Congratulations Danica

[BILLY D.]

THIS YOUNG LADY IS THE REAL DEAL. INTELLIGENT, TOUGH, SAVY, GREAT DRIVER AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF SHES REAL NICE TO LOOK AT. AND SHES ONLY 23.

HOLY SMOKE WHAT A FUTURE SHE HAS. LYN ST. JAMES MUST BE FEELING EXTREMELY PROUD RIGHT NOW.

DANICA IS JUST A SUPER PERSON. SHE HAS MY TOTAL RESPECT AND ADMIRATION. WHAT ODDS SHE HAD TO OVERCOME TO GET WHERE SHE IS TODAY. WOW.

GO DANICA.

[Tater]

I watched about the last 40 laps and it was pretty incredible. She's not a good driver "for a woman", she's a great driver period. Ditto what Billy said.

[popplecop]

She's a Wisconsin girl, what do expect?

[fabsroman]

From what I read, she made a couple of rookie mistakes and might have won it if she hadn't made them. She stalled the car on a pit stop and she also got sideways and wrecked the car. Her crew also had her low on fuel at the end and she had to back off on the last 10 laps. If I were her I would have gambled and if I ran out of fuel so be it. The guy who won ran out of fuel on his cool down lap. Sometimes you just have to roll the dice.

With all that said, I think she is a pretty good driver and will do just fine over time. Like any other rookie, nothing can replace experience.

[BILLY D.]

HEY FABS

I DISAGREE WITH YOUR SCENARIO. I THINK THE SITUATION WAS HANDLED CORRECTLY. YES SHE COULD HAVE RUN FLAT OUT AND FINISHED IN THE BACK OF THE PACK AND THE NAYSAYERS WOULD HAVE BEEN BEATING ON THEIR CHESTS SAYING "ANOTHER BROAD FINISHES #20, HO-HUM".

I THINK RAHAL DID THE RIGHT THING. WITH RAHALS THINKING AND HER DETERMINATION SHE GOT A TOP FIVE. AND DON'T YOU KNOW ALL THE STUDLY TYPES WILL BE IN HER FACE THE REST OF THE SEASON. THIS IS GOING TO BE FUNNNN.

I JUST LOVE THIS KID, SHE CAN TURN ON THE SEX APPEAL AND CHARM WHEN SHE HAS TO, DRIVE LIKE A DEMON WHEN SHE HAS TO AND STILL BE A LADY IN THE END.

I AM JUST AWED.

HEY SPEAKING OF LADIES, YOU GOT A GREAT ONE. ANY WOMAN WHO WOULD CLEAN DOG CRAP OUT OF A GUYS CAR HAS MY RESPECT. SHE IS A REAL KEEPER.

QUITE OBVIOUSLY SHE LIKES YOUR RELATIONSHIP OR SHE WOULDN'T HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT ORDEAL. YOU BETTER TREAT HER LIKE A QUEEN SON.

HAVE A GOOD ONE.

[fabsroman]

Trust me, I know that it would be extremely hard to come across another woman like my fiance. She is good looking, smart, and yet homely and down to earth. She had great values and is pretty frugal.

As far as Indy is concerned, Danica's team might have handled the fuel situation correctly, but nobody will really know except them because they will know exactly how much fuel was left in the car at the end of the race. Plus, it wasn't Danica's call. When her pit tells her that she has to back off, she has to back off. I think her average lap speeds decreased by about 5 mph.

My point is that if she didn't stall the car and she didn't wreck, she would have gained time and maybe had enough fuel at the end to really give them a run for their money.

I also have mixed feelings about women in certain situations. One example is in military platoons. I don't know about car racing yet, but something tells me that we are able to deal with the death of Dale Earnhardt a little easier than if we were to see Danica Patrick go up in a smoke cloud. That would be extremely tragic. Women want to be treated as equals, and in some places they should be and are, but I still believe in saving the women and children at all costs.

[BILLY D.]

I DON'T CARE IF SHE DID MAKE MISTAKES, THATS WHAT BEING A ROOKIE IS ALL ABOUT. SHE ALSO MADE UP 12 PLACES AFTER THEM.

AS FAR AS THE OUT CRY FROM A BAD ACCIDENT, EVERYBODY KNOWS IF YOU PLAY WITH THE BULL YOU MIGHT GET THE HORN. I'M SURE BOTH SHE AND HER PARENTS BOTH REALIZE THE DANGERS OF RACING OR ANY OTHER COMPETITIVE SPORT FOR THAT MATTER. SHES ONLY BEEN DOING THIS FOR 14 YEARS NOW. AND EVEN IF THE WORST DID HAPPEN, SO WHAT, AT LEAST IT WOULD BE DOING SOMETHING SHE TRULY LOVES. AT LEAST SHE WOULDN'T BE HOME SETTING IN THE GARDEN WATCHING THE GRASS GROW AND FADE AWAY. WHO IN THE HELL WANTS TO DIE THAT WAY? NOT ME.

MY OLD SLOGAN: I'D RATHER DIE FROM BURNOUT THAN RUST OUT.

I WANT TO DIE ACTIVE. I DON'T WANT TO WAKE UP SOME MORNING DEAD. IF IT'S MY TIME I WANT IT TO BE WHILE I'M HUNTING OR FISHING OR HAVING . DAMN IF I WANT TO JUST WAKE UP DEAD. HOW PATHETIC.

ONE OTHER POINT TO PONDER, REMEMBER THERE WERE 29 OTHER CARS BEHIND DANICA SUCKING HIND TIT TRYING TO CATCH UP. AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN SOME OF THEM HAD YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED IT WAS A WIN FOR DANICA AND HER CREW AND OWNERS. I WILL NOT BE CONVINCED OTHERWISE. AND I'M A HARD HEADED KRAUT.

ONE OF OUR POSTERS HERE HAS IT NAILED; THE ONE ABOUT ARRIVING AT THE GRAVESITE, BURNED OUT, TOTALLY USED UP, BROKEN AND SLIDING IN SIDEWAYS, AND SAYING "WOW WHAT A RIDE". THATS A LIFE.

I'M LIKE A PIT BULL WITH A SOUP BONE, I WON'T LET GO. IF YOU WANT TO ARGUE SOME LET ME KNOW; I FIGURE I GOT 20 OR 30 GOOD YEARS LEFT TO ARGUE. THAT IS IF THE GOOD LORDS WILLIN'.

[rubicon]

Saw an interview with Danica and her parents yesterday. Seems she comes from a racing family. Both parents raced and her little sister and her have raced go carts since a young age. She came across as a very talented, humble, and intellegent young lady. Gave thanks to her crew, admitted to her mistakes but also said it was the first time for her in a race of that magnitude and she would learn from those mistakes. After all , she did set a record and just like the ladies running the Idetorod I say hats off to them for trying to concour new fronteers.

[gregarat]

Popplecop,

She's a Wisconsin girl, what do expect?

I know what you mean. I got me one of them!


Now, I gota convert her from a Greenbay fan into a Steelers fan. If thats even posible.

[BILLY D.]

RUBICON,

I COULDN'T EVEN IMAGINE THE PRESSURE THAT YOUNG LADY WAS FACING. 200,000 FANS HER CREW, HER MOM AND DAD, AND EVERY WOMAN IN AMERIA AND A FEW OF US GUYS, FIANC'E, UNBELIEVEABLE. SHE IS JUST SUPER. SOOOO MANY PEOPLE DEPENDING ON HER. AND SHE PULLED IT OFF.

SHE WILL BE AMERICAS SWEETHEART. I JUST HOPE AND PRAY NOTHING BAD HAPPENS TO HER, BUT THE WAY SHE HANDLES A CAR IS JUST SOMETHING TO BEHOLD.

[fabsroman]

Billy,

I am not saying that she is a bad driver, and I believe I said that above. She has done well but she did make rookie mistakes, I stated that above. Only time will tell how good a driver she is. Let's keep in mind that a lot about car racing has to do with the car and how well it runs. I don't care how good a driver you are, you aren't going to win if you are driving a donkey while the others are in cars.

I will agree that it seems that Danica is a classy lady based upon what comments of hers I have read, but to determine that somebody is classy based upon what we see on TV is pretty shallow. If she were a piece of manure, she probably wouldn't have a ride for very long. Same thing goes for Nascar. Those guys and gals all represent some major manufacturer and no major manufacturer wants a piece of manure to have its name on it.

Do you guys realize what we are doing here? We are doing exactly what the race promoters want us to do. We are jumping on the band wagon because of this. We are paying attention to a race that we normally wouldn't. At least I am. It is quite amusing. I sometimes wonder if things like this are fixed (e.g., allow Danica to have engine mods that are outside the rules). Sometimes I wonder about all of professional sports because there is way too much money involved in them nowadays.

Why is it that her story is so enthralling and you believe she is under a lot more pressure than anybody else out there? Because they want you to think that. Do we know everybody else's story? Maybe one of those other drivers is on the verge of losing his ride. Maybe one of them has to do well to stay in the house his family is in. There is no saying what pressure the rest of the drivers are under because you do not know, and why is that, because it doesn't make quite as compelling a story.

As far as arguing goes, I get paid to do it, so you could kind of say I am a professional.

As far as the post you refer to, I believe it was Rocky Raab that posted that somewhere on here a while ago and I completely agree with it, unless of course you happen to be dead from your actions at a young age and you are leaving some young children behind. My brother is a year younger than me and he is a thrill seeker. Plenty of motorcycle, 4 wheeler, and car wrecks along with broken bones and hospital visits. Something tells me that when he is your age (i.e., 70), he will be wishing that he didn't do all that stuff because that is when he will probably have to deal with the aches and pains. Then again, I am continuously praying to God that he will make it to 70. He has had plenty of near escapes from death over the past 15 years.

There is a fine line between using a body up before passing on and destroying it early and passing on before your time. I could continue on this subject, but won't.

[Rocky Raab]

That wasn't my line - it's somebody's sig line. I forget who.

It's an interesting philosophy, although there's something to be said for gradually developing a contemplative, somewhat bemused outlook as we age.

Physical activity is one thing, and I hope that I'll be capable of it for many decades to come, but what I dread most is mental deterioration.


Geez, look what I went and done - turned an upbeat post about a vivacious young woman into a dirge. To compensate...

She's fabulous. Look how well she did despite making mistakes. Imagine how she'll finish without an error! I hope the media can stop concentrating on her looks and those "pinup" pictures she did. But maybe those were rookie mistakes, too. She'll outgrow them.

[BILLY D.]

FABS

I'LL ANSWER BY PARAGRAPH.

P#1.SURPRISE, SURPRISE. THE BEST PREPARED CARS USUALLY DO WIN RACES. THAT ALSO HOLDS TRUE FOR THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND BEST EQUIPMENT.

P#2. WHAT DO YOU MEAN "SEEMS" CLASSY. SHES NEVER BEEN IN ANY TROUBLE, THAT WE KNOW OF ANYWAY, SHES SQUEAKY CLEAN. WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED.

P#3. YOUR DARNED RIGHT I REALIZE WHAT I'M DOING. I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING INDY CAR RACING SINCE I ATTENDED MY FIRST INDY 500. THE SWEETEST SOUND IN THE WORLD IS A FORD COSWORTH RUNNING AT 11 GRAND TO ME. ALTHOUGH THE RICE BURNER ENGINES HAVE TAKEN OVER. I WAS A FAN OF FORMULA 1 WHEN I WAS STATIONED IN GERMANY AND I WAS AT THE NURBURGRING THE DAY NIKKI LAUDA HAD HIS HORRIFIC CRASH. I'VE BEEN TO MONACO, SPA FRANCORCHAMPS. I LOVE ROAD RACING.

P#4. WHY IS THIS STORY SO ENTHRALLING? YOUR REALLY STARTING TO AGRAVATE ME NOW. QUOTE FROM TOM SELLECK,QUIGLEY.
FIRST SHES A WOMAN, DIDN'T WE PREVIOUSLY COVER THAT?
SECOND SHE IS AN ALL AMERICAN MIDWEST GIRL ALBEIT SEVERAL YEARS IN BRITISH DRIVING SCHOOLS TUTORED BY LYN ST. JAMES AND OTHERS. IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO TAKE NOTICE THE LACK OF AMERICAN DRIVERS IN THE INDY 500. MOST ARE SOUTH AMERICAN, EUROPEAN, ETC. DO THE NAMES WHELDON, CASTRONEVES, MEIRA, FRANCHETTI MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU? THERE ARE LESS THAN A DOZEN DRIVERS IN THE "INDY" RACING LEAGUE THAT ARE AMERICANS.

AS FOR BEING ABLE TO TAKE PRESSURE, SHE PROVED SHE CAN DO IT.

AS FOR ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE LOSING A RIDE, WELL BOO HOO HOO. I'M SURE SHE KNOWS IF HER PERFORMANCE LEVEL DROPS OFF SHE WILL BE DISMISSED.

THAT WASD ALMOST AS GOOD A STATEMENT AS ROBBIE GORDON MADE TODAY. HE SAID HE WOULD NOT RACE AGAINST HER BECAUSE SHE ONLY WEIGHS 100# AND HER CAR IS LIGHTER AND FASTER. SNIFF. SNIFF. TALK ABOUT WALKING UP YOUR NECKTIE WITH YOUR GOLF SHOES ON. THAT BOY HAS SNORTED TO MANY GAS FUMES.

P#5. N/A

P#6I DID NOT MEAN TO IMPLY I OR ANOTHER PERSON SHOULD BE SUICIDAL IN THEIR LIFE CHOICES, I MERELY MEANT TO SAY I DON'T WANT TO CROAK DO TO PARALYSIS. AND YES I'M STILL REMINDED OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBAL INJURIES, DO I REGRET IT. NOPE.

I'M DONE FOR THE DAY. MY HAND IS KILLING ME.

NIGHTY, NIGHT.

[Classicvette63]

Personally, I was turned off by all the hype in the preceding days. All the talking heads on tv said she should be treated as an equal to men and the same as men, BUT when was the last time anyone cared who came in fourth? I'm glad she did well and she seems like a nice person. I'm a little cynical at the motivations of big business, especially a big business that is in deep trouble like indy car racing. Too much hype and spin in everything these days for my tastes. I do wish her well though.

[fabsroman]

Billy,

Classic understood my point in paragraph #4. Personally, I could have cared less about Indy Car racing or Formula 1 racing. I used to watch the stuff when I was a kid, but not much recently. However, I have been watching a little bit of NASCAR lately including the truck series. The only reason I followed this is because it was all over the internet and people happened to be talking about (i.e., my dad, my brothers, my future mother in-law).

My point about other people losing their rides if they didn't perform was to show that other drivers could have been under immense pressure too, not just Danica Patrick. Other drivers might have had to deal with much more pressure than Danica, but you congratulate her for handling the pressure well. However, only her media induced pressure was advertized because it made the story all the better. Were there any other rookie drivers in the Indy 500? How come we haven't heard about them? Then again, maybe there weren't any.

What I hate is all the press that women get when they are trying to enter the men's category. A Navy fighter pilot was pushed through flight school because the Navy was under pressure to have women fighter pilots. Guess what she did with her F-14 the first time off the carrier? She stalled the plane and both her and her REO had to eject as the plane was spinning and falling. The REO ejected while the plane was at a 90 degree angle to the water and he skipped along it for a little while. The female pilot ejected while the plane was at a 180 degrees to the horizon and she ejected straight into the water. Needless to say, she didn't live.

As I said earlier, women are better than men at certain things and it looks like car racing might be one of them since women in general are lighter than men. I am all for having no more womens leagues and combining all the sports into a single one. Mia Hamm should play with all the guys. There shouldn't be any women's basketball league, etc. If women want to race cars, they should have their own league so there will be no squacking about an unfair advantage. They want their own leagues when it suits them, but not in this case. Then again, with the limited number of fans that follow Indy Cars nowadays, they probably couldn't generate enough interest for a female circuit. How come Danica couldn't race in the NASCAR series which is much more popular? Is that just not her type of racing or is it that she isn't good enough. I also realize that most of the Indy Car drivers are foreigners, but most, if not all, of the NASCAR drivers are American.

What I find hilarious is that you posted only about Danica Patrick and didn't congratulate the winner of the Indy 500. So be it. Yes, Danica is a great driver, but does she deserve all this press for finishing 4th in the Indy 500? NO. Did she deserve all the press she received before the start of the race? DEFINITELY NOT.

Hell, I cannot even remember the name of the winner now. I can only remember that Michael Andretti was the team owner.