Tag Archive | danica patrick

Is It Time To Evolve Our Opinion Of Danica?

Danica Patrick & Tony Stewart Are Fast Friends 2013 USA Today

Danica Patrick & Tony Stewart Are Fast Friends
(Photo: Davis Turner, for USA TODAY)

Danica Patrick Enter The 2013 Sprint Cup Series
by Springwolf

If you’ve read any of my Nascar posts, you know I’m pretty critical of Danica. Just check out “Why Nascar Fans Don’t Like Danica” and you’ll find the reasons why.

This year she will be driving the GoDaddy #10 Chevy full time in the Sprint Cup series for Stewart-Haas Racing.

Now as a major Tony Stewart fan, I’ve been conflicted about Danica from the beginning. I want to support him as both a driver and an owner. But it’s been hard where she’s concerned. Even knowing how much Tony likes her and believes in her abilities. (Danica and Tony are Fast Friends by Nate Ryan – USA Today)

Make no mistake, I think bringing her on board at Stewart-Haas Racing is a great business decision. She’s immensely popular. She garners a great deal of attention no matter what she does or where she goes.

As the Marketing reps say…there’s no such thing as bad publicity. You merely need to look at the response to this years Superbowl GoDaddy commercial to see that concept working in reality. As soon at that supermodel/nerd kiss commercial aired, Twitter lit up with comments. With each and every one of them mentioning “Go Daddy” in their disgust. But that gross commercial, pulled in record business for the Dot.com and that’s what it’s all about. Sales!

So yeah it’s a great business decision having her on the team. But business decisions don’t play out on the track with fans hoping for a win from their favorite driver. Continue reading

Why Nascar Fans Don’t Like Danica

Earned..or..Entitled?
By Springwolf

Nascar is a family, for drivers and teams and for fans. Get to a track at 7am for tailgating and behind the back of every truck, suv or car will have some form of ‘homestead’ ready to party and have a good time with their neighboring tailgaters. People share specially cooked goodies, treats, recipes and cheers or chides for their neighbors favorite driver compared to their own. With such a family and fun loving comradery, why is it that some drivers aren’t welcomed into the fold equally or as openly as others?

Fans have their favorite drivers, favorite teams and favorite owners in each of the Nascar series. They also have those they don’t like and they’d love to see hit the wall and knock themselves out of the race. I could say there are drivers fans love to hate, but no matter how much fans don’t like a driver, they don’t want to see them hurt when they do hit the wall. So you can’t say real fans hate any of the drivers in the series. As long as they don’t hit the wall and then turn down into our favorite driver or one of his team mates.

So with all that family emotion going on in the stands and outside the track, as well as in the infield; why has it been so hard for Danica Patrick to find acceptance in Nascar? Well that’s easy, she hasn’t earned it. And that’s the only real reason.  Continue reading