Congratulations Danica

[Tater]

I'm with you, Vette: I usually can't stand anything that's been hyped up. The only reason I turned it to the 500 was because I was between episodes of American Chopper and was curious to see how things were going. I'd heard that Danica was racing and was interested to see how she'd handle herself. I was a little skeptical myself but when I saw how she drove I was hypnotized. I think she's just what this sport needs to bring it back to life. Seems like Indy had fallen behind NASCAR in the last dozen years and maybe she can breath some life back into it. God knows I wouldn't mind her breathing some life into me.

[BILLY D.]

FABS

THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT. I COULDN'T RESIST.

THE WINNER WAS ...........................................................................

DAN WHELDON FROM ENGLAND. AN DTHE NEXT TWO PLACES WERE ALSO FOREIGNERS.

[popplecop]

gregarat, Don't even go down that slippery slope. I have a real problem, married to a Wisconsin gal for 43 years, and the ultimate insult: she's a vikings fan. YUK, but after 43 years I grin and bear it.

[fabsroman]

Thanks Billy, that jogged my memory.

As far as Indy Cars catching up to NASCAR, they have a very long way to go. If I am not mistaken, NASCAR is the biggest sport in this country right now and it is probably still growing. NASCAR probably appeals to most middle Americans because it reminds them of themselves with cars that they can possibly be driving themselves. Indy seems to be the rich man's car racing.

By the way, what is CART? Is CART the American league and Formula 1 the European league of open wheel racing? Also, wasn't there a split of the American circuit several years ago which caused the down fall of the sport in America? I think I remember my brother telling me something to that effect.

[BILLY D.]

FABS

GLAD I COULD HELP YOUR MEMORY.

YES THERE WAS A SPLIT IN INDY TYPE RACING WITH CHAMPIONSIP AUTO RACING TEAMS, CART AND THE IRL. AT THAT TIME I WASN'T PARTICULARY INTO THE RACING SCENE, I WAS RAISING 5 KIDS ON MY OWN, DOING MY JOB IN THE MILITARY AND CHASING SKIRTS ON THE SIDE. I'M SURPRISED I'M STILL ALIVE.

FROM WHAT I CAN RECALL THE WHOLE THING STARTED OVER THE COSWORTH ENGINE, BY THE WAY, I AM A RED, WHITE AND BLUE DIED IN THE WOOL FORD RACING FAN, HENCE MY ADMIRATION FOR LYN ST. JAMES AND HER HOOK UP WITH, HERES THOSE WORDS AGAIN, DANICA PATRICK. LYN WAS A GREAT ROAD RACER, AND FORD WAS BURNING UP THE TRACKS IN THOSE DAYS. ALSO THEY DID FAIR TO MIDDLIN' IN NASCAR WITH DRIVERS LIKE ALLISON, PEARSON, YARBROUGH, THE WOOD BROTHERS AND SUCH.

ONE FACTION OF INDY WANTED DIFFERENT BODY STYLES AND RICEBURNER ENGINES AND THE OTHER FACTION NO RICEBURNERS AND ONE BODY STYLE SO THE TWO FACTIONS SPLIT, TOOK THEIR MARBLES HOME AND SPLIT TOTALLY AND CUT THEIR OWN THROATS. NEITHER SUCCEEDED IN BEING AS SUCCESSFUL AS ORIGINAL INDY RACING. TECHNICALLY THEY ARE STILL BLEEDING TODAY.

FORMULA 1 IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME. ACTUALLY FOR THE FANS IT'S PARTY TIME. THE OLD TRACKS WERE LAYED OUT ON ACTUAL PUBLIC HIGHWAYS THAT WERE CLOSED FOR RACING. THERE ARE SEATS FOR THE FANS AT THE START FINISH LINE BUT OTHER THAN THAT THERE WERE AREAS AROUND THE TRACK AT SPECIAL PLACES FOR CAMPING, VIEWING THE RACE, REFRESHMENTS, AND LATRINES. AT NURBURGRING, THE TRACK WAS, IF I A'M NOT MISTAKEN 17 K LONG. YOU ONLY SEEN THE LEAD PACK OF CARS FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN IT WAS BACK TO DRINKING BEER, EATING BRATWURST AND LISTENING TO THE RACE ON THE LOUDSPAKERS. THAT WAS WHY NIKKI LAUDAS CRASH WAS SO TERRIBLE. IT TOOK SO LONG FOR THE SAFETY AND MEDICAL TEAMS TO GET THERE. AFTER THAT RACE THE SAFETY OFFICALS OF F-1 REASSED THEIR GOALS. THE TRACK IS NOW MUCH SHORTER. I WASN'T A LAUDA FAN BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU DON'T WANT ANYONE KILLED OR INJURED EITHER. I WAS A JOHN PLAYER SPECIAL FAN AT THAT TIME. THEY HAD THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CARS YOU'VE EVER SEEN, ALL BLACK WITH GOLD OUTLINES AND THAT GREAT FORD ENGINE IN THE REAR. WHAT A TIME FOR A FORD LOVER. LIKE I SAID I ALWAYS LOVED OPEN WHEEL AND ROAD RACING.

I HOPE MY INFO HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT ACCURATE, IF NOT I'M SURE SOMEONE ELSE WILL HELP US OUT. THATS WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR.

WHILE I'M ON THIS SUBJECT......AGAIN, I KNOW THERE ARE A FEW LADIES ON THIS FORUM AND NOT ONE OF THEM HAS JUMPED IN TO HELP ME OUT. GEEEEEEEEEZ, GIRLS, I NEEDED SOME HELP AND YA HUNG ME OUT TO DRY. OF COURSE MAYBE THEY AREN'T RACE FANS. I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR AN INTERCHANGE OF IDEAS ABOUT THE SUBJECT.

I THINK PLACING DANICA IN THE SPOTLIGHT IS A GOOD THING, CAN SHE OUT ARM WRESTLE THE GUYS, PROBABLY NOT, THATS NOT THE POINT, CAN SHE OUT DRIVE THEM, DEFINITELY.

I THINK ANY FRESH FACE ON THE SPORTS SCENE IS A POSITIVE. ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE SQUEAKY CLEAN. LOOK AT THE UPROAR JEFF GORDON CAUSED WHEN HE BURST ON THE SCENE. OTHER THAN BROOKE PROBLEMS HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB. I HEAR HE HAD A SMALL PROBLE AT THE CUBS GAME THE OTHER DAY THOUGH.
MAYBE HE'S JUST NOT A SINGER. BY THE WAY.....I'M NOT A GORDON FAN EITHER.

WELL TIME TO TAKE MOOSEBREATH ON HIS DAILY RUN. THAT DOG IS KILLING ME. OR MAYBE HE'S KEEPING ME HONEST.

IF I AIN'T BACK BY 1900HRS CALL 911.......PLEASE.

[fabsroman]

Billy,

Did you actually name the dog Moosebreath? I thought his name was Fitz or something to that effect.

I will agree that new faces are good for sports. Kind of like Freddie Adu in soccer. There was so much hype about him being great at such a young age and possibly being the next Pele. We'll have to wait and see about that one.

Then there is basketball with Len Bias. He was supposed to bring a spark to the NBA and he up and died from a cocaine overdose. However, Michael Jordan was in the same college graduating class as Len Bias and Michael Jordan turned out to be the big star. Kind of makes you wonder about what it would have been like had Len Bias lived and played against Jordan in the NBA. They should have actually played against each other in college because Jordan was a North Carolina Tarheel and Bias was a Maryland Terp (i.e., both teams were in the ACC conference).

Essentially, sports leagues try to promote the best thing they have going on. For instance, after the early 90's strike in baseball, a lot of fans were pissed off. About the only thing baseball had going for it was that Cal Ripken was on the verge of breaking Lou Gerig's record for the most consecutive games played of something around 3,000. Boy did Major League Baseball hype that stuff up after the strike was over. I won't even get into baseball's extremely lax steroid testing while the home run records were being broken left and right in the late 90's. I remember how wowed baseball fans were that the records were being broken. Now, there are several allegations that Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were on the juice when they broke the records. How does their breaking the record compare to the record that Roger Merris held.

As I stated before, sports leagues have way too much money riding on their continued existance. That is why I think there is way too much corruption involved. Hence, the reason I tend to follow a lot less of it than I used to.

[BILLY D.]

HEY FABS

NO I DID NOT NAME HIM MOOSEBREATH, THATS JUST A NICKNAME, HIS NAME IS FRITZ. I SPENT TOO MUCH TIME IN ALASKA. MOOSE ARE JUST COMMONLY REFERED TO THERE. JUST AN EXPRESSION , MOOSE FACE, MOOSE BUTT ETC. THERE ARE MEESE ALL OVER THERE. UNLESS YOU ARE HUNTING THEM, THEN THE BEST PLACE TO TRY IS DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE.

MY DAUGHTER HAS PICTURES OF MOOSE AT THE DRIVE THROUGH OF A BANK AND ANOTHER OF A COW AND HER NEWBORN CALF ON THE FRONT LAWN OF THE HOSPITAL. THERE IS ALSO GREAT SALMON FISHING IN THE CREEK THAT RUNS THROUGH ANCHORAGE.

I AGREE ABOUT THE MONEY IN SPORTS AND WHAT A TURN OFF IT IS. I'M NOT NEARLY THE SPORTS FANATIC I WAS WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. IT'S ALL BIG BUSINESS NOW. DON'T BLAME YOU ABOUT FOLLOWING SPORTS, LIKE I SAID I'M NOT THAT WILD ABOUT IT ANYMORE EITHER.

AS FAR AS STEROIDS ARE CONCERNED THE RECORDS SHOULD BE ERASED PREFERABLY, OR ASTERISKED. BONDS, SOSA AND MCGUIRE WOULDN'T MAKE A ZIT ON HANK AARON OR MARIS'S BACKSIDE. OR THE BABE EITHER. YOU DON'T HAVE FOREARMS AND GROW THE WAY THOSE GUYS DID BY PICKING YOUR NOSE.

I'M GONE. GOTTA BURN SOME SUPPER. LATER.

[8X56MS]

For all the hoopla, I was not impressed. She is a good driver, but not a Great driver. Maybe in time, but not now.
I like this take on things:
http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=8232

frankly, I dont care much for driver-ettes though.

[fabsroman]

Pretty good article.

I always find that there is more than one way to spin something. Heck, I have to do that all the time in my profession.

It is amazing what event and league promoters can do.

[LoneWolf]

articles are good but pictures are worth thousands of words (and whistles)

http://www.indymotorspeedway.com/danica.htm

[fabsroman]

LW,

I had seen most of the FHM pics after I read an article about her on Yahoo. However, I didn't get to see the one with her spread across the hood of that car. She is definitely smoking in that one.

There is no denying that she it beautiful, in fact, I will go so far as to say she is hot.

However, I was hoping for pictures showing how she lost control of the car at Indy.

By the way, is that a tatoo on her back? My sister got one when she turned 18 and now that she is 25 she wants to get rid of it.

[BILLY D.]

HEY FABS

SHE ALREADY SAID HOW SHE WRECKED. THE GUY IN FRONT CHECKED UP AND SHE SAID SHE WAS OVERDRIVING AND HIT HIM.

IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY SHE APOLOGIZED TO THE OTHER DRIVER.

NOW QUIT TRYING TO GRIND HER INTO THE PAVEMENT AND LOOK AT THE PRETTY PICTURES.

MY PULSE RATE WENT UP 30 POINTS.

LONEWOLF

THANX FOR POSTING THE PICTURES. I THOUGHT ABOUT IT BUT DIDN'T WANT TO LABELED A SEXIST PIG. I FIGURED I'D GET IN ENOUGH TROUBLE JUST CONGRATULATING HER CALLING HER A GOOD DRIVER.

[fabsroman]

Billy,

Imagine how much I would have stirred the pot if you had posted the pictures.

I did read somewhere that she felt as though the car slowed up in front of her, but that she would have to look at the video to figure it all out. Kind of tells me that she wasn't completely sure about it. Plus, what does it matter if they guy slowed up, shouldn't she have seen the brake lights. LOL




I know the cars don't have brake lights, just thought I would pull your chain a little.




For the umpteen time, I will say that she did pretty good for a rookie, but only time will tell if she is a great driver or not. Everybody has good days and bad days, but accomplishments are measured over years, not merely 4 or 5 races.

[BILLY D.]

FABS

MY POINT PRECISLY ABOUT THE PICTURES. I GUESS I'M A LITTLE OLD FASHIONED IN SOME WAYS. IF YOU HAVE TO SELL YOUR PRODUCT WITH SEX YOU HAVE A ADVERTISING AND PR PROBLEM.

I BASED MY ASSESSMENT OF HER FROM THE INTERVIEW SHE HAD WITH DAVID LETTERMAN. #1 SHE DRESSED LIKE A LADY, NOT A HOOKER. #2 HER SPEAKING WAS VERY ELOQUENT, NOT EVEN THE HINT A BAD WORD. #3 HER MATURITY, NO TEENEY BOPPER TALK. AND SHE CARRIED HERSELF WELL. #4, JUST AIN'T NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT, SHE IS ONE FINE LOOKING HAMMER.

YOUR THEORY ON THE BRAKE LIGHTS IS NOT THAT FAR OFF BASE. THE CARS THAT RUN ROAD RACING EVENTS SUCH AS SEBRING AND LE MANS AND FORMULA CARS HAVE HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS. NO I'M NOT GOING TO USE THAT AS AN EXCUSE FOR HER. SHE SAID SHE BLEW IT. THAT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE ON HER PART ALSO.

I THINK SHE DID OUTSTANDING AS A ROOKIE. AND I HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOUR POINT ABOUT IF SHE IS A GREAT DRIVER. AS A ROOKIE DEFINITELY, AS A GREAT DRIVER LIKE VUKOVICH, SWEIKERT, GURNEY, FOYT, ANDRETTI, CLARK, HILL, OR THE UNSERS, NO SHE HAS NOT REACHED THAT LEVEL YET.

ALTHOUGH AT THE SAME TIME CAREER WISE THOSE GUYS WEREN'T AS GOOD AS HER. BUT DUE TO THE CHANGE IN TRAINING AND RACE EXPERIENCE SHE IS AHEAD. THATS NO FAULT OF THOSE DRIVERS. LETS FACE IT THE EQUIPMENT IS JUST SOOOO MUCH BETTER NOWADAYS. DRIVER EDUCATION IS TOO. AND THE PIT CREWS THESE DAYS ARE FILLED WITH ENGINEERING TYPES.
LOOK AT RYAN NEWMAM IN NASCAR, HE HAS A MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEGREE FROM PURDUE. THESE PEOPLE AREN'T THE TYPE PEOPLE WHO PICK THEIR NOSE AND WIPE IT ON THEIR SHIRT.

I SAY DANICA IS A GREAT ROOKIE, WILL SHE BE A GREAT DRIVER OVER THE YEARS, AS YOU SAY ONLY TIME WILL TELL. I AGREE.

BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, SHE IS FINER THAN FROG FUR, AND CUTER THAN A BOX OF SPECKLED PUPS. I ONLY WISH HER THE BEST IN THE FUTURE. SHE HAS THE TALENT, CAN SHE STICK AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO USE IT?

[fabsroman]

Well put Billy, I can't find anything to disagree with in that post.

However, I remember listening to Britney Spears being interviewed on the radio when she was 16 or so. I was in law school so that must have been 7+ years ago. She sounded pretty mature and value oriented. She was saying how she wanted to be a virgin on her wedding day. Now look at her. A complete disaster.

There is another thread on here about responsibility and how the stars lack it. Hopefully, Danica will be able to overcome this problem. Seems like she is on her way by taking responsibility for the accident. I'll be following what she does to see how everything turns out. Hopefully, the open wheel league will be around long enough for her to do something.