Danica gives fair warning of payback

I found this article wrote by Jeff Hammond and immediately liked what he wrote. Some frown on her but I think she has something besides LOOKS.

I like what I saw out of Danica Patrick this past weekend at Bristol. I especially liked seeing the fire in her when she made sure Regan Smith knew he did her wrong by wrecking her out.

DANICA'S best

There's no one like Danica, both on and off the track.

I like seeing that from any driver, whether it was Tony Stewart pitching his helmet at Matt Kenseth or even Kenny Schrader gesturing to the driver who spun him out early in the race.

Danica's performance Friday night in the Nationwide Series race was solid. She took a bad qualifying position and raced her way into the top 10. Actually, what she did Saturday night to me was even more impressive despite the fact she was wrecked out. Patrick and her team really struggled in both practices on Friday in a car she wasnt comfortable with.

Working with her team, they made the necessary changes. And when it came time for the race, she did a great job. The continuing problem she is facing until she earns the respect in the Sprint Cup garage, like she has in the Nationwide garage, is she is a marked woman. No one is going to cut her any slack.

She came into NASCAR with so much media hype and so much attention that many of the other drivers dont like it. So when there comes an opportunity to either cut her some slack as shes learning, or dump her into the wall, right now they are going to dump her. Thats just the way it is.

She is just going to have to be expecting these hard knocks a little while longer as her young NASCAR career continues. The woman has a ton of talent, and I know her desire to make it in NASCAR. She is turning heads, but she is just going to have to continue having a thick skin.

SUPER STAR

Danica may be relatively new to NASCAR, but she's found success for years.

She is going to have to draw a line in the sand and let these other drivers know that, if they boot her in a race, well she is going to return the favor. She needs to take a lesson from her owner, Stewart, and stand up for her rights. I am not talking about standing up as a woman. I am talking about standing up for her rights as a race-car driver.

She has had a tough list of tracks this year for her partial Sprint Cup schedule. Thats by design, though. Remember, she is racing full time next year on the Cup side, and this schedule at these tough tracks this year simply speeds up the learning curve for 2013.

I think its a great idea to do this and let her get her feet wet this year at the harder places when the points dont matter. Its all about seat time this year and making those laps. Believe me, if you can master Darlington and Bristol, the rest of these tracks are a piece of cake.

Now I can only think what some of you are thinking, Why not write it down here that way you wont forget what you think you wrote :

One thing to ride around the track, another thing when you really start to race.

It would seem to me that NASCAR is going to have to change their stance on "Boys have at it". It will become "Boys, and little girls with race car play toys have at it". While I wasn't driving either car, and while I acknowledge it was Bristol and it happened fast, it appears to me that it was more Danica coming down on the Smith car, just a little, but Danica trying to stay off the wall. But even so, that's racing.

I've said before that NASCAR needed Danica to increase the interest. She served that purpose several times this year. I seems to me that the "newness" is wearing off and a lot of folks just don't care any more. Then when something like this happens, it's time to crank up the hype machines and rev up the interest again. She dumped Hornish at Talladega AFTER the checkers so we know she is capable of doing exaclty what the hype machine is proclaiming. I cannot help but wonder, however, if she crosses swords with Carl Edwards or Kevin Harvick, what the outcome will be. I don't think she is ready for that.

I am backing off Danica bashing as whatever I say will be seen one way by the Danica lovers and another way by the Danica haters, so the continue a discourse with such an outcome is a useless waste of time. Whether or not she ever wins a race, the television commentators are going to comment on EVERYTHING she does. When she is running 24th one lap down, she is having a fantastic race if you listen to them. Pity the same consideration is not given to other drivers runningahead of her is much less of a funded ride.

So, to all Danica lovers, have you called the cell phone number used as her's in the Nationwide advertisement with Dale, Jr?I would suspect some of those more inclinded to alcohol use probably have.

Boys, have at it. And Danica, if you're really serious, you have at it too. I wish you luck with that. Just be sure you get a list of the guys who are still gentlemen enough NOT to punch you out. If you play with fire, you will get burned. My Daddy used to tell me that. Of course I had to prove it to myself and he was sure right.

Well she was moving up from her starting position--and she was on the same lap(you can go a lap down there in a flash) so is that what you call riding around. This was her first time at Bristol in a cup car and she had started to apply pressure on cars ahead of her,but being careful in the process

she cant drive - janet guthrie was probably a better driver than danica - and her equipment was no where as good - so far she has crashed without getting hurt - she has taken some hard hits - she really struggles at restrictor tracks - just cant get lined up and draft making the right moves - the cookie cutter tracks will probably be her best tracks - there she can put some distance between the cars and run - and yes no matter how many laps down - shes awesome - larry mac and kenny wallace and andy petree and that crew are just plain silly - by the way - dale sr - didnt like larry mac one bit - promptly got him replaced - only so much phonyness he could take - the top guys dont care to race with danica and she cant get up there anyway - the middle and back guys are the ones a driver doesnt want to race with - if she can drive the car the right way they will race with her - but she needs alot of expierence - someone is deep in the pocket paying for her learning curve - she had the best car at daytona for the nationwide race - couldnt draft and pick the right line and stay up front - wound up in the back - wrecked - hard hit - tony eury must be thing what did i do - why me - so time will tell - she is mostly hype - will the money run out - the crashes take there toll - or will nascar step in to lend a helping hand ( remember back when nobody touched jeff gordon) - time will tell - but the meter is running .

Whoa there David, lets go easy here for a minute. I am not in a great position to comment on Danicas talent or lack thereof, but I am in position to take issue with your comments about Janet Guthrie. She had first class equipment and great motors. At Talladega she could pass several cars going down the backstretch, only to be passed in the corners. Interim drivers were substituted and instructed to run quarter laps so that we could get an actual reading of the cars ability to corner and still not make it look like they were outdriving our wheel woman and make her look bad. If she did not like the way the car was working, or she got treated poorly on the race track, etc. she was known to rev the motor just before pitting and over-reving to destroy the motor. After the suspicion was made we hid a tell-tale tack under the dash. Forget that part of your argument!

I offer no opinion on money or fans likes and dislikes, but consider for a moment what she has to overcome due to her size, alone. All the steering mechanisms are the same for all cars and all the steering wheels are the same size. To apply the leverage to rotate the steering wheel requires the same force, but she has shorter arms, so her input leverage has to greater. The same is true for pedal force on the brakes. Any change in pedal leverage dimensions and she has to push either a longer distance or apply more force. Her height requires another issue. Being shorter obviously requires a raise in the position of the seat bottom, Depending on how high you raise the seat in conjunction to how the seat is positioned forward or backward determines your ability straight out ahead of you (advantageous for drafting) OR your ability to look up and to the left out the top of A-pillar on the left side which determines how far up the track you can see on high bank tracks that affords you more time to respond and avert involvement in an accident. On a high banked track, the cars that are ahead of you are NOT right in front of the car, but rather up and to the left according to the degree of banking) She surely has not had time to analyze or maybe even recognize these issues.

If you think any of this is BS, look at ANY picture of Sr sitting in his car and note the position of his helmet. A position that the young lady has not tended to use as of this time (not many others have either, by the way).

Additionally you may be aware that the ability of the cars to corner at faster speeds has escalated in the years since Janet G. The tires are roughly the same width, but the compounds have been and continue to be altered. The cars ability to corner at speed is the result of being able to identify two areas. The size of the contact area and coefficient of friction ( tire compound and durometer reading) The resulting calculation can only be applied as a vector analysis of cornering adhesion and acceleration/deceleration adhesion.) At these higher speeds the driver has to be very adept at determining the vector analysis solely by the seat-of- the-pants feel and you could assume that this takes some time. (I am confident that she is quite aware of this procedure, but her last environment had significantly different speeds, tire compounds and tire widths). At whatever rate she is able to discern this vector analysis, she is having to make the adjustments with the afore mentioned shorter legs and arms.

It is my humble opinion that if she is only keeping up with those cars that are around her, she is working harder to achieve it because of her size limitations. This is not rocket science, just the ability to recognize the things that are required to compete and do that which is required to accomplish that.

With no regard for liking her or not, she deserves some degree of respect for her ability to get sponsorship, keep sponsorship, perseverance, determination, and physical prowess.

There is NO way to compare her to Janet Guthrie.

Riding around ,yes replace her with another female that can drive, I Just don't want to see someone hurt while [she ] is trying to learn to drive. I really do like females, she scares me .

The thing that kills me is,there are better talented lady racers out there.If the marketing principles were allowed to be set aside and raw talent took reign,I don't think Danica would have had a shot.Then again,alot of her male counterparts wouldn't have had either.....

You hit the nail on the head David. With one exception. DANICA can drive a race car. She has experience in an Indy car. Why was the negative statements not made toward other Indy drivers that came to NASCAR but could not stand up to the task. Some went back to open wheel. Some have stayed with NASCAR with limited success. But they are not "put down" by the non Danica fans even when she is running and finishing ahead of them.

I do not believe that she should be in the Cup cars though. Gain the experience that is needed to drive the full body cars and stay in the Nationwide cars. Remember Sam Hornish. An Indy 500 winner. But Sam had trouble in the Cup cars and he was moved back to Nationwide. A good move. This should be done with Danica. But her sponsor wanted her in the BIG time. Too bad you have to go where the money goes. DANICA is a good race car driver. She just needs more experience running in the full body cars.

She should be able to start in what ever darn division she wants to! When you get aclimated to one particular set of circumstances, ie: car weight, motor horsepower, tire widths and compounds, the way you get better is to match your mental and motor skills to that vehicles characteristics. Once you master that set of skills, it may not be directly applicable to the next in the series.

This viewpoint alone has made me a fan of Kyle Bush. His ability to recognize what the car/truck that he is driving is needing in chassis work displays a tremendous ability to discern what different combinations require on short notice. These are all just relationships in physics, but they are more than subtle differences between the differnent styles of race cars.

Sr. essentially went from dirt to NASCAR and Danica has sure wrecked less than he did! Maybe some of you folks are too young, or are sitting to close to the TV to get a wide enough perspective on this issue.

Why do you suppose that Sam is remaining in Nationwide and not quickly named to the Cup car to replace the 'dinger' ?

That would be one BIG Demolition Derby if anyone could start where they wanted to.

Nuff said.

They used to paint the back bumper,maybe they need to paint again

Are you saying it would look pretty in P I N K ??

[Rookie's] bright yellow ,let's not take sides ,all rookies sould paint all their bumpers front and back bright yellow

Will, I am laughing like crazy because you made me remember a really great line regarding Earnhardt, Sr. When Jake Elder quit the Osterlund/Earnhardt team in 1980, Doug Richert became crew chief and at age 20 is recorded as the youngest Cup Championship crew chief in history.

When we got to Daytona for 1981 Speedweeks, here ( paraphrased ) is what I remember Dougie telling Dale:

"We can save time on pit stops by not cleaning your windshield. Heck, we can save money by not even having a windshield. You don't ever look out of the windshield. You drive with your head hanging out the window!"

Then Doug would start telling Dale there was no way he could see anything anyway because his blue tinted bubble goggles distorted everything.

That always got Dale irritated and Doug would just keep piling it on!

Thanks for the funny memory, Will!

Crew chief Doug Richert (left) at age 20 with Dale Earnhardt at Ontario in November 1980

Dale Earnhardt driving Doug Richert prepared Osterlund Pontiac (with windshield) at Riverside in June 1981

like that Dave,especially when we talk of the --real-- Old Days

Doug Richert was a VERY impressive young man, and deserved all the good things that came his way!

sorry will - i apologize for the janet guthrie remark - just that janet wasnt well recieved when she tried indy and nascar - maybe she hepled open some doors for other lady drivers i dont know - im not a danica hater - im just not buying into the hype - and it is hype - she is having a hard time no doubt - her performace is poor - and at the same time the announcers are so full of it - if she has physical limitations thats a personal issue - but mark martin and jeff gordon are small drivers - i think she is plenty strong enough to drive the car - so jeff gordon or buddy baker - both can drive - it is her ability that is in question - she wrecks alot - has poor finishes when she does finish - at the same time its hype danica because she passed a lap car - kudos she is a woman - she is over coming insurmountable obstacles - she is greatest think since sliced bread - RIGHT NOW IT IS 95 PERCENT HYPE - there have been crossover drivers with success - foyt , andretti , rutherford , gurney etc - remember cale yarborough and donnie allison going to indy 500 - they did well - cale even ran a full season - drivers have it or they dont - the instincts are natural - al unser jr was a natural driver - indy car , iroc , nascar , anything he stepped in he could drive - earnhardt sr loved racing him - mark martin called him one of the worlds great race drivers and can quickly adapt to any situation - now i dont think danica fits that mold sorry - not putting the bumper to anybody who likes danica - but she is not getting it done by any standards -i hope she gets expierence and does well - and i think nascar will help her - i hope she doesnt wreck and really get hurt - the money , sponsors , all depend on the hype .

A cant get the drift of your input-- you must be seeing a version that others cant see of her.

You got a few right, one she is a lady (check)

she is having trouble with back markers wrecking around her

this is her first ride ,in sprint cup, at Bristol

instincts are there too,watch her she is on top of it

an earnhardt she isnt,and nobody else is either right now

HYPE i cannot see

and physical limitations? uh is her hair to long or ??

When she wrecked she was on the current lap as the leader

and didnt she advance from a ways back in the field ?

and,and if you want to fight I think she will oblige you on or off the track

so dont let that little bow legged frame entice you into something you cant !!

Time will tell,Tommy.I know you can drive a race car as well! I'm a Saturday night racer myself.Driving a race car and being successful in it on a regular basis,is too different worlds.It's cool your pulling for her.No problem in that.

hello will - i did some research - facts only - no opinions :

janet guthrie raced 33 times at the winston cup level over a 4 year period .

in 1977 she had 19 starts - her avg start pos 17th -- her avg finish pos 17th .

the first race she ran in nascar was the world 600 - finished 15th - the next year the daytona

500 and finished 12th - so how over a period of 19 races could she average a finish of 17th place and blow all those engines up - doesnt make since to me - doesnt add up .

dannica patrick has raced 22 times in the lower tier nationwide seris - has only 1-top ten

finish - she has raced 3 times in the sprint cup seris - finished 30th , 31st , 38th .

so you are right will - there is NO WAYto compare her to janet guthrie .

respectfully - everyone has an opinion - it is what makes life fun - as i can see you deal in facts and actual numbers - so i posted just the facts - i do hope you enjoy reading them - and your mind maybe changed also - but really when has anyone changed anyones opinion - that wouldnt be much fun - yes i am related to sr - but that doesnt mean a thing on here - if your a danica fan - more power to you - and i really hope she does good - but when you go to race in the premier seris you are suppose to allready know how to drive very well - and it is my opinion she cant .

let me give you a little background on sr - he dropped out of school and ralph wouldnt let him drive his cars - when ralph had a heart attack he got stick elliott to drive for him - stick won 18 ina row at metrolina and 14 in a row at concord - dale was in semi-modified - dale was in awe of stick elliott - copied his driving style and mannerisms on and off the track - when ralph died of a heart attack at 45 years of age in the kitchen of his house not the garage - dale took the cars and ran asphalt at hickory speedway - he then would drive for other owners - osterlund put him in a sportsman race at charlotte - he drove the 98 car and dave marcis drove the 2 car - these were team cars - sr was told to follow marcis and learn - he did - and next year was rookie of the year winning at bristol - and the next year was cup champion after getting relief help from david pearson at darlington - sr had his share of wrecks - but he never wrecked as much as danica patrick - if he did - he would not have won rookie of the year in 1979 and the cup championship in 1980 .

You did that so eloquently my dear, I will not add any to it pro nor con. You and I have the same feeling of our illustrious sport . This different sex deal that seems to sometimes excite or sometimes make people demean others is not needed in our sport. Its either you can or you cant. From the beginning the qualifying procedure for superspeedways was not a walk in the park,the guidlines that were put in place to test your A b i l i t y were not easy by no means. I took and passed them in the early 60s and a few other close friends on here did also so they will attest to the same.

Dale was a great guy but he had to learn just like everyone else did and the school of hard knots was around then also so I imagine he would give words of encouragement and a few shots at their pedigree. I remember one time we got up close and personal on the back stretch at a dirt track in the Carolinas and the conversation went from loud hollering to being just racing buddies,right there on the back stretch (that doesnt happen today). It took a little longer for Tim and myself to reach that goal.

So my lovely Lady and close friend, you carry on with what you do o so very well, just remember we all have ---------------------------------memories

good morning pkl - a person has to be carefull when reporting facts - im going to tell you something very few people know the real truth of - it has been mis-reported often - even by will cronkrite - ralph earnhardt passed away of a heart attack at age 45 - in the kitchen of his house - not the garage - as legend has it - martha his wife found him - dale wasnt even home - he came in to eat a boiled ham and tomato sandwich - the same one sr loved to eat - now you know the truth . janet guthrie ran her first winston cup race in the world 600 at charlotte finishing 15 place - daytona 500 12th place - bristol 6th place - indy 500 9th place - her helmet and uniform are in the smithsonian - she was one of the first women inducted into the international womens sports hall of fame - she was inducted into the international motorsports hall of fame in 2006 - i agree with you - lets check on danica patrick in 3 years from now .