April 26, 2008
By Brenda Benedict
Danica Patrick’s win this past Sunday in the Indy Japan 300 will have far-reaching effects. Everything this IndyCar Series driver does catches the attention of the media and fans. However, Sunday’s victory really turns the corner for her career. Now is the time for NASCAR to think seriously about what Danica Patrick could bring to the NASCAR world.
Danica is a talented driver but that is not all that is required to be a success in motorsports. She also is attractive, media savvy and tough. This combination gives her strengths on the technical side of the sport as well as the marketing side. We know that a driver must be able to excel in both sides of racing to become a money maker and thus ensure sponsorship.
This past February while spending some time in Phoenix, I did what every good NASCAR fan does while visiting a new city. I dragged my husband to Phoenix International Raceway. There was no race scheduled. It was late Monday afternoon. But I still wanted to see this place that I had seen so many times on TV. I wanted to stand in the grandstand and try to imagine that roar of the cars and the rush of the wind as they raced down the track. After we talked security into letting us into the grounds, we parked the car and began the long walk to the grandstand. As we grew closer, we could hear the whine of an engine. When we reached the stands, we found that Danica Patrick was there practicing. It was a thrill to watch her intently poring over data after making several runs and then returning to the track to try and better her time.
Danica began her motorsport career with kart racing at the age of ten. She won several national championships before moving into road racing. She moved to England as a 16 year old and raced in several developmental open-wheel series in England. She returned to the United States at the age of 20 to begin running in development circuits in North America including the Barber Pro Series and the Atlantic Championship.
In 2005 she moved up to Indy Racing League (IRL) IndyCar Series. Danica had a successful rookie year and won the Rookie of the Year award. Her highlights included several firsts for women. She qualified for the Indianapolis 500. She was the 4th woman ever to qualify, following Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James and Sarah Fisher. However, Danica started 4th, the highest ever for a female. She also lead for 19 laps overall in the race and finished 4th. Again the highest ever by a woman. She beat Janet Guthrie’s 9th place finish in 1978. Danica was also named Rookie of the Year for the Indianapolis 500 that year.
In July 2005, Danica won her first pole at Kansas. She was the second women to accomplish that. (Sarah Fisher was the first woman to win an Indy Car pole in 2002.)
In 2006 – 2007, Danica experienced the ups and downs of racing. She had moderate success but never a win. She finished in 8th place at the Indy 500 and 9th overall in the IndyCar Series.
But that all changed last Sunday.
Danica would no longer be plagued by the question of when she was going to have her first win. Her team owner, Michael Andretti told the press, “I’m thrilled for her that the monkey is finally off her back.”
Danica’s show of emotion in Victory Lane shows how she not only felt pressure to achieve the first win but also the depth of her personal ambition to win.
The question for Danica has now changed. It becomes, “Will Danica make the switch to NASCAR?” This question was loud back in July 2006. But the situation has now changed. Danica has proved that she can win in IndyCar.
NASCAR would benefit if Danica makes a decision to move from open-wheel to stock car racing. This year’s crop of open-wheel racers who did just that shows that success is not guaranteed. It will take hard work and determination. Danica has proved that she has that.
Does NASCAR need Danica? Several commentators have said that NASCAR does not need Danica but that NASCAR could benefit from Danica. But I disagree. NASCAR needs Danica because NASCAR needs women in all areas of the sport. There are very few sports where women can go head-to-head with men. Car racing is one of them. The early female pioneers have shown it can be done.
Shirley Muldowney is a legendary drag racer. She was the first woman to receive a license to drive a top fuel dragster and won the NHRA top fuel championship three times. She is ranked 5th on the National Hot Rod Association Top Fifty Drivers 1951 – 2000.
Janet Guthrie raced in both NASCAR and Indy Car. Janet is the only female to compete in both the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500. She was the first woman to compete in a NASCAR Winston Cup event. (Louise Smith was the first female to compete at NASCAR's highest level in 1949 when Winston Cup was known as Strictly Stock.)
It is time for Danica to climb on the shoulders of these pioneers and show that a woman can race well and make it to the top. She has proven herself talented and tough enough.
It is time for NASCAR to step up to the plate and make it attractive for this driver to enter the male-dominated ranks of driving and broaden the thinking of fellow drivers and fans. NASCAR should include women as equal partners on the track if the women are willing to do the work required to make a good racer.
Danica has shown herself willing and able to do just that.
You can contact Brenda Benedict at .. Insider Racing News
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