Quick Question for NASCAR oficinados

[Tasselhoff]

First let me start by saying that I am not a big NASCAR gfan. I have been to Daytona a few times, and thoroughly enjoyed myself there, but I do not follow the sport closely.

With that disclosure I have a question:

Why is Danica Patrick roundly critized, mocked and considered a side show because she has not really won anything and Dale Jr. is loved and adored y millions. Hasn't he been racing a lot longer? Isn't his wins record less than impressive as well? Is it just because of his daddy or is it because Danica is a girl? IS Danica an attention whore or can she really drive. (Pole position makes me think she can at least drive a little).

Anyway, just looking for insight. I am NOT looking for this to end up a Too Hot topic.

[PIMking]

I hate JR with a passion because he just rides on the coatails of what his father built. Everyone made an excuse that he didn't have anything because of his step mom when he was DER and when he went to Hendrix he would do much better...

oops

[RayGator]

First of all, I'm flabbergasted about there being anything negative about Danica. I must have missed it. She is very much liked by the media, of that there is no doubt. And when her name is mentioned by any of the TV analysts during coverage of a race, it's all very positive. I remember Waltrip on there last year whom you would think was about to have an orgasm talking about her. No, I don't watch a race 100% when it's on TV. If I home, I'll have it on, sound not very loud, while I may be doing other things, and check it from time to time. So again, if she had any negativity, I missed it.

[Tasselhoff]

Most of the negative is from fans. I agree the media loves Danica...mostly because she isn't a male redneck good ole boy. But for some reason NASCAR fans seem to despise her. At least on radio call in shows, message boards and a few I heard at Daytona.

[RayGator]

Well again, and I won't get on this anymore, I know some NASCAR fans and I haven't heard it from them. My younger brother, as I was, was born in Iowa, raised in Miami, he's been very successful in his business, and certainly not a "redneck". Which is nothing more than a negative stereotype about people that may be different from us. My younger brother has been a huge NASCAR fan for decades. Me, a new and learning fan of the sport for about 10 years

I like the new young drivers we are getting in NASCAR. One is Joey Logano, the "redneck" from Connecticut.

[Bryan85]

The media/sports talkers who work for NASCAR, like D. Waltrip are required to be very positive re Patrick since the TV ratings with her ......sitting on the pole... will be through the roof. It will be like Tebow when he was winning at Denver. The non-fan will tune in and the ratings are juiced with new people as long as she's a factor.

Other drivers and team members will all fall into line, too.

[RayGator]

No doubt the ratings will be very high. The Danica story plus over the years the NASCAR races in Daytona, it seems to me, always have the most fan and media attention in the sport.

[Emmitto]

Junior has 19 career wins, but his immense fan popularity is undoubtedly because of Senior. At least early.

I believe Patrick has one career win, ever, in an Indy Car. A lot of fans feel she is not deserving of a coveted NASCAR ride.

My take: she's mediocre at best but is the best looking, can-kinda-drive female available. But if she starts winning, that would change everything. A Daytona (NASCAR's Superbowl) win would be monumental. I personally don't have any problem with her. There are several dudes who have made long careers out of being mediocre.

I personally feel a 30-something to DNF brewing.

[PIMking]

I would love to finish on her....

sorry, had to do it

[dawny]

How many starts has Mike Waltrip have ,to wins, he cannot drive a school bus, but he is putting on big show because his brother is a true driver,get off Dancia she can drive.

[Emmitto]

How many starts has Mike Waltrip have ,to wins, he cannot drive a school bus, but he is putting on big show because his brother is a true driver,get off Dancia she can drive.

4 of 770, two of them Daytona. And he is indeed a good example of making a career out of being mediocre ($43M in earnings.)

[fubar1]

I think most NASCAR fans…at least the avid ones…just need something to hate. Most of them are decent people but it's just part of their DNA to need someone to root against. They've hated Jeff Gordon for years and he's one of the top-10 best NASCAR drivers ever.

[RayGator]

I'm sorry. I just don't agree with that.

One thing I've noticed the last few years that I have begin to have an interest in NASCAR is that their fans take so many arrows from fans of other sports. I don't see that, for example, between football and basketball and baseball fans etc. I'm not sure why that is the case for NASCAR fans. I have an idea or two, just don't want to go there.

[Emmitto]

I think most NASCAR fans…at least the avid ones…just need something to hate. Most of them are decent people but it's just part of their DNA to need someone to root against. They've hated Jeff Gordon for years and he's one of the top-10 best NASCAR drivers ever.

The angst over Gordon was all about him being too young, too pretty, too Californian, and having the gall to come along as Dale Earnhardt Sr. was winding down. And Earnhardt knew it too, dubbing him "Wonder Boy" and encouraging the resistance.

I don't believe there has been a comparable situation since. Gordon ushered in a new era of driver and fans have accepted it. You don't have to be a grumpy old man from North Carolina too be legit anymore. Gordon will forever be the anti-Earnhardt Sr., but today Jr. is his teammate. A person might have lost a tooth for even suggesting that as a possibility not too long ago.

[GolphinGator]

I hate JR with a passion because he just rides on the coatails of what his father built. Everyone made an excuse that he didn't have anything because of his step mom when he was DER and when he went to Hendrix he would do much better...

oops

Hey, Kyle Petty here. Why do you talk bad on Jr?

[Dreamliner]

Junior-worship is manifestly not Junior's fault. It's an infantile behavior on the part of NASCAR fans.

Ironically, Senior was widely-hated ... until he was killed, at which time the sheep herd came to worship him and also to transfer that worship to his progeny.