Could Danica NASCAR-ify Indy?

Saw this video linked on yahoo: http://sports.yahoo.com/sportsminute It is of Danica getting into a petty fight with another female driver. At first I figured, "Wow, that's really... stupid. Why is this a deal at all?" I quickly realized it's because people are growing more interested in following off-track drama.

Now, generally I think publicity for race cars that turn both ways is a good thing. However it seem to me that Danica's appeal in Indy is shifting towards stupid petty drama off the track, and taking attention away from the actual racing.

What is the likelihood that this will lead to NASCAR/WWE style soap-operas becoming the focus of another professional motorsport?

I think she should go away. I don't find her pretty. I don't find her endearing. She's an OK driver, I guess.

I saw that on TV yesterday during the Indy 200 race, on one of the 4 channels I now get. You know she had to know the cameras were there and filming. I suspect it was all staged. The other girl hitting her with stuff was phunny.

Danica in a swimsuit. Danica in a cat fight. What's next? Danica mud wrestling? Danica pole dancing? After that F1 guy got caught playing "Nazi Prisoner Interrogation" I guess anything's game.

I saw the move the other girl did.. seemed like a fair block to me..

the poll question asks if danica was out of line, what about the other chick? she was obviously trying to piss danica off and then started throwing stuff at her to push her over the line. all things considered, had that been two guys, they would have gone to blows rather than screaming at each other

But were it not Danica, it wouldn't have been covered (unless maybe it came to blows).

Edit: I'm less surprised that two competitive drivers got into an argument, I'm just amazed that something so inconsequential is getting so much attention.

Ya know, I like road racing etc mostly because it hasn't stooped to the Tony Stewart fisticuffs of NASCAR (or at least it was hidden). Now ya gotta wonder, as mentioned earlier, is IndyCar trying to become NASCAR Jr? .

It wasn't that long ago that fights were unheard of in motocross and supercross. Now every so often you see a fistfight.

WTF is the world coming to?

ALMS > IRL

The American LeMans race at Mid-Ohio was soo much better then the Honda 200. The ALMS teams also appeared much more professional then the Indy guys, hell, even the Speed World Challenge teams were more professional.

Danica should have done this in a more private place--like the garages--or else gone to Barnhart first. Unfortunately for anyone who works with her, she's a beotch on wheels. Even Tony Stewart (or AJ Foyt) would have handled it better.

When the video of the confrontation is hosted by IndyCar.com, yes I begin thinking IndyCar is trying to gain attention for itself.

Danica needs to wake up to a few facts, the least of which is Milka Duno's experience. Racing and, ahem, winning since 2000, Milka has it all over Danica. focusing strictly on this incident, Saturday, Danica needs to clue in to the fact that it was practice; as in getting her own act together in dealing with slower traffic ahead... under any conditions.

With one win and thousands of lefts under her belt, she still needs to develop the ability to adapt if she hopes to collect another trophy. Then again, anyone believing the "I can't help it if you're slow," comment was not just for the cameras, I've got some great deals on beachfront lots in Idaho to share with you.

scotaku wrote: Danica needs to wake up to a few facts, the least of which is Milka Duno's experience. Racing and, ahem, winning since 2000, Milka has it all over Danica. focusing strictly on this incident, Saturday, Danica needs to clue in to the fact that it was practice; as in getting her own act together in dealing with slower traffic ahead... under any conditions.

Um, you have to be kidding. Milka couldn't drive a buggy around a Wal Mart lot without hitting anything. Talk to her co-drivers in Grand AM. Basically it was a few laps and then a driver change to the real drivers. Chavez and his billions are what keeps her in a ride.

While Danica is no Scott Dixion, she's light years better than Milka Duno. I didn't watch the race, but the clip just shows Danica confronting her, to which Milka throws a towel at her, twice. If that had happened to Tony Stewart, there would have been more going on than what happened here.

I'm not the biggest Danica fan, but if a guy had done that, it'd been just racing, if she does it, she's throwing a tantrum. We've been confronted and have confronted another driver and crew more than once. Trust me when I say tempers flare at times like that. Having a camera on you all the time is very difficult. All of us would be in trouble if we were in that position.

scotaku wrote: Danica needs to wake up to a few facts, the least of which is Milka Duno's experience. Racing and, ahem, winning since 2000, Milka has it all over Danica. focusing strictly on this incident, Saturday, Danica needs to clue in to the fact that it was practice; as in getting her own act together in dealing with slower traffic ahead... under any conditions.

Milka hasn't won anything in IRL ... Average finishing position is like 16th in two years. . . . Danica averages in the top 10 (both when finishing) Danica's finishing average is higher too... She's not the best but she clearly better then Milka.

I think both are useless, throw Fischer in there as well. Of cousre they are all better drivers than I am (and probably most of you) BUT the fact that they can't act like PROFESSIONALS (Fischers tear fest when wrecking her last chassis, the dozen aired fights Patrick has been in and the amazing mediocrity of Duno and her inability to remove herself from the line when she can't hold speed)

I don't know E36 M3 but I can tell you unless we are judging drivers by their racks, these three don't cut it... And for the record both Wall-E and I have better racks than 66% of this grouping.

scotaku wrote: When the video of the confrontation is hosted by IndyCar.com, yes I begin thinking IndyCar is trying to gain attention for itself. Danica needs to wake up to a few facts, the least of which is Milka Duno's experience. Racing and, ahem, winning since 2000, Milka has it all over Danica. focusing strictly on this incident, Saturday, Danica needs to clue in to the fact that it was practice; as in getting her own act together in dealing with slower traffic ahead... under any conditions. With one win and thousands of lefts under her belt, she still needs to develop the ability to adapt if she hopes to collect another trophy. Then again, anyone believing the "I can't help it if you're slow," comment was not just for the cameras, I've got some great deals on beachfront lots in Idaho to share with you.

A few points to consider:

Milka "may" have rather more experience, but she is notoriously slow. She's regularly the slowest qualifier and racer in the Indy Car field. She has been parker by officials because she was so far off the pace that she was a danger to the other competitors. Danica's on-track Indy Car performance is stellar in comparison.

Milka's most recent "wins" have come in the Grand Am series, where her sponsor dollars allowed her to be teamed with great sports car drivers (i.e. Andy Wallace). The strategy was always to have her drive for the minimum-required time, pull her out and let her co-driver storm about trying to make up the time she lost. BTW, there weren't that many wins in Grand Am.

Danica is a prima donna hothead and uses the cameras to her (and Indy Car's) advantage - extra media exposure. The series tacitly condones her behavior because it gets air-time it otherwise wouldn't. It's the old adage about bad publicity is better than no publicity.

As far as on-track performance in practice, well there is still an expectation that all competitors will be attempting to reach racing speeds as soon as possible. Some may take a few exploratory laps, but are expected to watch their mirrors so they don't get in the way of faster drivers. Milka apparently wasn't paying too much attention in that area. Perhaps she was too pre-occupied, but that's not a good excuse for a "professional" driver under any conditions. Then again, that's part of her earned reputation.

Actually, the "I can't help it if you're slow" remark was hilarious and likely was appreciated by all the other drivers, with the possible exception of Roth; he's only marginally faster than Milka. But that comment, it rang oh, so true.

Danica is an OK racer who gets some results and tons of publicity. Her tirades are tiresome, though.

ignorant wrote: I think she should go away. I don't find her pretty. I don't find her endearing. She's an OK driver, I guess.

THANK YOU.

Joey

blockquote>John Brown wrote: I don't know E36 M3 but I can tell you unless we are judging drivers by their racks, these three don't cut it... And for the record both Wall-E and I have better racks than 66% of this grouping.

Thanks, I think. Although I will admit to having Danica beat I don't know about Miss Duno

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All three have some attempt at looking sexy on their website. I am glad Tony Stewart and AJ never stooped to that. Mario is really the only one who could have pulled it off. I don't know if it's the hair... or the accent.... but Mario....

sexing up a race car driver is like having a really good sex with your sister..

satisfyingly shameful!

I'd be willing to bet most of the drivers have tirades that aren't covered to the extent that Danica gets.

Most tiresome of all is the angle everyone plays, Danica is sexy, Danica is a beotch, Danica likes to fight, Danica is sexy when she fights. Danica plays to it, because that's what gets her coverage. The networks and officials play to it, because it sells tickets and ad revenue.

Tiresome you may find it, but you all seem to be up on events in regard to Danica.

I'm sick of Brett Favre. He's even trying to sex up his image to appeal to a new set of fans.

Speaking of off-track, pro-level racing soap operas...this just in. Cold, heartless Ferrari driver, Kimi "The Iceman" Raikkonen bowls over innocent street girl, and keeps walking!

http://jalopnik.com/398970/kimi-raikkonen-knocks-down-a-little-girl-keeps-walking

I see nothing wrong with what Danica or Kimi did.

Luke wrote: Speaking of off-track, pro-level racing soap operas...this just in. Cold, heartless Ferrari driver, Kimi "The Iceman" Raikkonen bowls over innocent street girl, and keeps walking! http://jalopnik.com/398970/kimi-raikkonen-knocks-down-a-little-girl-keeps-walking

KA-PWNED!!1!

If I was a Scuderia driver, I'd be pwning small children and their retarded mothers left and right.

Reading the comments section of that Jalopnik post brings much hilarity! Highlights: "Massa can knock the kid down 0.011 seconds quicker." "Stopping to help the girl would have taken at least 2 tenths off his pit lane lap time. " "Kid blocked his line. What else did she expect? Next time, don't hog the apex. "

Hah!

Also, "Massa would have knocked the little girl over but he slipped on a puddle.."

John Brown wrote: I think both are useless, throw Fischer in there as well. Of cousre they are all better drivers than I am (and probably most of you) BUT the fact that they can't act like PROFESSIONALS (Fischers tear fest when wrecking her last chassis, the dozen aired fights Patrick has been in and the amazing mediocrity of Duno and her inability to remove herself from the line when she can't hold speed) I don't know E36 M3 but I can tell you unless we are judging drivers by their racks, these three don't cut it... And for the record both Wall-E and I have better racks than 66% of this grouping.

Well, in that case we can call all drivers who don't finish in the top 10 regularly useless. In fact, lets simply do away with any driver that isn't in the top three in ALL forms of racing. That'll make sure only USEFUL drivers are racing.

Sheesh.

And what we need now is .. tear away fire suits for on camera Cat Fights!

Now we're talking ratings!

That will surpass the WWE of racing

aka NASCAR

SoloSonett wrote: And what we need now is .. tear away fire suits for on camera Cat Fights! Now we're talking ratings! That will surpass the WWE of racing aka NASCAR

Don't give the IRL folks any ideas, okay?