped six laps into her first event but finished the season second in the points championship out of 20 drivers.

1993
In her second season of karting she finished second in the WKA Midwest Sprint Series in both the Yamaha and US820 classes.

She finished fourth in the WKA Manufactures Cup national points in the Yamaha Sportsman class.

1994
At the of 12 she captured her first national points championship in the WKA Manufactures Cup in the Yamaha Sportsman class.

She collected the WKA Grand National Championship in the Yamaha class.

She won the WKA Great Lakes Sprint Series in the Yamaha and US820 classes.

1995
Won the WKA Great Lakes Sprint Series title (Yamaha Restricted Junior and US820 jr)

Placed second in the WKA Manufactures Cup National Points titles in the same categories

1996
Established heself as a rising star in the karting ranks by winning 39 of 49 feature races (79.6%)

At the age of 14 she won the WKA Manufactures Cup National Points title in the Yamaha Junior and restricted class.

She was runner-up in WKA Manufactures Cup National Points title (HPV 100 Junior) and the WKA Grand National Championship (Yamaha Restricted Junior).

In addition, she captured five WKA Great Lakes Sprit Series and WKA Midwest Spring Series titles.

She won the IKF Division7 event in Willow Springs, California (Yamaha Junior) and finished second in the Yamaha Junior group.

1997
In her final full season of karting she captured the World Karting Association (WKA) Grand National HVP class.

Won the WKA Grand National championship in Yamaha Lite class…Won the WKA Summer National championship in Yamaha Lite class

Finished tenth in the ELK Constructors championship in Formula A

maybe if she stuck to karting a bit longer she may have a few more wins under her belt

[luke]

Dangerous spin. I appreciate she was driving hard and everything and wanted to do well but she has to stop doing these spins pit in and out because this is very dangerous. I hope everyone learned after Zanardi's terrible crash.

She has to be more consistent and not make these mistakes, she is the one costing her wins...But she is also too hard on herself as she believes her hype/in herself. She just has to be more relaxed although that is very easy for me to say.

[JohnSSC]

Yes, I agree. We should ban spinning. No one should be allowed to spin. Danica should not be allowed to spin, or Vitor, or Scott (either one: Sharp or Dixon) or Dario, or Marco, or Tony...Milka doesn't go fast enough to spin.

And just a question: how could spinning on pit in be related to getting speared by someone while spinning on pit out?

Fortunately, Danica is the only driver in any series who has ever spun...

Heck, even Rick Mears spun...

[NAC]

[quote=JohnSSC]Fortunately, Danica is the only driver in any series who has ever spun...[quote]

No not true, Scott had that stupid spin at Indy several years back under the yellow

[luke]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

Yes, I agree. We should ban spinning. No one should be allowed to spin. Danica should not be allowed to spin, or Vitor, or Scott (either one: Sharp or Dixon) or Dario, or Marco, or Tony...Milka doesn't go fast enough to spin.

And just a question: how could spinning on pit in be related to getting speared by someone while spinning on pit out?

Fortunately, Danica is the only driver in any series who has ever spun...

Heck, even Rick Mears spun...

Look John. I didn't say that. Read my post again.

Spinning on ovals pit in/pit out is dangerous. Each time she was near other cars and we DON'T WANT A SIMILAR ZANARDI ACCIDENT. I mentioned this because she has spun a number of times now in these situations and it is dangerous. I never said she isn't allowed to spin. Fact is it is dangerous spinning and rolling the wrong way into pits, spinning on the way out, backing onto the race track, then crashing out under caution nearly taking out a safety truck. She's done this multiple times now and this is why I brought it up. You either condone this and see nothing wrong with the ingredients for a Zanardi style accident which would be terrible or just wanting as usual to say my posts are wrong.

[JohnSSC]

1) I realize other people spin. You will note that the drivers I named all have spun recently.
2) It almost begs belief that one can liken her spin on an in lap to the Zanardi accident and somehow imply that she is going to cause another one. Are you saying then luke that Zanardi should be faulted for spinning on cold tires coming out of the pits?
3) There was no one near her - she was well down the pit lane and not on the oval when she spun.
4) Show me a driver who never spins out.
5) Interesting that you can take single incidents and then imply that she has nearly taken out a safety truck multiple times, etc.
6) Spinning is far less dangerous than flying upside down, which another driver did twice this season: once his own fault and the other due to someone else. Am I to presume that you feel we are better off with him leaving the series so he no longer presents such a danger to himself and others?

Could we try sticking with the facts here? Taking a single incident and then implying it is regular behaviour is not cricket.

[indycool]

Well said, John. Danica is not a continual crasher, finished something like 94% of the season's laps, was seventh in points and got her best career finish of second at Detroit (although, yes, the race backed up to her at the end).

The idea some try to spin that she's an incompetent race driver because she hasn't won a race is baloney. Vitor Meira has finished second eight times and hasn't won and he's a very competent driver.

[indycool]

Sorry, double post......

[JohnSSC]

Thanks, IC.

Actually, using what has been posted about Danica and applying it to Vitor you would think that he should be packed off in the same taxi Milka should be sent away in. Very handy driver, but has crashed out 4 times this season, including Chicagoland.

[Mystery]

And goodness knows what we should do to six time crasher Marco....


Danica's ok but wholly undeserving of the hype she had. Fortunately, my perception is that its died down a lot and she's now getting some good performances together. Nothing stellar but certainly good enough to have a ride.

[luke]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

1) I realize other people spin. You will note that the drivers I named all have spun recently.
2) It almost begs belief that one can liken her spin on an in lap to the Zanardi accident and somehow imply that she is going to cause another one. Are you saying then luke that Zanardi should be faulted for spinning on cold tires coming out of the pits?

NO. I didn't liken her spin to Zanardi. LIKE I SAID. Spinning in and out of the pits is very dangerous with cars running a few feet above at 200mph plus in packs. It isn't the first time she has done it. It's starting to get dangerous. I just would hate to see someone get killed or have a bad crash like Zanardi due to a similar situation that Danica has put herself in multiple times now. People have spun before I didn't say those haven't.

3) There was no one near her - she was well down the pit lane and not on the oval when she spun.

Fact is when she spun she was driving the wrong way rolling backwards at still a rather high speed in the pits at the entrance across the line. That is dangerous BECAUSE THERE ARE MECHANICS.

4) Show me a driver who never spins out.

I didn't say no one ever spins out.

5) Interesting that you can take single incidents and then imply that she has nearly taken out a safety truck multiple times, etc.

NO. I never said she took out safety trucks mutiple times. I did say she has spun in pit exit/entrance or under caution a number of times of those situations.

6) Spinning is far less dangerous than flying upside down, which another driver did twice this season: once his own fault and the other due to someone else. Am I to presume that you feel we are better off with him leaving the series so he no longer presents such a danger to himself and others?

This isn't about Dario. The way you are defending Danica spinning at the exit of a pits leading up to the banking at Kentucky which is extremely dangerous, nearly hitting a safety truck when she didn't realize she had a slow puncture or spinning the wrong way into the pits I'm sorry is dangerous. Unbelievable I am yet again wrong as you pick holes in every single one of my posts. You know what I think I'm going to change my username here...

Could we try sticking with the facts here? Taking a single incident and then implying it is regular behaviour is not cricket.

I never said that.

[indycool]

As I recall, luke, that is twice that she has spun entering pit lane. Hardly a trend or worthy of issue.

[Mystery]

I don't know about it not being a trend. Someone somewhere is talking a lot about her in and out laps, because the commentators never fail to mention it now whenever she's around the pit area.


Very very OT but I thought Ashley Judd's rant about Milka was hilarious.

[indycool]

Well, the commentators call her on to pit road like they do most everyone else. The cameras weren't following her live into the pits. We got to see it on replay. Don't see that overly done.

And yes, Mrs. Franchitti's comments were a scream....after her husband wins the "500" and the series championship, she is all focused on the series backmarker for all the viewing audience who didn't care or even know who Duno was, anyway.

Idle thought (and this offered with congratulations to Dario on the season and I think he's a good guy): What did Ashley have to say after hubby poop-chuted Matsuura after the checkered flag at Kentucky?

[luke]

Originally Posted by indycool

As I recall, luke, that is twice that she has spun entering pit lane. Hardly a trend or worthy of issue.

Yup, I just held my breathe at Kentucky as that was not nice to see as she was just feet away from the fast packs when she did spin. It's not like it happens often I am merely concerned for driver safety as I would hate to see someone spear a fellow driver and have a very nasty crash.