Will Danica ever win a race?

[Mystery]

Originally Posted by 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.

It seems more than that in my personal opinion. For the last few races now I had the impression that at some stage in the race they mentioned that she has been asked to focus on more speed on her in and out laps, or something to that effect.

I actually remember now what point I was originally planning to make. If there is a focus on her in and out lap speed could it be that she's making mistakes in trying to make up time. Quite possibly.

Sad thing is it may not ever be her fault. Obviously her lesser weight in the car means there's less downforce on the road

Ok kidding but maybe there is something about her set up that makes her more vulnerable to this than others. Her car control seems good the rest of the time.

[Leighton Irwin]

She fits in with the Andretti clan. Both Mario and Michael were more than capable of making bone headed moves and Marco is right there. Even Dario made one or two this year so Danica is in good company. I don't know how Tony fits in. He doesn't seem to make any.
I can't believe I am (sort of ) sticking up for Danica!

[indycool]

luke, "concern for driver safety" is a pretty weak way to bash Danica.

Mystery, could be, I just don't see any more attention on her going into the pits on TV than anyone else. She DID say in her pre-race TV interview something about learning more this season about getting in and out of the pits.

AGR HAS had a few problems getting four cars in and out without fouling up one another in some way. Marco and Franchitti at Infineon and Danica being waved out and hitting Kanaan once are probably the most visible of those because contact was involved.

[Mystery]

Originally Posted by indycool

Mystery, could be, I just don't see any more attention on her going into the pits on TV than anyone else. She DID say in her pre-race TV interview something about learning more this season about getting in and out of the pits.

Ahhh now that's interesting. I don't believe we get much of the pre-race stuff shown here (and if we did I probably wouldn't watch anyway) so maybe it's been made a small talking point like that but no more so than any other, and I just happen to have latched on to it, because it's seemingly come from nowhere.

I do think Danica's going to win a race sometime. I rank her broadly level with Bryan Herta in terms of speed and ability. He managed wins and so will she. Where the challenge might be is if the likes of Scheckter, Lloyd or Mutoh wind up as a team mate and start to blow her (and indeed Marco) away. Her position might then become untenable unless the sponsor's bucks are reliant on her being there.

[luke]

Originally Posted by indycool

luke, "concern for driver safety" is a pretty weak way to bash Danica.

Where did that attack come from??? I wasn't bashing Danica!! I merely mentioned what she has done, and posted my concern as it is dangerous when there is the potential for a nasty accident. Unbelievable.

OK then we'll just have cars flying, spearing up the race track at different speeds to those at 200mph in packs, yeah no problems there.

[indycool]

Racing is dangerous, period.

[luke]

Originally Posted by indycool

Racing is dangerous, period.

Yeah exactly what everyone said after Imola 1994.

[Knowlesy]

Wow, and I thought we'd exhausted every avenue of criticism of Danica!

Now it seems she is on the verge of a Lausitzring '01.

I don't think so and to even say that is pretty darned tasteless.

A silly mistake, granted, but it was through pushing hard. These things happen. Get over it!

[Mr V]

Back on topic..........

Will Danica ever win a race?

Certainly hope so, she deserves too.

[NAC]

Well havn't you boys been bussy.

All good points and an interesting little debate but as Mr V says back to the topic, either that of we change the topic title to the "Danica Patrick Thread" and then we can talk about her on any point all we like.

[deejay]

I'm a Danica defended usually but the number of pit in/out related problems she had this year is a bit embarrassing for her. But I think even she would at admit that.

Otherwise, it has been a good year for her. I don’t think many would have picked her to beat Marco, and being within 40 points of Wheldon, Hornish and Castroneves is nothing to sneeze at.

[NAC]

The question now is what are the odds that she will win a race next year?

I'm picking 10 to 1

[Ryan_Briscoe1]

I'm happy to admit that i danica bash, because she deserves it. She is hopeless and the last race is just another example of how crap she really is. Give the seat to a driver who deserves a competitive race seat. Its ridiculous how marketing tools like danica are taking competitive seats at the expense of real quality drivers. She is an embarrassment to irl and motorsport.

[NAC]

Now most of you will know that I am not the biggest fan of Danica's and yes she is a marketing tool and yes I also think she brings the bashing on herself to a degree but! I do have to stand up here and say she still deserves a seat in the IRL, she did just finish 7th in the championship ahead of Scott Sharp, Buddy Rice, Tomas Scheckter, Marco Andretti, Vitor Meira, Darren Manning, A.J. Foyt IV, Ed Carpenter, Kosuke Matsuura, Sarah Fisher, Jeff Simmons etc etc etc

Mr Briscoe #1 are you trying to tell me that all those other names don’t belong here also?

[Leighton Irwin]

I am another one who does not like Danica because of her constant whining and petulance. She has made quite a few silly mistakes this year.
However she is a fairly quick driver and has every right to be in the series. She has done far better than her highly touted teamate, rumoured for F1, Marco, who spent a good part of the year either in the wall or parked.
I would take Danica over Marco for an F1 ride!
No she is not the best out there but a heck of a lot better than some including the other 2 ladies.
I can't believe I am sticking up for her!
Anyone who has read my posts knows I support any competent lady driver and I even married one.

[Ryan_Briscoe1]

Originally Posted by NAC

Now most of you will know that I am not the biggest fan of Danica's and yes she is a marketing tool and yes I also think she brings the bashing on herself to a degree but! I do have to stand up here and say she still deserves a seat in the IRL, she did just finish 7th in the championship ahead of Scott Sharp, Buddy Rice, Tomas Scheckter, Marco Andretti, Vitor Meira, Darren Manning, A.J. Foyt IV, Ed Carpenter, Kosuke Matsuura, Sarah Fisher, Jeff Simmons etc etc etc

Mr Briscoe #1 are you trying to tell me that all those other names don’t belong here also?

difference between them (beside marco) and danica is she is in a championship winning car. other teammate finished 3rd. Marco is not good enough yet, too young. And his surname helps a fair bit. get someone else in there until he improves.

[Dutton]

That is basically it. As I have argued in the past, Danica is certainly good enough to be in the series but not quite there for a top-ride.

However, given the great challenge that females, as a collective, face in bringing down the barriers to their participation in motorsport at large, I feel Danica keeping the AGR ride is quite reasonable.

It is the Duno-like situations that are totally counter-productive and unacceptable.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Ryan_Briscoe1

I'm happy to admit that i danica bash, because she deserves it. She is hopeless

Finished 42 points behind Dan, 41 behind Sam and 24 behind Helio, that doesn't seem hopeless to me

Who would you have take her seat then? On second thought, don't bother answering, i can guess.

[The Saint]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Finished 42 points behind Dan, 41 behind Sam and 24 behind Helio, that doesn't seem hopeless to me

Who would you have take her seat then? On second thought, don't bother answering, i can guess.

but you have to compare her to her team-mates

forget about Marco - he was hopeless....so where did she fare up to Dario and Tony?

[Dutton]

You can't "forget about Marco" just because he didn't perform well. He raced as one of her team-mates, thus he has to be considered in any team-mate comparison you make.

Unless, of course, you are purely interested in proving how awful she is? In that case it would certainly make sense to ignore the one team-mate she performed better in relation to.

[JohnSSC]

She did better than her less experienced team mate, and not as good as her more experienced team mates.

Leighton, as far as the "team orders" thing, I have not been critical of any of them (except AGR, who were stupid in California) but tactically, with or without them Scot should have slotted in behind Dan sooner, imho.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by The Saint

but you have to compare her to her team-mates

forget about Marco - he was hopeless....so where did she fare up to Dario and Tony?

Hmmm, Marco was hopeless, so we forget about his performance? Ryan Briscoe 1 stated that Danica was hopeless too, so maybe we discount her performance too and just go onto Tony and Dario?

Dario won by nearly 100 points iirc, does that mean that Tony was hopeless too? Of course he isn't.

Dario and Tony - most experienced of the 4, came out 1 and 2

Danica, less experienced that Dario and Tony, but more experienced than Marco, came behind Dario and Tony, ahead of Marco

Marco - Least experienced of the 4, finished behind Dario, Tony and Danica.

[Ryan_Briscoe1]

danica and marco are in those seats for reasons other than their ability. danica because of marketing and marco because of his surname. thats my problem. give the seat to someone who deserve it based on their talent.

If danica was a man did u really think she would be in that seat? come onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

[Knowlesy]

Marco, you may have noticed (probably not), had a fantastic first season. 2007 has been hard, but he'll bounce back. He has immense talent.

[Mystery]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Marco, you may have noticed (probably not), had a fantastic first season. 2007 has been hard, but he'll bounce back. He has immense talent.

Since when has talent had anything to do with it? If talent ruled then Danica would still be driving for RLR, we'd have Bourdais driving a McLaren and Paul Tracy would be down the job centre. He has some talent sure although I'm not sure it's in ovals.