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Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Q&A: IRL IndyCar Driver - Danica Patrick
MODERATOR: Now we're joined by Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 16 Argent-Pioneer/Panoz/Honda. Danica Patrick leads the Bombardier Rookie-of-the-Year standing, currently 11th, kind of flip-flopped with Patrick there for 10th the last couple weeks.
Q. This I believe will be the first track on the series that you've actually raced at before.
DANICA PATRICK: Right. It will be the first and only (laughter).
Q. Obviously, the cars are much different. Describe what kind of help that is going to be, if any.
DANICA PATRICK: You know, it's always good to have seen a track before, just to kind of know where the little bumps are here and there, and just the general feel for the size. But everything seems to shrink when you go faster. It's obviously going to be tougher and it's going to feel different. From a view perspective, at least I have an idea.
Q. You did get to race here twice in Atlantics. Can you give an idea of the progress or how it felt different maybe coming the second time with the Atlantics car compared to the first?
DANICA PATRICK: You know, once -- to be honest, once you've driven around for about five, 10 laps, you don't notice a difference. I mean, you've kind of got the track down, especially with ovals. The only thing that improves is that when race conditions come, you know what to expect slightly more from the track and from your car.
But overall, just as a track, you know, based on the track, it's pretty predictable and you know pretty much what's going on within a good few laps.
Q. Traditionally when people have looked at ovals, they've often talked about Milwaukee being about as close to a road course as you're going to see in an oval, the way it's flat, kind of the way you drive it. Is that still the case? Do you still see that a little bit? It's a whole lot different driving here than in Texas, Kansas, those types of tracks.
DANICA PATRICK: Well, you're pretty much just turning left (laughter). It's pretty much just left. So I don't really see how it is a road course of any kind. To me it's just another short oval.
Q. I guess I was referring more to the style of racing. It's not the pack-type drafting so much.
DANICA PATRICK: No, which is pretty standard for short ovals. The mile ovals are more; in Richmond's case less. There's usually not two grooves. Usually you pass and you get by or you don't. There's not as much side-by-side racing around. From that point of view it's a little bit more like a road course in that when you overtake, you overtake. You don't run side by side for five laps and go, "Oh, I lost that battle, I guess."
Q. Obviously since the Indy 500, you've been inundated and overwhelmed with requests from every type of media in the United States. How do you stay focused on your job? Media who have covered you for several years realize your talent and know you've got what it takes, whether or not you're a man or woman. How have you stayed grounded in doing your job and not letting all of this just make you crazy?
DANICA PATRICK: You know, I have to give so much credit to the team for organizing things, for making everything -- you know, everything we do is worthwhile, everything we do goes a long way. Everything we do, we maximize time. You know, it's just very planned out. At the beginning of the season, we needed to figure out where interviews fit best and where they didn't. We've really got it down now. I give so much credit to the team for not making me go crazy with so many interviews and so many different visits and appearances and stuff.
I think we all have a very good understanding and grasp for the job at hand, and that's to race the car. That's when the stories really develop and happen, is when good things happen there.
Q. Do you think you get a fair shake in your job as a driver or is it just completely overshadowed by the fact that you're a woman?
DANICA PATRICK: I definitely think I get a fair shake. There's no question about that. I feel like I have a good shot, I have a good team, there's good support, there's good faith, good confidence. I feel like sometimes people, because of the amount of media, because of the amount of attention, people seem to think I have to do things. Like I have to win right now, I have to do certain things. But I don't feel like that. I take none of that to heart. I don't feel like there's anything that I need to do for anybody else. I want to win bad enough for myself anyway, that nothing anybody can say can make me want to win any more.
I think that's one of the bad things that comes from the media and so much exposure, is that they can tend to think you need to do things to justify. And really it's just happening. I'm doing the interviews, you know, and turning down a lot. It's not like I'm just -- I'm not asking for everything. So much is coming this direction. It's what people want. It's the story that they want. You have to keep it all in perspective.
Q. Do you think your support network with your fiance and parents have also been crucial in helping you stay on an even keel with your job and personal life and responsibilities?
DANICA PATRICK: Yes. I believe because of my family, because of my friends, because of the team that I drive for, you know, I believe that I am able to focus. I'm able to vent when I need to. I'm able to be myself and to relax. Without their support and without their, you know, help, just even with simple domestic things like sending a package for me or doing a call for me, contacting someone for me, getting my motorhome to the track, whatever it may be, it's some stuff you wouldn't think is a big deal, but when you have to do everything yourself, it's impossible, so I have a lot of help.
Q. The development programs for women in NASCAR, I do a lot of work with them. Do you feel more pride, or amusement that these other leagues all of a sudden are thinking they need their Danica?
DANICA PATRICK: Do I feel more pride that they need a Danica?
Q. Do you feel pride that now other leagues are saying, "We need someone ..." ?
DANICA PATRICK: I feel flattered that they feel they need someone like me. I definitely do. I was in the middle of nowhere just looking at the newspaper, and all of a sudden I open up the sports and a big topic or headline said, "Looking for Danica." I'm like, "Holy crap." I was shocked. I'm like, "Oh, my gosh, I can't believe this." It was then in that article that I read that a lot of other women in sports, in racing, have been doing interviews since Indianapolis. I think that's great. But, you know, the good ones are going to come through. If I help, I help. If I don't, I don't. The people that are going to make it are going to make it 'cause they're good.
Q. You've had a while now to look back and reflect on Indy. I've read a few of the articles, especially by the women racers, that said they couldn't imagine what pressure you were under because sometimes women only get one chance. You were under such a limelight that if you didn't do well, everybody would say, "Women drivers," and dismiss them as a group.
DANICA PATRICK: You know, Indianapolis wasn't going to be the month that I had to do well. It just became the month that everybody wanted me to do well, and since then. And even before that.
But I was doing well anyway, and that's why the media started getting so big. That's why everything started to build so much and so much attention was there, because I was doing well, I was doing what everybody was hoping someday would happen some day with a female somewhere or just from a standpoint of originality and attention. That's what was happening.
Q. Looking back, you didn't feel any extra pressure now that you said, "Whoa, I can't believe I went through that".
DANICA PATRICK: I just felt like a lot of people were hoping with me. I think that everybody hopes I do well. The smart people know that I'm very early in my career. I've done so little, and I've done so little oval racing, there's just so much things that are new to me. Smart people, people that are educated in motor racing, know where I'm at in the learning curve. They have a good grasp of what's going on each and every weekend.
Q. I'm wondering if you're hoping that the day comes real soon that the phrase "female driver" is redundant?
DANICA PATRICK: What do you mean?
Q. That it's no longer an issue, that it's just Danica Patrick the driver and not Danica Patrick the female driver.
DANICA PATRICK: You know, I don't -- it's a tough question because so many good things come along with being a female, being original, being something different, so I'm not going to say that I don't like being a female. I do, I love it. I'm proud to be what I am and who I am and the character that I am.
I think that over time as things, you know, progress and as the experience level goes up, as I do better and better, I think whether more females come along or not, they're not going to have -- they're not going to be saying, "She's good for a girl." I already feel like they're not saying that.
If more females come along, that's fine. But, you know, they're going to come along for the right reasons, I hope, and not just because they're females. They're going to be out there because they're good drivers.
Q. Do you feel for Katherine Legg, who is following in your footsteps in Toyota Atlantics, and hears your name every week?
DANICA PATRICK: Do I feel for her? Do I feel bad for her?
Q. Like I say, she hears your name every week and she's sort of on the same development curve as you are, trying to learn as a driver.
DANICA PATRICK: You know, I think -- I don't know. I don't necessarily feel for her. It would be like saying I feel for a guy out there. It's no different. I think the good drivers are going to make it through and then we'll see what happens. You know, I guess I don't necessarily feel bad for her. I mean, I think that, you know, due to what happened at Indianapolis is part of the reason why there is more attention, and due to what's happened in my career.
Q. We in the media, sports media that cover racing, have done so much on how you've become a face for the league, maybe the face for the league. When you were out in public, how much recognition do you get?
DANICA PATRICK: Usually -- it's a question that people ask, and I don't really get much hassle until I sort of stop. If I stop at the checkout somewhere or if I stop and eat somewhere. You know, if I keep moving, people for the most part don't really stare so much.
You know, when I'm in my hometown, people stare a little bit more because they're more familiar with the face. But other than that, I usually get someone at each place I go say something or look at me a little extra. But it's by no means not changing my lifestyle, it's not hindering being able to walk around at all, no.
Q. How strange was that at first, going from where you were a couple years ago, to being a bona fide celebrity?
DANICA PATRICK: How weird is it?
Q. Yes.
DANICA PATRICK: It's flattering. It's great. But it's something that, you know, I knew could happen if things went well and if I had the chance. I knew that great things could happen in motorsports. If I went somewhere and things went well, there would be a lot of attention. It's very satisfying. You know, I feel it's a rewarding feeling because it means you're doing those things right, it means you're doing a good job. It just makes you want to do even better all the time.
MODERATOR: Thank you very much for joining us. We'll see you this weekend in Milwaukee.
Q. This I believe will be the first track on the series that you've actually raced at before.
DANICA PATRICK: Right. It will be the first and only (laughter).
Q. Obviously, the cars are much different. Describe what kind of help that is going to be, if any.
DANICA PATRICK: You know, it's always good to have seen a track before, just to kind of know where the little bumps are here and there, and just the general feel for the size. But everything seems to shrink when you go faster. It's obviously going to be tougher and it's going to feel different. From a view perspective, at least I have an idea.
Q. You did get to race here twice in Atlantics. Can you give an idea of the progress or how it felt different maybe coming the second time with the Atlantics car compared to the first?
DANICA PATRICK: You know, once -- to be honest, once you've driven around for about five, 10 laps, you don't notice a difference. I mean, you've kind of got the track down, especially with ovals. The only thing that improves is that when race conditions come, you know what to expect slightly more from the track and from your car.
But overall, just as a track, you know, based on the track, it's pretty predictable and you know pretty much what's going on within a good few laps.
Q. Traditionally when people have looked at ovals, they've often talked about Milwaukee being about as close to a road course as you're going to see in an oval, the way it's flat, kind of the way you drive it. Is that still the case? Do you still see that a little bit? It's a whole lot different driving here than in Texas, Kansas, those types of tracks.
DANICA PATRICK: Well, you're pretty much just turning left (laughter). It's pretty much just left. So I don't really see how it is a road course of any kind. To me it's just another short oval.
Q. I guess I was referring more to the style of racing. It's not the pack-type drafting so much.
DANICA PATRICK: No, which is pretty standard for short ovals. The mile ovals are more; in Richmond's case less. There's usually not two grooves. Usually you pass and you get by or you don't. There's not as much side-by-side racing around. From that point of view it's a little bit more like a road course in that when you overtake, you overtake. You don't run side by side for five laps and go, "Oh, I lost that battle, I guess."
Q. Obviously since the Indy 500, you've been inundated and overwhelmed with requests from every type of media in the United States. How do you stay focused on your job? Media who have covered you for several years realize your talent and know you've got what it takes, whether or not you're a man or woman. How have you stayed grounded in doing your job and not letting all of this just make you crazy?
DANICA PATRICK: You know, I have to give so much credit to the team for organizing things, for making everything -- you know, everything we do is worthwhile, everything we do goes a long way. Everything we do, we maximize time. You know, it's just very planned out. At the beginning of the season, we needed to figure out where interviews fit best and where they didn't. We've really got it down now. I give so much credit to the team for not making me go crazy with so many interviews and so many different visits and appearances and stuff.
I think we all have a very good understanding and grasp for the job at hand, and that's to race the car. That's when the stories really develop and happen, is when good things happen there.
Q. Do you think you get a fair shake in your job as a driver or is it just completely overshadowed by the fact that you're a woman?
DANICA PATRICK: I definitely think I get a fair shake. There's no question about that. I feel like I have a good shot, I have a good team, there's good support, there's good faith, good confidence. I feel like sometimes people, because of the amount of media, because of the amount of attention, people seem to think I have to do things. Like I have to win right now, I have to do certain things. But I don't feel like that. I take none of that to heart. I don't feel like there's anything that I need to do for anybody else. I want to win bad enough for myself anyway, that nothing anybody can say can make me want to win any more.
I think that's one of the bad things that comes from the media and so much exposure, is that they can tend to think you need to do things to justify. And really it's just happening. I'm doing the interviews, you know, and turning down a lot. It's not like I'm just -- I'm not asking for everything. So much is coming this direction. It's what people want. It's the story that they want. You have to keep it all in perspective.
Q. Do you think your support network with your fiance and parents have also been crucial in helping you stay on an even keel with your job and personal life and responsibilities?
DANICA PATRICK: Yes. I believe because of my family, because of my friends, because of the team that I drive for, you know, I believe that I am able to focus. I'm able to vent when I need to. I'm able to be myself and to relax. Without their support and without their, you know, help, just even with simple domestic things like sending a package for me or doing a call for me, contacting someone for me, getting my motorhome to the track, whatever it may be, it's some stuff you wouldn't think is a big deal, but when you have to do everything yourself, it's impossible, so I have a lot of help.
Q. The development programs for women in NASCAR, I do a lot of work with them. Do you feel more pride, or amusement that these other leagues all of a sudden are thinking they need their Danica?
DANICA PATRICK: Do I feel more pride that they need a Danica?
Q. Do you feel pride that now other leagues are saying, "We need someone ..." ?
DANICA PATRICK: I feel flattered that they feel they need someone like me. I definitely do. I was in the middle of nowhere just looking at the newspaper, and all of a sudden I open up the sports and a big topic or headline said, "Looking for Danica." I'm like, "Holy crap." I was shocked. I'm like, "Oh, my gosh, I can't believe this." It was then in that article that I read that a lot of other women in sports, in racing, have been doing interviews since Indianapolis. I think that's great. But, you know, the good ones are going to come through. If I help, I help. If I don't, I don't. The people that are going to make it are going to make it 'cause they're good.
Q. You've had a while now to look back and reflect on Indy. I've read a few of the articles, especially by the women racers, that said they couldn't imagine what pressure you were under because sometimes women only get one chance. You were under such a limelight that if you didn't do well, everybody would say, "Women drivers," and dismiss them as a group.
DANICA PATRICK: You know, Indianapolis wasn't going to be the month that I had to do well. It just became the month that everybody wanted me to do well, and since then. And even before that.
But I was doing well anyway, and that's why the media started getting so big. That's why everything started to build so much and so much attention was there, because I was doing well, I was doing what everybody was hoping someday would happen some day with a female somewhere or just from a standpoint of originality and attention. That's what was happening.
Q. Looking back, you didn't feel any extra pressure now that you said, "Whoa, I can't believe I went through that".
DANICA PATRICK: I just felt like a lot of people were hoping with me. I think that everybody hopes I do well. The smart people know that I'm very early in my career. I've done so little, and I've done so little oval racing, there's just so much things that are new to me. Smart people, people that are educated in motor racing, know where I'm at in the learning curve. They have a good grasp of what's going on each and every weekend.
Q. I'm wondering if you're hoping that the day comes real soon that the phrase "female driver" is redundant?
DANICA PATRICK: What do you mean?
Q. That it's no longer an issue, that it's just Danica Patrick the driver and not Danica Patrick the female driver.
DANICA PATRICK: You know, I don't -- it's a tough question because so many good things come along with being a female, being original, being something different, so I'm not going to say that I don't like being a female. I do, I love it. I'm proud to be what I am and who I am and the character that I am.
I think that over time as things, you know, progress and as the experience level goes up, as I do better and better, I think whether more females come along or not, they're not going to have -- they're not going to be saying, "She's good for a girl." I already feel like they're not saying that.
If more females come along, that's fine. But, you know, they're going to come along for the right reasons, I hope, and not just because they're females. They're going to be out there because they're good drivers.
Q. Do you feel for Katherine Legg, who is following in your footsteps in Toyota Atlantics, and hears your name every week?
DANICA PATRICK: Do I feel for her? Do I feel bad for her?
Q. Like I say, she hears your name every week and she's sort of on the same development curve as you are, trying to learn as a driver.
DANICA PATRICK: You know, I think -- I don't know. I don't necessarily feel for her. It would be like saying I feel for a guy out there. It's no different. I think the good drivers are going to make it through and then we'll see what happens. You know, I guess I don't necessarily feel bad for her. I mean, I think that, you know, due to what happened at Indianapolis is part of the reason why there is more attention, and due to what's happened in my career.
Q. We in the media, sports media that cover racing, have done so much on how you've become a face for the league, maybe the face for the league. When you were out in public, how much recognition do you get?
DANICA PATRICK: Usually -- it's a question that people ask, and I don't really get much hassle until I sort of stop. If I stop at the checkout somewhere or if I stop and eat somewhere. You know, if I keep moving, people for the most part don't really stare so much.
You know, when I'm in my hometown, people stare a little bit more because they're more familiar with the face. But other than that, I usually get someone at each place I go say something or look at me a little extra. But it's by no means not changing my lifestyle, it's not hindering being able to walk around at all, no.
Q. How strange was that at first, going from where you were a couple years ago, to being a bona fide celebrity?
DANICA PATRICK: How weird is it?
Q. Yes.
DANICA PATRICK: It's flattering. It's great. But it's something that, you know, I knew could happen if things went well and if I had the chance. I knew that great things could happen in motorsports. If I went somewhere and things went well, there would be a lot of attention. It's very satisfying. You know, I feel it's a rewarding feeling because it means you're doing those things right, it means you're doing a good job. It just makes you want to do even better all the time.
MODERATOR: Thank you very much for joining us. We'll see you this weekend in Milwaukee.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Danica Patrick To Promote PEAK® Antifreeze And Mr. Clean™ Products
Revving up its marketing and promotional engines, Old World Industries of Northbrook, Illinois, has today announced a multi-year agreement with IndyCar Series sensation Danica Patrick.
Patrick, the 2005 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year and leading contender for the 2005 IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year Award, will become the official product ambassador for PEAK Antifreeze products and Mr. Clean Premium Windshield Wash & Wiper Blades. Patrick will also appear in PEAK and Mr. Clean advertising, promotions and within their retail partners’ in-store
merchandising programs throughout the United States.
“I am excited to represent PEAK Antifreeze and Mr. Clean Premium Windshield Wash & Wiper Blades, which are two extremely successful and established brands,” said Patrick.
“PEAK and Mr. Clean represent quality and high performance which means a lot to me,” added Patrick.
For PEAK and Mr. Clean, securing the services of one of the hottest personalities in all of sports is yet another step in bringing greater awareness of their products, as well as creating new and exciting promotional opportunities for their retail partners.
“Like nearly everyone else around the world, we have watched Danica take on her competition with tremendous drive and spirit,” stated Jeff Stauffer, Vice President of Marketing for Old World Industries, which is the parent company of PEAK Antifreeze and Mr. Clean Premium Windshield Wash & Wiper Blades.
“We feel that Danica’s competitive personality and desire to win parallel our goals with our products, and we believe that she will represent PEAK and Mr. Clean with nothing less than a first class effort,” added Stauffer.
Patrick, the 2005 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year and leading contender for the 2005 IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year Award, will become the official product ambassador for PEAK Antifreeze products and Mr. Clean Premium Windshield Wash & Wiper Blades. Patrick will also appear in PEAK and Mr. Clean advertising, promotions and within their retail partners’ in-store
merchandising programs throughout the United States.
“I am excited to represent PEAK Antifreeze and Mr. Clean Premium Windshield Wash & Wiper Blades, which are two extremely successful and established brands,” said Patrick.
“PEAK and Mr. Clean represent quality and high performance which means a lot to me,” added Patrick.
For PEAK and Mr. Clean, securing the services of one of the hottest personalities in all of sports is yet another step in bringing greater awareness of their products, as well as creating new and exciting promotional opportunities for their retail partners.
“Like nearly everyone else around the world, we have watched Danica take on her competition with tremendous drive and spirit,” stated Jeff Stauffer, Vice President of Marketing for Old World Industries, which is the parent company of PEAK Antifreeze and Mr. Clean Premium Windshield Wash & Wiper Blades.
“We feel that Danica’s competitive personality and desire to win parallel our goals with our products, and we believe that she will represent PEAK and Mr. Clean with nothing less than a first class effort,” added Stauffer.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Patrick close to historic breakthrough
By Tom Weir, USA TODAY
GLADEVILLE, Tenn. — For nine laps, Danica Patrick was eyeballing history as she led Saturday's Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway.
Danica Patrick led for nine laps but finished seventh in the Firestone Indy 200.
By Billy Kingsley, The Tennessean
The Indy Racing League's two top performers this year were out of the race — points leader Dan Wheldon with mechanical problems, Tony Kanaan because of an out-of-control crash after his front-wheel suspension snapped.
"I thought, 'Maybe.' You always think 'maybe,' " Patrick said of heading the field for laps 123-131.
And with dark clouds gathering on the Tennessee horizon, another thought crossed her mind.
"I thought, 'You know what, it's a cheap way to win, but what if it rains?' "
But in the end there wasn't enough racing luck for Patrick to become the first woman to roll into victory lane in a major race and only the second true rookie since the IRL started in 1996 to win a race.
Patrick, the most obsessed-about rookie in auto racing history, finished seventh in her ninth race. She was 3.3646 seconds behind winner Dario Franchitti, who, as the husband of actress Ashley Judd, is familiar with being overshadowed by a woman.
Patrick left taking solace only in surviving on a night when just 13 in a field of 23 finished.
"So much of the battle in these races is just finishing," Patrick said. "Definitely, from my point of view, I need the experience. I need to finish the race. ... By taking big gambles I could put myself out of the race. All of a sudden I've only done half a race, and what have I learned?"
The learning curve is toughest on the 23-year-old when the curves come up fastest. The tight traffic on a one-mile track like Nashville Superspeedway isn't where Patrick is expected to get her breakthrough victory.
The race that catapulted Patrick into national prominence was her fourth-place finish at the May 29 Indianapolis 500, on a 2.5-mile oval.
Her best remaining opportunities to get a win in her 17-race rookie season are expected to be July 31 on Michigan International Speedway's 2-mile oval, Sept. 11 on Chicagoland Speedway's 1.5-mile track or Oct. 16 on the California Speedway's 2-mile layout.
But despite not yet winning, Patrick remains the personality attracting the most attention for IRL races.
IRL spokesman John Griffin said that since the barrage of "Danica Mania" hit full stride leading up to the Indianapolis 500, television viewership of IRL races is up 49% from last year.
The Firestone Indy 200 didn't sell out last year but had a capacity crowd of about 30,000 Saturday, even with the prospect of a rainout.
"We experienced more attention with the media than at any other event we've had here in five years," said Nashville Superspeedway general manager Cliff Hawks. "With this event, we've had a taste of true star power."
By Billy Kingsley, The Tennessean
Miss Popularity: Danica Patrick-related merchandise outsells all other IRL drivers combined, according to IRL spokesman John Griffin.
'Clean' pickings even as a rookie
Patrick's race day began with an announcement that the first lady of auto racing had a new teammate — Mr. Clean.
As endorsements go, Patrick's deal to pitch Mr. Clean windshield detergent and PEAK antifreeze won't rock Madison Avenue. But how often has a woman been signed to peddle auto maintenance products that are aimed mainly at the shopping carts of men?
It's one more sign that Patrick, despite her rookie racing status, has ever-burgeoning credibility with both genders.
The primary benefactor remains the IRL, where Patrick ranks 11th in the points standings and has a comfortable 50-point margin on Ryan Briscoe in the rookie standings.
Griffin said it would "probably be a fair statement" to say Patrick's merchandise sales top those of all other IRL drivers combined. As for how IRL tracks are headlining Patrick as a coming attraction, Griffin pointed to the Kentucky Speedway, where the IRL races Aug. 14.
A year ago, said Griffin, the track purchased space on two billboards. This year, he said, it's 15, "all Danica-themed."
Such is the draw of Patrick. Sales of her memorabilia on eBay have ranged from a broken wing from her Indy 500 car that brought $42,650 for charity to a discarded Dasani water bottle that fetched $15, even though there was no proof Patrick had drained that particular bottle.
The Rahal Letterman Racing team's merchandise truck ran out of Patrick items three times alone in May.
And at the Nashville race, IRL organizers limited her autograph line at a one-hour, pre-race promotion to 400 fans, to avoid the disappointment that has hit end-of-the-line fans at other races.
IRL officials say Patrick is the only racer for whom they have capped fan access.
Dealing with pressure head-on
Patrick said she gets a lot of "Go girl" comments at such sessions, and "I hear so many times that it's a people's first race, or second or third."
"That's a huge compliment," she said. "I guess I'm generating enough attention nationwide to make people say, 'What's this story that I keep hearing about?' That might make them at least interested in coming to see the sport."
But with that attention comes the pressure and expectations for Patrick to get that historic first IRL victory by a woman.
"I don't feel like I have to do anything," Patrick said. "I'm not going to work any faster than I can. I'm doing the best I can as a rookie."
Since the IRL started in 1996, only one true rookie has won a race: Tomas Scheckter, in 2002 at Michigan International Speedway. Drivers such as Arie Luyendyk, Buddy Lazier and Al Unser Jr. have won in their first IRL season, but all were veterans of other top-level circuits.
Until this season Patrick's highest level of competition was the Toyota Atlantic series, in 2003-04.
Brent Mauer, spokesman for Patrick's Rahal Letterman Racing team, says his research shows that the 12 drivers who have won IRL races needed an average of 33 starts to get their first victory.
Wheldon, this year's IRL Series leader, won in his 20th start. Last year's IRL rookie of the year, Kosuke Matsuura, is still looking for his first victory after 25 IRL starts.
But that history doesn't figure to lessen the pressure and expectations for Patrick to deliver a victory. Since the Indy 500, news reports of IRL races typically lead with where Patrick finished and relegate the winner to afterthought status.
"I've always been the kind of person that can handle pressure and sometimes works better in it," Patrick said. "If something needs to be done, it gets done, most of the time. ... I think attention is an energy-building thing, and I think it makes you focus."
Other IRL drivers have done a marvelous job of hiding any envy about Danica Mania, although Saturday winner Franchitti did mildly backhand the craze when asked to assess Patrick's latest performance.
"I think there's a lot of drivers out there tonight who did a better job," said the Scotland-born Franchitti, who lives near Nashville.
"Personally, I'm looking at Patrick Carpentier finishing third out there tonight in a car that hasn't been competitive. I think that's one of the stories of the night."
But the attention is certain to keep coming for Patrick. Her crossover appeal was made additionally clear by a recent story in Glamour.
Coming up: A photo shoot for Allure; the Midwest regional cover of TV Guide; a feature story in Elle; and a place in a Spike TV program devoted to irresistible women.
Saying "I am a girl," Patrick's only complaint about all the media attention is that the magazines have run racing-gear photos and she's still waiting for a high-fashion shoot.
And what does "I am a girl" mean?
"Not much," Patrick said. "I don't think anything. I think it describes me, but I don't think it defines me. I don't think it says what I can and can't do."
Nicely said, but winning her first is still what will verify that statement, and validate all the Danica Mania.
GLADEVILLE, Tenn. — For nine laps, Danica Patrick was eyeballing history as she led Saturday's Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway.
Danica Patrick led for nine laps but finished seventh in the Firestone Indy 200.
By Billy Kingsley, The Tennessean
The Indy Racing League's two top performers this year were out of the race — points leader Dan Wheldon with mechanical problems, Tony Kanaan because of an out-of-control crash after his front-wheel suspension snapped.
"I thought, 'Maybe.' You always think 'maybe,' " Patrick said of heading the field for laps 123-131.
And with dark clouds gathering on the Tennessee horizon, another thought crossed her mind.
"I thought, 'You know what, it's a cheap way to win, but what if it rains?' "
But in the end there wasn't enough racing luck for Patrick to become the first woman to roll into victory lane in a major race and only the second true rookie since the IRL started in 1996 to win a race.
Patrick, the most obsessed-about rookie in auto racing history, finished seventh in her ninth race. She was 3.3646 seconds behind winner Dario Franchitti, who, as the husband of actress Ashley Judd, is familiar with being overshadowed by a woman.
Patrick left taking solace only in surviving on a night when just 13 in a field of 23 finished.
"So much of the battle in these races is just finishing," Patrick said. "Definitely, from my point of view, I need the experience. I need to finish the race. ... By taking big gambles I could put myself out of the race. All of a sudden I've only done half a race, and what have I learned?"
The learning curve is toughest on the 23-year-old when the curves come up fastest. The tight traffic on a one-mile track like Nashville Superspeedway isn't where Patrick is expected to get her breakthrough victory.
The race that catapulted Patrick into national prominence was her fourth-place finish at the May 29 Indianapolis 500, on a 2.5-mile oval.
Her best remaining opportunities to get a win in her 17-race rookie season are expected to be July 31 on Michigan International Speedway's 2-mile oval, Sept. 11 on Chicagoland Speedway's 1.5-mile track or Oct. 16 on the California Speedway's 2-mile layout.
But despite not yet winning, Patrick remains the personality attracting the most attention for IRL races.
IRL spokesman John Griffin said that since the barrage of "Danica Mania" hit full stride leading up to the Indianapolis 500, television viewership of IRL races is up 49% from last year.
The Firestone Indy 200 didn't sell out last year but had a capacity crowd of about 30,000 Saturday, even with the prospect of a rainout.
"We experienced more attention with the media than at any other event we've had here in five years," said Nashville Superspeedway general manager Cliff Hawks. "With this event, we've had a taste of true star power."
By Billy Kingsley, The Tennessean
Miss Popularity: Danica Patrick-related merchandise outsells all other IRL drivers combined, according to IRL spokesman John Griffin.
'Clean' pickings even as a rookie
Patrick's race day began with an announcement that the first lady of auto racing had a new teammate — Mr. Clean.
As endorsements go, Patrick's deal to pitch Mr. Clean windshield detergent and PEAK antifreeze won't rock Madison Avenue. But how often has a woman been signed to peddle auto maintenance products that are aimed mainly at the shopping carts of men?
It's one more sign that Patrick, despite her rookie racing status, has ever-burgeoning credibility with both genders.
The primary benefactor remains the IRL, where Patrick ranks 11th in the points standings and has a comfortable 50-point margin on Ryan Briscoe in the rookie standings.
Griffin said it would "probably be a fair statement" to say Patrick's merchandise sales top those of all other IRL drivers combined. As for how IRL tracks are headlining Patrick as a coming attraction, Griffin pointed to the Kentucky Speedway, where the IRL races Aug. 14.
A year ago, said Griffin, the track purchased space on two billboards. This year, he said, it's 15, "all Danica-themed."
Such is the draw of Patrick. Sales of her memorabilia on eBay have ranged from a broken wing from her Indy 500 car that brought $42,650 for charity to a discarded Dasani water bottle that fetched $15, even though there was no proof Patrick had drained that particular bottle.
The Rahal Letterman Racing team's merchandise truck ran out of Patrick items three times alone in May.
And at the Nashville race, IRL organizers limited her autograph line at a one-hour, pre-race promotion to 400 fans, to avoid the disappointment that has hit end-of-the-line fans at other races.
IRL officials say Patrick is the only racer for whom they have capped fan access.
Dealing with pressure head-on
Patrick said she gets a lot of "Go girl" comments at such sessions, and "I hear so many times that it's a people's first race, or second or third."
"That's a huge compliment," she said. "I guess I'm generating enough attention nationwide to make people say, 'What's this story that I keep hearing about?' That might make them at least interested in coming to see the sport."
But with that attention comes the pressure and expectations for Patrick to get that historic first IRL victory by a woman.
"I don't feel like I have to do anything," Patrick said. "I'm not going to work any faster than I can. I'm doing the best I can as a rookie."
Since the IRL started in 1996, only one true rookie has won a race: Tomas Scheckter, in 2002 at Michigan International Speedway. Drivers such as Arie Luyendyk, Buddy Lazier and Al Unser Jr. have won in their first IRL season, but all were veterans of other top-level circuits.
Until this season Patrick's highest level of competition was the Toyota Atlantic series, in 2003-04.
Brent Mauer, spokesman for Patrick's Rahal Letterman Racing team, says his research shows that the 12 drivers who have won IRL races needed an average of 33 starts to get their first victory.
Wheldon, this year's IRL Series leader, won in his 20th start. Last year's IRL rookie of the year, Kosuke Matsuura, is still looking for his first victory after 25 IRL starts.
But that history doesn't figure to lessen the pressure and expectations for Patrick to deliver a victory. Since the Indy 500, news reports of IRL races typically lead with where Patrick finished and relegate the winner to afterthought status.
"I've always been the kind of person that can handle pressure and sometimes works better in it," Patrick said. "If something needs to be done, it gets done, most of the time. ... I think attention is an energy-building thing, and I think it makes you focus."
Other IRL drivers have done a marvelous job of hiding any envy about Danica Mania, although Saturday winner Franchitti did mildly backhand the craze when asked to assess Patrick's latest performance.
"I think there's a lot of drivers out there tonight who did a better job," said the Scotland-born Franchitti, who lives near Nashville.
"Personally, I'm looking at Patrick Carpentier finishing third out there tonight in a car that hasn't been competitive. I think that's one of the stories of the night."
But the attention is certain to keep coming for Patrick. Her crossover appeal was made additionally clear by a recent story in Glamour.
Coming up: A photo shoot for Allure; the Midwest regional cover of TV Guide; a feature story in Elle; and a place in a Spike TV program devoted to irresistible women.
Saying "I am a girl," Patrick's only complaint about all the media attention is that the magazines have run racing-gear photos and she's still waiting for a high-fashion shoot.
And what does "I am a girl" mean?
"Not much," Patrick said. "I don't think anything. I think it describes me, but I don't think it defines me. I don't think it says what I can and can't do."
Nicely said, but winning her first is still what will verify that statement, and validate all the Danica Mania.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Danica Patrick on Record Rookie Pace
Danica Patrick knows she still has a lot to learn to be a championship-contending driver in the IRL IndyCar® Series. But eight races into her rookie season, she says she is deserving of high marks.
“I'd have to give myself a pretty darn good grade,” the 23-year-old from Roscoe, Ill., said. “I think I've adapted well to the situations. I feel comfortable in traffic more and more all the time. The only times I feel uncomfortable is when the car is off. That's normal. Everybody's going to feel like that.”
Despite driving in two oval race prior to joining the IndyCar series, Patrick has reason to feel confident about her results in the No. 16 Rahal Letterman Racing Argent Pioneer Honda-powered Panoz.
Her two fourth-place finishes and four top-10 finishes have eclipsed the results of several rookies who went on to win Bombardier Rookie of the Year, including reigning rookie titlist Kosuke Matsuura. She’s also led the most lap of any rookie since Tomas Scheckter in 2002.
Patrick’s season is on par with the season of another former top rookie, current IndyCar Series point leader Dan Wheldon, who followed up his 2003 Rookie of the Year campaign with a breakout season in 2004. Wheldon claimed the first of his seven wins to date in his 19th start.
At Kansas Speedway, Patrick became the fourth IndyCar Series rookie to win a pole position when she won the Marlboro Pole Award for the Argent Mortgage Indy 300. It was the first pole position for a rookie since Vitor Meira won the pole at Texas Motor Speedway in October 2002.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford, who serves as a driver coach and pace car driver for the IRL, said Patrick has all the tools needed to be a winning race car driver.
"She has excellent hand-eye coordination. She proved that at Indy when she saved the car a couple times in dangerous situations,” Rutherford told reporters earlier this year. “She has that look in her eyes. That's the thing that jumps out at you. It's that little extra spark; that passion for racing that you look for in a winner."
Winning, though, has proven to be tough for rookies in the IndyCar Series, especially lately. Just three true rookies have won in their maiden season in the series, and two of the wins, Buzz Calkins’ win at Walt Disney World in 1996 and Jim Guthrie’s win at Phoenix in 1997, were claimed during the series’ infancy. The last rookie to win a race was Scheckter at Michigan Speedway in July 2002.
That doesn’t mean that young drivers can’t succeed early on. Sam Hornish Jr. and Tony Stewart claimed victories in their ninth and 10th starts, respectively, after slow starts to their careers. Patrick is confident she can emulate those results.
“We've worked well as a team. We've almost had pole at two races, I think, then finally got one. I think that's great. I think that my driving is becoming much more precise and much more calculated. I feel like I'm maturing pretty well as a driver.
“I think when the car is right, I can do a pretty good job,” Patrick said. “I think I'm doing a good job. I think if I wasn't, people would be telling me.”
Source PaddockTalk
“I'd have to give myself a pretty darn good grade,” the 23-year-old from Roscoe, Ill., said. “I think I've adapted well to the situations. I feel comfortable in traffic more and more all the time. The only times I feel uncomfortable is when the car is off. That's normal. Everybody's going to feel like that.”
Despite driving in two oval race prior to joining the IndyCar series, Patrick has reason to feel confident about her results in the No. 16 Rahal Letterman Racing Argent Pioneer Honda-powered Panoz.
Her two fourth-place finishes and four top-10 finishes have eclipsed the results of several rookies who went on to win Bombardier Rookie of the Year, including reigning rookie titlist Kosuke Matsuura. She’s also led the most lap of any rookie since Tomas Scheckter in 2002.
Patrick’s season is on par with the season of another former top rookie, current IndyCar Series point leader Dan Wheldon, who followed up his 2003 Rookie of the Year campaign with a breakout season in 2004. Wheldon claimed the first of his seven wins to date in his 19th start.
At Kansas Speedway, Patrick became the fourth IndyCar Series rookie to win a pole position when she won the Marlboro Pole Award for the Argent Mortgage Indy 300. It was the first pole position for a rookie since Vitor Meira won the pole at Texas Motor Speedway in October 2002.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford, who serves as a driver coach and pace car driver for the IRL, said Patrick has all the tools needed to be a winning race car driver.
"She has excellent hand-eye coordination. She proved that at Indy when she saved the car a couple times in dangerous situations,” Rutherford told reporters earlier this year. “She has that look in her eyes. That's the thing that jumps out at you. It's that little extra spark; that passion for racing that you look for in a winner."
Winning, though, has proven to be tough for rookies in the IndyCar Series, especially lately. Just three true rookies have won in their maiden season in the series, and two of the wins, Buzz Calkins’ win at Walt Disney World in 1996 and Jim Guthrie’s win at Phoenix in 1997, were claimed during the series’ infancy. The last rookie to win a race was Scheckter at Michigan Speedway in July 2002.
That doesn’t mean that young drivers can’t succeed early on. Sam Hornish Jr. and Tony Stewart claimed victories in their ninth and 10th starts, respectively, after slow starts to their careers. Patrick is confident she can emulate those results.
“We've worked well as a team. We've almost had pole at two races, I think, then finally got one. I think that's great. I think that my driving is becoming much more precise and much more calculated. I feel like I'm maturing pretty well as a driver.
“I think when the car is right, I can do a pretty good job,” Patrick said. “I think I'm doing a good job. I think if I wasn't, people would be telling me.”
Source PaddockTalk
NASCAR's version of Danica Patrick
But 24-year-old Erin Crocker's in no rush to make jump to Nextel Cup
By Mike Harris
The Associated Press
Kendall Newberry/The Associated Press
Ray Evernham insists he won't rush Erin Crocker (above) despite the popularity of IRL star Danica Patrick as a female driver.
Don't expect to see Erin Crocker driving a NASCAR Nextel Cup car real soon.
With all the fuss over the Indy Racing League's Danica Patrick during the past month, there had been speculation that Crocker's climb to NASCAR's pinnacle would be hurried along to take advantage of the sudden media frenzy about women drivers.
Not so, says Ray Evernham, head of Evernham Motorsports, which hired Crocker last September as part of its driver development program.
The 24-year-old Crocker already has proven her ability in sprint cars on dirt tracks, winning a race in the highly competitive World of Outlaws series. But her stock car learning curve is a steep one.
"Hey, you're looking at a girl who has not run that many times on pavement," Evernham said before Crocker finished seventh in an ARCA race at Michigan International Speedway in mid-June. "And she's doing a pretty good job. But she needs lots of laps in a stock car."
In her only previous stock car start, an ARCA race in March at Nashville, Crocker won the pole but spun and finished 12th.
"She did a good job at Nashville," Evernham said. "She just made a rookie mistake and got up underneath Chad Blount and spun out. I've got her being really cautious. We've got the car set up pretty conservative because we don't want her spinning out."
Evernham's Cup team also was running at Michigan, so he acted as her spotter in that race.
"She's a racer and we've just got to get her racing some more," said Evernham, who plans to run Crocker in at least three more ARCA races, as well as five NASCAR Busch Series races, this season.
"She's doing a good job, doing what we ask of her," he said. "I think, some days, she'd like me to let the reins out on her a little bit faster. We hold her back quite a bit. But we're going to bring her up slow and make sure that when she gets the opportunity that she is ready."
That's OK with Crocker, who still races regularly in the World of Outlaws as well as running an open-wheel car for friend and fellow Evernham driver Kasey Kahne's team in the U.S. Auto Club's Silver Crown series.
"I would like to go faster, because I am a race car driver," she said. "I want things to go faster and happen tomorrow. But, in talking with Ray, the idea is to take it slow and do it right.
"You can't go out there before you are ready, because it would be a huge mistake. Let's just say Danica went out there and had a terrible day in Indy. Her reputation probably would have been hurt forever."
Crocker's next stock car start is today at the ARCA race at Kentucky Speedway.
By Mike Harris
The Associated Press
Kendall Newberry/The Associated Press
Ray Evernham insists he won't rush Erin Crocker (above) despite the popularity of IRL star Danica Patrick as a female driver.
Don't expect to see Erin Crocker driving a NASCAR Nextel Cup car real soon.
With all the fuss over the Indy Racing League's Danica Patrick during the past month, there had been speculation that Crocker's climb to NASCAR's pinnacle would be hurried along to take advantage of the sudden media frenzy about women drivers.
Not so, says Ray Evernham, head of Evernham Motorsports, which hired Crocker last September as part of its driver development program.
The 24-year-old Crocker already has proven her ability in sprint cars on dirt tracks, winning a race in the highly competitive World of Outlaws series. But her stock car learning curve is a steep one.
"Hey, you're looking at a girl who has not run that many times on pavement," Evernham said before Crocker finished seventh in an ARCA race at Michigan International Speedway in mid-June. "And she's doing a pretty good job. But she needs lots of laps in a stock car."
In her only previous stock car start, an ARCA race in March at Nashville, Crocker won the pole but spun and finished 12th.
"She did a good job at Nashville," Evernham said. "She just made a rookie mistake and got up underneath Chad Blount and spun out. I've got her being really cautious. We've got the car set up pretty conservative because we don't want her spinning out."
Evernham's Cup team also was running at Michigan, so he acted as her spotter in that race.
"She's a racer and we've just got to get her racing some more," said Evernham, who plans to run Crocker in at least three more ARCA races, as well as five NASCAR Busch Series races, this season.
"She's doing a good job, doing what we ask of her," he said. "I think, some days, she'd like me to let the reins out on her a little bit faster. We hold her back quite a bit. But we're going to bring her up slow and make sure that when she gets the opportunity that she is ready."
That's OK with Crocker, who still races regularly in the World of Outlaws as well as running an open-wheel car for friend and fellow Evernham driver Kasey Kahne's team in the U.S. Auto Club's Silver Crown series.
"I would like to go faster, because I am a race car driver," she said. "I want things to go faster and happen tomorrow. But, in talking with Ray, the idea is to take it slow and do it right.
"You can't go out there before you are ready, because it would be a huge mistake. Let's just say Danica went out there and had a terrible day in Indy. Her reputation probably would have been hurt forever."
Crocker's next stock car start is today at the ARCA race at Kentucky Speedway.
More coverage of Danica Patrick and her rookie IRL season by New York Times writer Dave Caldwell.
One Thing Missing From Patrick's Season: A Victory
By DAVE CALDWELL
Published: July 13, 2005
Danica Patrick's first season in the Indy Racing League has been a blur of accomplishments: a front-row start and fourth-place finish in Japan, then a heady and historic run in the Indianapolis 500, then her first pole position 10 days ago.
What Patrick has not done, at least not yet, is win. The Firestone Indy 200 on Saturday in Nashville will be only her ninth race in the top open-wheel series, but Patrick has driven the expectations so high that another loss might look like the start of a slump.
By DAVE CALDWELL
Published: July 13, 2005
Danica Patrick's first season in the Indy Racing League has been a blur of accomplishments: a front-row start and fourth-place finish in Japan, then a heady and historic run in the Indianapolis 500, then her first pole position 10 days ago.
What Patrick has not done, at least not yet, is win. The Firestone Indy 200 on Saturday in Nashville will be only her ninth race in the top open-wheel series, but Patrick has driven the expectations so high that another loss might look like the start of a slump.
AUTO RACING PACKAGE: IRL rookie Danica Patrick pleased with progress
The Associated Press
Some people are disappointed that Danica Patrick hasn't yet won a race, but the IRL IndyCar Series rookie isn't one of them.
``I'd have to give myself a pretty darn good grade so far,'' the 23-year-old Patrick said. ``I think I've adapted well to the situations. I feel comfortable in traffic more and more all the time.
``The only times I feel uncomfortable is when the car is off. That's normal. Everybody's going to feel like that.''
Going into Saturday night's race at Nashville Speedway - the ninth race of the season - Patrick is a respectable 10th in the points.
Her two fourth-place finishes - including one in the May 29 Indianapolis 500 - and four top-10 finishes already have eclipsed the results of several rookies who went on to win rookie of the year honors.
Among her accomplishments:
- She has led the most laps of any rookie since Tomas Scheckter in 2002.
- At Kansas on July 2, Patrick led IndyCar qualifying, joining Sarah Fisher as the only women to win poles in the IRL and becoming the first rookie to win a pole since Rahal Letterman Racing teammate Vitor Meira did it in October 2002.
- Patrick's season is on par with that of 2003's top rookie, Dan Wheldon, the current series points leader who had a breakout season in 2004, including his first three victories and a runner-up finish to champion Tony Kanaan. Wheldon's first win came in his 19th start.
Three-time Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford, who serves as a driver coach and pace car driver for the IRL, said Patrick has all the tools needed to be a winning driver.
``She has excellent hand-eye coordination. She proved that at Indy when she saved the car a couple times in dangerous situations,'' Rutherford said. ``She has that look in her eyes. That's the thing that jumps out at you. It's that little extra spark; that passion for racing that you look for in a winner.''
Winning, though, has proven to be tough for rookies in the IndyCar Series, especially lately. Just three true rookies have won in their maiden season in the series, and two of the wins, Buzz Calkins' win at Walt Disney World in 1996 and Jim Guthrie's win at Phoenix in 1997, were claimed during the series' infancy. The last rookie to win a race was Scheckter at Michigan Speedway in July 2002.
Patrick isn't worried about statistics, though. She's all business.
``We've worked well as a team,'' she said. ``I think that my driving is becoming much more precise and much more calculated. I feel like I'm maturing pretty well as a driver.
``I think, when the car is right, I can do a pretty good job,'' Patrick added. ``I think I'm doing a good job. I think if I wasn't, people would be telling me.''
---
YOUNGER GUNS: NASCAR's Roush Racing is setting up a driver development program that will concentrate on young minority drivers.
Under the guidance of Roush chief diversity officer Sam Belnavis, Jack Roush's team, which has five entries in Nextel Cup and also races in the Busch and Craftsman Truck series, will run youngsters in the Hooters Cup series, Legends and late model stocks.
Already signed are Jason Simmons, 17, of Philadelphia; Mark Davis, 15, of Mitchellville, Md., and Kevin Pollard, 14, of Jamestown, N.Y. Belnavis said at least one more youngster will be signed before the program begins in 2006.
``We're calling it our `Young Stunnaz' program,'' Belnavis said Sunday at Chicagoland. ``It's a way to identify talented young drivers and move them into the pipeline to the top levels of the sport.''
---
WORKING HARD: Bruton Smith, president of Speedway Motorsports Inc., the company that owns several racetracks including Atlanta Motor Speedway, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the tornado-battered track outside Atlanta would be ``as ready as possible'' for the Cup race scheduled Oct. 30.
A tornado estimated at a half-mile wide swept through the speedway last week, leaving an estimated $40 million of damage in its wake.
``We have close to 300 people out there working and eight or 10 construction companies that all have lots of experience and have worked with us before,'' said Smith, whose company also owns and operates tracks in Charlotte, Las Vegas, Texas, Bristol, Tenn., and Sonoma, Calif.
``It's not a war, but it's certainly a battle,'' Smith added. ``It's just something we have to do and we're going to get it done.''
Smith said there is ``absolutely no truth'' to the rumor circulating Sunday in the Chicagoland garage area that he wanted to swap weekends with Texas Motor Speedway, which has a race scheduled Nov. 6, in order to buy a little more time for repairs to the track in Hampton, Ga.
``That would be playing games with our fans and we don't want to do that,'' Smith said. ``People plan vacations and make hotel reservations and buy tickets for a certain weekend and we're not going to change that.''
Source
Some people are disappointed that Danica Patrick hasn't yet won a race, but the IRL IndyCar Series rookie isn't one of them.
``I'd have to give myself a pretty darn good grade so far,'' the 23-year-old Patrick said. ``I think I've adapted well to the situations. I feel comfortable in traffic more and more all the time.
``The only times I feel uncomfortable is when the car is off. That's normal. Everybody's going to feel like that.''
Going into Saturday night's race at Nashville Speedway - the ninth race of the season - Patrick is a respectable 10th in the points.
Her two fourth-place finishes - including one in the May 29 Indianapolis 500 - and four top-10 finishes already have eclipsed the results of several rookies who went on to win rookie of the year honors.
Among her accomplishments:
- She has led the most laps of any rookie since Tomas Scheckter in 2002.
- At Kansas on July 2, Patrick led IndyCar qualifying, joining Sarah Fisher as the only women to win poles in the IRL and becoming the first rookie to win a pole since Rahal Letterman Racing teammate Vitor Meira did it in October 2002.
- Patrick's season is on par with that of 2003's top rookie, Dan Wheldon, the current series points leader who had a breakout season in 2004, including his first three victories and a runner-up finish to champion Tony Kanaan. Wheldon's first win came in his 19th start.
Three-time Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford, who serves as a driver coach and pace car driver for the IRL, said Patrick has all the tools needed to be a winning driver.
``She has excellent hand-eye coordination. She proved that at Indy when she saved the car a couple times in dangerous situations,'' Rutherford said. ``She has that look in her eyes. That's the thing that jumps out at you. It's that little extra spark; that passion for racing that you look for in a winner.''
Winning, though, has proven to be tough for rookies in the IndyCar Series, especially lately. Just three true rookies have won in their maiden season in the series, and two of the wins, Buzz Calkins' win at Walt Disney World in 1996 and Jim Guthrie's win at Phoenix in 1997, were claimed during the series' infancy. The last rookie to win a race was Scheckter at Michigan Speedway in July 2002.
Patrick isn't worried about statistics, though. She's all business.
``We've worked well as a team,'' she said. ``I think that my driving is becoming much more precise and much more calculated. I feel like I'm maturing pretty well as a driver.
``I think, when the car is right, I can do a pretty good job,'' Patrick added. ``I think I'm doing a good job. I think if I wasn't, people would be telling me.''
---
YOUNGER GUNS: NASCAR's Roush Racing is setting up a driver development program that will concentrate on young minority drivers.
Under the guidance of Roush chief diversity officer Sam Belnavis, Jack Roush's team, which has five entries in Nextel Cup and also races in the Busch and Craftsman Truck series, will run youngsters in the Hooters Cup series, Legends and late model stocks.
Already signed are Jason Simmons, 17, of Philadelphia; Mark Davis, 15, of Mitchellville, Md., and Kevin Pollard, 14, of Jamestown, N.Y. Belnavis said at least one more youngster will be signed before the program begins in 2006.
``We're calling it our `Young Stunnaz' program,'' Belnavis said Sunday at Chicagoland. ``It's a way to identify talented young drivers and move them into the pipeline to the top levels of the sport.''
---
WORKING HARD: Bruton Smith, president of Speedway Motorsports Inc., the company that owns several racetracks including Atlanta Motor Speedway, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the tornado-battered track outside Atlanta would be ``as ready as possible'' for the Cup race scheduled Oct. 30.
A tornado estimated at a half-mile wide swept through the speedway last week, leaving an estimated $40 million of damage in its wake.
``We have close to 300 people out there working and eight or 10 construction companies that all have lots of experience and have worked with us before,'' said Smith, whose company also owns and operates tracks in Charlotte, Las Vegas, Texas, Bristol, Tenn., and Sonoma, Calif.
``It's not a war, but it's certainly a battle,'' Smith added. ``It's just something we have to do and we're going to get it done.''
Smith said there is ``absolutely no truth'' to the rumor circulating Sunday in the Chicagoland garage area that he wanted to swap weekends with Texas Motor Speedway, which has a race scheduled Nov. 6, in order to buy a little more time for repairs to the track in Hampton, Ga.
``That would be playing games with our fans and we don't want to do that,'' Smith said. ``People plan vacations and make hotel reservations and buy tickets for a certain weekend and we're not going to change that.''
Source
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Danica-Patrick
Danica-Patrick
