Danica 2012

[numanoid]

I suppose this thread needs to exist. Conjecture on Danica next year. Of course the expectation is that she goes to Nationwide NASCAR full time next year with a run at Indy.

According to Nascar now, or whatever they call the Nascar pre-race coverage on ESPN, news is coming out this Wednesday about her plans for next year. Rumor had it she would be full time Nationwide with select races in Sprint Cup. The commentators kind of scoffed at the Sprint Cup theory. They implied it was too much for her to handle.

DanicaFan, how do you feel about her move next year?

[00steven]

Well there's just one more person who looks down on Indycar racing. It's obviously going to happen and I believe she will struggle immensely. Selling her soul to NASCAR isn't the answer, her troubles behind the wheel will just follow her.

[Phoenixent]

Well there's just one more person who looks down on Indycar racing. It's obviously going to happen and I believe she will struggle immensely. Selling her soul to NASCAR isn't the answer, her troubles behind the wheel will just follow her.

It's not that she is looking down on Indycar she is following the merchandising check. The problem for her is that she will be done in a few years in Nascar due to her inability on setups and aggressive driving. She has had 8 good years in Indycar she is one the highest paid drivers in Indycar but wants more cash and Nascar is where the money is.

[Anubis]

It's not that she is looking down on Indycar she is following the merchandising check. The problem for her is that she will be done in a few years in Nascar due to her inability on setups and aggressive driving. She has had 8 good years in Indycar she is one the highest paid drivers in Indycar but wants more cash and Nascar is where the money is.

I'd imagine she'll be able to forge a lucrative career being a mid-pack runner in Nationwide, augmented by a LOT of merchandising. Once that has run its course, I daresay she'll do the reality TV circuit and retire considerably more wealthy than any of us can ever dream of being. On current form, she could probably run for office and win votes...

[FIAT1]

Good bye.

[garyshell]

Dear Danica,

Here's your hat, what's your hurry.

Gary

[NickFalzone]

Can't wait for 2012.

[SarahFan]

Wish she would have been bitchyer along the way ... For every wheldon briscoe milka moment the sport could have used a dozen more

[Phoenixent]

Wish she would have been bitchyer along the way ... For every wheldon briscoe milka moment the sport could have used a dozen more

I agree but the crowd at Indy last year and this year has humbled her some. Let face it when the front stretch at Indy boos you it humbling and she has not recovered form that.

[chuck34]

I agree but the crowd at Indy last year and this year has humbled her some. Let face it when the front stretch at Indy boos you it humbling and she has not recovered form that.

"It's not my fault!!!"

[heliocastroneves#3]

Well, I think she will try nascar next year but when it's July or August she will call Michael Andretti if she can drive there for the rest of the IndyCar season because it won't succeed... I even hope she doesn't win the Indy 500 if she goes to NASCAR because someone who drives the whole year in an IndyCar deserves that win more then a damn nascar driver. I dunno but I really have something against those drivers... Maybe it's because they think they're real athletes while they're only good in banging, wrecking, bammm, boommm, bangg!

[garyshell]

Well, I think she will try nascar next year but when it's July or August she will call Michael Andretti if she can drive there for the rest of the IndyCar season because it won't succeed... I even hope she doesn't win the Indy 500 if she goes to NASCAR because someone who drives the whole year in an IndyCar deserves that win more then a damn nascar driver. I dunno but I really have something against those drivers... Maybe it's because they think they're real athletes while they're only good in banging, wrecking, bammm, boommm, bangg!


I can't believe I am about to defend the NASCAR drivers, but go take five laps in the "ride along" program at Daytona and tell me they are not athletes. I did and it gives you a whole different perspective on what it takes. I was worn out and I was just the damn passenger at only 167 MPH.

Gary

[00steven]

I can't believe I am about to defend the NASCAR drivers, but go take five laps in the "ride along" program at Daytona and tell me they are not athletes. I did and it gives you a whole different perspective on what it takes. I was worn out and I was just the damn passenger at only 167 MPH.

Gary

These guys (and girls) are more than athletes, they are individuals who risk their lives for the sake of something they love. What they do is more physically demanding for longer periods of time than any other sport. If golf is considered athletics, than I'm pretty sure racing should as well.

[Jag_Warrior]

Heck, by 2012, they might be able to turn this into a respectable series after all!

Tony George gone/fairly well neutered? Check!
Ugly a$$ Dallara museum pieces gone? Check!
Honda spec boat anchors gone? Check!
Jack Arute gone? Check!
Danica (almost) gone? Check!!! :bounce:

Once Princess Lapped-A-Lot leaves the building, all that's left is for Brian Barnhart to clean out his desk by Dec. 31, 2011 and at least we'll have a fightin' chance in 2012.

And to honor the Princess, I will play this on my car stereo for a month if she really does leave:

tx8x3LCnYZw

[nigelred5]

Well, I think she will try nascar next year but when it's July or August she will call Michael Andretti if she can drive there for the rest of the IndyCar season because it won't succeed... I even hope she doesn't win the Indy 500 if she goes to NASCAR because someone who drives the whole year in an IndyCar deserves that win more then a damn nascar driver. I dunno but I really have something against those drivers... Maybe it's because they think they're real athletes while they're only good in banging, wrecking, bammm, boommm, bangg!

I'm going to echo what Garyshell said, except I've driven a stock car at Dover, Daytona, Charlotte and WDW and I was not held back like most driving experiences at Dover or charlotte. Driving a Stock car for 25 laps is exhausting even being in moderately decent shape. Driving for 4 hours is truly endurance racing with constant g loading. They are absolutely atehletes.

[heliocastroneves#3]

Well, in that case you're of course right.... But what for a driver you are if you're only wrecking and banging each other? Villeneuve sadly becomes the same..... :(

NASCAR is funny to watch but I won't consider it as a serious sport.. At least IndyCar is (while I don't like it that they made from the season final a 5 million challenge... Better make it a 2 million challenge for everyone, and not only the non-IndyCar drivers) a serious sport. Of course what we saw in Toronto was a bit nascarish... But I laughed about it and enjoyed it. But I won't like it if we saw races like that on road courses every weekend. Danica is a quitter and people consider her as a bad road course racer but that isn't true.... If she is, how the hell she qualified on the front row at Mid-Ohio and Infineon in 2007? And how the F it's possible that her best finish until her win at Motegi in '08 was a second place at Detroit in '07, a road course?! NASCAR is not the answer... She has to sort out her road course problem.. Since the greens aren't in her team anymore she's just awful in qualifying, even on ovals (except Iowa), leaving Andretti Autosport could be the answer..

[00steven]

Looks like there will be a press conference Thursday according to JAYSKI.

[heliocastroneves#3]

I'm very curious what she's gonna do.... I really hope she stays in IndyCar and I can stay to hope this because no decision has been made. Danica just mums on her eventually NASCAR move.... Maybe because she wants to stay in IndyCar, or maybe it has other reasons....

[Pat Wiatrowski]

Tell someone who cares!

[00steven]

Tell someone who cares!

Why would you even come to this page if you don't care? The rest of us are discussing this topic.

[harvick#1]

These guys (and girls) are more than athletes, they are individuals who risk their lives for the sake of something they love. What they do is more physically demanding for longer periods of time than any other sport. If golf is considered athletics, than I'm pretty sure racing should as well.

the casual, fan that follows only stick and ball sports think an athlete is only someone that can swing a bat, or throw a ball, or hit and take a slapshop. most if not all Racecar drivers could do marathons, most notably Endurance/F1/Indycar/WRC drivers and nearly all the other formula series in Europe. people keep looking at only Stewart and say how fat he is, well, what about Shaq, all he did was slam dunk and block, he really couldnt do anything else, so what made him an athlete compared to stewart.

theres still no tougher athlete than a Hockey Player, but when drivers race with broken bones, it doesnt matter who it is, I tip my hat off to that driver cause you are hurting with broken bones and throw in G-Forces all race long, its gotta be even worse

[heliocastroneves#3]

Yep once again, they are athletes.... I just meant that I dislike the wrecking and banging in nascar.

I've raced myself in go karts and that wasn't tough for me... But when I drove some laps in a Formula Renault car I already found that tough... I was quite exhausted after those 20 laps.

But to come back a bit more ontopic; maybe we have another woman in IndyCar soon... What about Shannon Mcintosh?

[DBell]

I have a friend that did some club racing 20 or so years ago. I remember someone trying to draw him into a debate on whether racers were athletes. He responded that he didn't care. What he wanted was to be a racer and whether someone considered that to be an athlete or not made no difference to him. I've always remembered that and liked his response.

[numanoid]

I don't think Danica is doing this for the money. She is already, by far, the most talked about and endorsed Indy driver in the field. She is doing it because she wants to race competitively and the road courses aren't allowing her to win. She's an oval driver and it makes sense to want to compete where your strength lies. She wants to win, and in Nascar, she will have many more chances to do so.

[Chris R]

I don't think Danica is doing this for the money. She is already, by far, the most talked about and endorsed Indy driver in the field. She is doing it because she wants to race competitively and the road courses aren't allowing her to win. She's an oval driver and it makes sense to want to compete where your strength lies. She wants to win, and in Nascar, she will have many more chances to do so.

I could be proven wrong - but I do not see how she has a better chance of winning in NASCAR - she may do well on the big tracks (as she does in Indycar). She is moving to a team that is similar in stature in the big scheme of things to Andretti - so she is moving into a relatively similar quality car. Yes, she is doing ovals - but I am not seeing where she is so much stronger on ovals than road courses - she may be a bit higher up in the starting grid on ovals but she has pretty similar race pace/strategy in both.

I think overall Danica is basically a lazy and/or conservative driver and those qualities are not going to serve her any better in NASCAR than they do here..... She will do fine there as she has done here - she has a decent amount of talent - I just question her work ethic in terms of getting the most from her car and improving her race-craft..... in that sense moving to a new series as a mature driver might be a bad move....

Anyway, I think it is about the money and I do not think there is anything wrong about that. Professional sports people (I'll avoid the "A" word) have a limited time window in which to make as much money as possible - she is making the right move to maximize her earning potential. I think she decided long ago that being the best woman racer was good enough for her (again, I see nothing wrong with this, plenty of male drivers have decided that some level of achievement is "good enough") The best place to take that now is to NASCAR where she can be the best woman there..... which is a wonderful thing.....

[EagleEye]

I can't believe I am about to defend the NASCAR drivers, but go take five laps in the "ride along" program at Daytona and tell me they are not athletes. I did and it gives you a whole different perspective on what it takes. I was worn out and I was just the damn passenger at only 167 MPH.

Gary

I drove a Busch car at Charlotte a fews years back, before they repaved it. It was a hand full. And, there were only four of us on the track.

'Tis not easy.

[DavePI2]

I give up, I had a couple of great pics of Dania's ride for next year, but I can't figure out how to post the damn pics.

[garyshell]

Tell someone who cares!


Why would you even come to this page if you don't care? The rest of us are discussing this topic.

I think he is too. Like me he couldn't give a rats ass what happens to the princess. Maybe you don't consider that discussion of the topic, but some of us do.

Gary

[garyshell]

I don't think Danica is doing this for the money. She is already, by far, the most talked about and endorsed Indy driver in the field. She is doing it because she wants to race competitively and the road courses aren't allowing her to win. She's an oval driver and it makes sense to want to compete where your strength lies. She wants to win, and in Nascar, she will have many more chances to do so.

Really, not doing it for the money? Now that is hillarious. Tell us again about how "competitive" she has been in Indycar ON THE OVALS. She won one, count 'em one, race and that was a gift from her strategist and crew. She will never win a single NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

Gary

[00steven]

I think he is too. Like me he couldn't give a rats ass what happens to the princess. Maybe you don't consider that discussion of the topic, but some of us do.

Gary

So can I go on any given thread and say, "who the hell cares"? Does that mean I'm adding to the discussion?

[garyshell]

So can I go on any given thread and say, "who the hell cares"? Does that mean I'm adding to the discussion?

I think that is totallly depenedent on the CONTEXT of the discussion. In this particular case I think it is VERY pertinent, maybe you don't.

Gary

[SoCalPVguy]

I don't think Danica is doing this for the money. She is already, by far, the most talked about and endorsed Indy driver in the field. She is doing it because she wants to race competitively and the road courses aren't allowing her to win. She's an oval driver and it makes sense to want to compete where your strength lies. She wants to win, and in Nascar, she will have many more chances to do so.

Ha ha "DF"; very clever using that "numanoid" name ... Its clear to me that starting this year, the princess has given up all hope of becoming a competitive "RACER". Clearing she is just phoning it in in Indycar. It appears her downforce is higher for stability and it shows in that she always runs about 5-mph per lap slower than the leaders this year, while in past years, especially on ovals she often approached leader's times. And here's the "rub"--- in Nascar a tight, high downforce car cannot win, ever !!! The only way to win is a balance of "loose" just on the edge of "too loose". There is NO WAY the princess is comfortable with a ragged edge loose car. Clearly to me she is in it strictly for the money and the "brand" and the only way she gets anything in Nascar would be a result of "the call". She's gonna make a ton 'o money in Nascar, but she'll be co-hosting Entertainment Tonight in three years.

[NickFalzone]

Racing requires athleticism, but I am hesistant to outright call racers "athletes". Then again, I am very picky about that term. I do not consider baseball players athletes, nor golfers, but I recognize them as "players/competitors" in "sports". Certainly, they require a high degree of skill, but to me an athlete is of a higher athletic caliber than someone that swings a golf club or drives a car very fast. I don't think this takes away from the great skill and talent they possess as competitors in a high-level professional sport.

[SoCalPVguy]

Studies have shown that race car drivers sustain heart rates in excess of 180 BPM for the duration of the often over two hours or longer at Indy. Meanwhile they are trying to perform intricate hand-eye coordination while at speeds in excess of 200-Mph where a mistake could cost them their life. No NFL player sustains that kind of cardio effort and if they drop a pass, they can come back into the huddle and try again, not be sent to the morgue. No NBA player is on the floor more than 12 minutes at a time without a rest. Tiny little maratoners actually sustain a very low heart rate versus drivers. You are wrong about baseball players too FYI, the sport demands 0-100 type acceleration and change of direction and the small baseball requires much finer motor skills than large ball sports like soccer.

[NickFalzone]

Studies have shown that race car drivers sustain heart rates in excess of 180 BPM for the duration of the often over two hours or longer at Indy. Meanwhile they are trying to perform intricate hand-eye coordination while at speeds in excess of 200-Mph where a mistake could cost them their life. No NFL player sustains that kind of cardio effort and if they drop a pass, they can come back into the huddle and try again, not be sent to the morgue. No NBA player is on the floor more than 12 minutes at a time without a rest. Tiny little maratoners actually sustain a very low heart rate versus drivers. You are wrong about baseball players too FYI, the sport demands 0-100 type acceleration and change of direction and the small baseball requires much finer motor skills than large ball sports like soccer.

Having a high BPM and/or fine motor skills are, to me, not enough to define someone as an "athlete". As I said though, I am very specific and perhaps a contrarian when it comes to that term. I greatly dislike soccer as a sport, but I do consider soccer players to be "athletes", along with football players, basketball players, boxers, tennis players, gymnasts, swimmers, wrestlers, etc. But I just not consider a baseball player to be an athlete, nor a golfer. They are highly skilled competitors at what they do, but they simply do not match up to the specific (and perhaps idiotic) standards that I set to define an "athlete".

[harvick#1]

I think that is totallly depenedent on the CONTEXT of the discussion. In this particular case I think it is VERY pertinent, maybe you don't.

Gary

to me, I'd rather use :s nore:


:D

I do agree though, who the hell cares where the overhyped driver is going

[Jag_Warrior]

I don't think Danica is doing this for the money. She is already, by far, the most talked about and endorsed Indy driver in the field. She is doing it because she wants to race competitively and the road courses aren't allowing her to win. She's an oval driver and it makes sense to want to compete where your strength lies. She wants to win, and in Nascar, she will have many more chances to do so.

Funny thing is though, Danica spent most of her early career doing nothing BUT road courses. She was a "European trained" road course racer (or that was the story that used to be told). Let's be honest though, it's not the road courses that are not allowing her to win. What's not allowing her to win is her lack of talent and skill on road and street courses. She's pushing 30 now. She has one lifetime professional victory in automobile racing. Anything could happen. But the depth of talent is SO much deeper in Sprint Cup than it is in the IRL that it isn't funny. So the only way I see Princess Lapped-a-Lot getting a Top 10 (much less a victory) in Sprint Cup is if half the field crashes and it's on a restrictor plate track. Other than that, even if NASCAR issues a "call", I don't see her (based on her Nationwide races thus far) having what it takes to race with the sharp end of the NASCAR field. I just don't see it.

But I congratulate the folks at IMG for getting Paris Hilton... I mean, Danica Patrick, into NA$CAR. Nice pay check for her. Nice pay check for IMG. But my question remains: once we're 3-4 years into this exercise, what will be the excuses for why she still isn't up to snuff? The car, the crew, the team, the engine, the tires, the lug nuts, the sponsors, the fans, the weather, etc., etc.???

[SarahFan]

3-4 years?

It's all going to be over in 3-4 years

[chuck34]

Having a high BPM and/or fine motor skills are, to me, not enough to define someone as an "athlete". As I said though, I am very specific and perhaps a contrarian when it comes to that term. I greatly dislike soccer as a sport, but I do consider soccer players to be "athletes", along with football players, basketball players, boxers, tennis players, gymnasts, swimmers, wrestlers, etc. But I just not consider a baseball player to be an athlete, nor a golfer. They are highly skilled competitors at what they do, but they simply do not match up to the specific (and perhaps idiotic) standards that I set to define an "athlete".

What makes the difference between a soccer player and a racer? I don't see that at all. To me they are basically on the same level as far as physical fitness and motor skills, etc.

Football players? Why are they atheletes? Yeah they're strong and all, but they don't have the sustained exertion that pretty much any of the other athletes you stated.

Don't want to continue a big thing here that may be OT, but I'm curious as to what your criteria are.

[SarahFan]

Is a jet fighter pilot an athlete?

*just wondering out load... I certainly consider a racer an athlete, but he/she is certainly more similar to a fighter pilot than a soccer player

[heliocastroneves#3]

I just find it wrong that she wants to run away from the road courses.... On what kind of courses she qualified on the front row in 2007? What was her best finish until her first win at Motegi? Yup, it was a second place ON A ROAD COURSE!

Road racing is where you start with. If you're only good in taking circles then you're not talented... Even not for a NASCAR driver. You're talented when you're "a Dario", yep... Someone who's good in both.. What's the reason that she's now a backmarker on road courses while she was so good at them in 2007?

But what I said? Maybe she stays in IndyCar... You never know..... But the chance is very little.... And if she doesn't I once again will call her a quitter and will become a 100% fan of Hélio and hopefully Tung gets a full time ride as well for next year.

[00steven]

I just find it wrong that she wants to run away from the road courses.... On what kind of courses she qualified on the front row in 2007? What was her best finish until her first win at Motegi? Yup, it was a second place ON A ROAD COURSE!

Road racing is where you start with. If you're only good in taking circles then you're not talented... Even not for a NASCAR driver. You're talented when you're "a Dario", yep... Someone who's good in both.. What's the reason that she's now a backmarker on road courses while she was so good at them in 2007?

But what I said? Maybe she stays in IndyCar... You never know..... But the chance is very little.... And if she doesn't I once again will call her a quitter and will become a 100% fan of Hélio and hopefully Tung gets a full time ride as well for next year.

The truth is that Danica can't race a road course to save her life. That combined with more races to make more money is why she's going to give up and join NASCAR. Also, you made mention earlier that you didn't want a NASCAR driver to win at Indy, well it looks like she might not even be able to run it to me.

[00steven]

According to JAYSKI, the press conference is going to be live streamed at Go Daddy Super Bowl Commercials, TV Spots, Events & More (http://videos.godaddy.com/danica-media.aspx)

[00steven]

It's official. Full time in Nationwide and 8-10 in cup, eyeing a fulltime gig for 2013.

[numanoid]

Wow, lots of replies to my post earlier.

First, I'm not DF.

Second, I agree she is phoning it in right now. In the past several years though, she has been competitive on ovals. Overall 6th in points in 2008. Overall 5th in points 2009. Overall 10th in points 2010. 12th now being 2 points behind Helio.

I think many equate competitive with dominant. It's not the same thing.

Bottom line: In Indycar with 50% (or more) road/street races, she would need a miracle to get a top 3 finish at the end of the year. Once she gets acclimated to NASCAR, and actually decides to start racing, a top 3 points finish is not out of the question.

[DanicaFan]

I find all this hilarious. I knew it last year, everyone knew it last year or they should have known. It was going to happen. The annoncement today was just a formality, nothing new.

[harvick#1]

predictions on how many of those 8-10 Cup races she DNQ's :D

or is France gonna grant a special rule for the princess

[FIAT1]

Finally good news. Now let's go back to real racing!

[DanicaFan]

Here is my take and opinion on her move.. To me, its a bittersweet day.. Im happy and both sad.. :(

First off, Im happy for her that she is where she wants to be. I love Danica and will always be her biggest fan no matter where she goes and I wish her nothing but the best. I do feel that she will do very well. She will predominately be on ovals and this is where she succeeds at. So I think she will be very competitive and I do think we will see her grab a victory or two.

Now, unfortunately she is staying with JR Motorsports. I wasnt crazy about her going there last year. Im not a Tony Eury Jr. fan by no means,and not a huge Earnhardt fan either. I would rather see her with another team. I would be real happy if she were. That's the biggest thing I dont like about the move. I do like Tony Stewart and I think that is a great fit for her and we will see her there full time at Stewart Haas in 2013.

My opinion is I wish she would stay in the Indycar series. I have told her this several times. I prefer indycar races. However, I see her reasoning behind leaving as her and the series have different views and plans to where they want the series to go, and all ovals or mostly ovals isnt one of them. She wants to make the move as well. Indycar racing to me is much better to watch than a stock car race. You cant beat high speed oval racing in indycar where you cant bump like you can NASCAR. This to me makes it a lot more exciting. I do enjoy NASCAR a lot but I am first to admit, I prefer a good Indycar race anyday.

I will continue to watch Indycar and be just as an avid fan of the series as I ever have been. It will be a little more sad and strange though not having my favorite driver of all or any series being there racing after all this time. :( That I will admit makes me a little depressed. And yes, I will continue to make the race threads for all of you.. :)

[harvick#1]

Jr Motorsports gets basically Hendrick chassis' in the Nationwide, Stewart/Hass gets Hendrick Chassis' in Cup. they are all satellite teams

[00steven]

Finally good news. Now let's go back to real racing!

I agree!

[monadvspec]

I am just curious. Why do you "hate" soccer? I hear that quite a bit and wonder if it is the lack of understanding of the game that is the reason for the dislike. Soccer players are most definitely athletes. So too are baseball players. Golfers too. All these sports require a tremendous amount of skill when one speaks of the highest level of the sport. If you have Fox Soccer Channel, just watch an English Premier League game and then say afterwards that these guys are not athletes. I doubt you would.
On-Topic, I would prefer to watch Simona deSilvestro getting a good car and sponsor. Have her stay with Keith Wiggins. It saddens me when I see so many people who really have a knack at spotting talent end up losing it to people with the money to poach them.
Danica will not win a Nascar race. No way. Has AJ won? How many has Montoya won?

Someone mentioned the depth of talent within the ranks of Nascar. I agree with them. I just can't see Danic in the fifth row, three wide,bunched up bumper to bumper and doing that for twenty or thirty laps. I don't dislike the woman. I just dislike the fact that if you are better looking than someone else you get more breaks. Isn't this the only reason Danica is going to NASCAR? Because she is perceived as sexy and will draw TV audience and fans to the track.

[heliocastroneves#3]

If that's what she wants; running away from the road courses.... Then it's a good move, no whining anymore about the schedule..

When I saw that Danica will make the jump to full time NNS next year I immediately became a fan of the whole Andretti Autosport team and Hélio Castroneves. Sorry to say, but I'm not gonna support a quitter... It's still a shame, but in IndyCar we don't want quitters!

I wish Danica the best in NNS but even those last races for her in IndyCar (and eventually the Indy 500's in the future where she will be part from) I won't be a fan of her anymore. I always liked Helio besides Danica, but now Helio is the only to support (alongside Andretti Autosport, because I have to say that I like it how they are slowly getting better and are beating Penske and Ganassi sometimes) for now in IndyCar for me.

Who's gonna replace her at AA? Is it gonna be Wheldon..? What about Josef Newgarden?

[Lee Roy]

Danica will not win a Nascar race. No way. . . . . How many has Montoya won?


Montoya has won two Sprint Cup races and a Nationwide race. Would have won the 2010 BY 400 except for a pit road speeding penalty.

[garyshell]

Ok she's gone. Game over. Can we close this and all other Danica threads now. Yeah, yeah, I know we have races left. But she won't be a factor in any of 'em unless Barnhardt gives her "the call" as a lovely parting gift.

Gary

[00steven]

Who's gonna replace her at AA? Is it gonna be Wheldon..? What about Josef Newgarden

I'd say AA is gonna have a real tough time finding sponsorship for more than two cars.

[heliocastroneves#3]

But GoDaddy will stay with them.... Or not? I mean, Conway and Hunter-Reay already drove with GoDaddy cars this season.... It wont be wrong if AA just left it with two cars...... Then the team will be better off. Conway is not a bad driver and he has a win, but c'mon... He's 17th in the standings.... Better have someone who finishes consistently on second and third places then someone who wins one race and is just driving a worse season further. But on the other side; Conway deserves a chance, because he has obviously talent. But if AA WILL become a two car team then I'd say; Ryan Hunter-Reay alongside Marco Andretti.

[FormerFF]

From her standpoint, I suppose this makes sense. If you're going to run in the back half of the field most of the time, might as well run in the back half of the best paying field you can get into. But from a racer's standpoint, it's always been my philosophy that if you're not winning, there's no reason to move up.

It sure will tone down the amount of discussion there is around here, though.

[zako85]

Here is my (completely worthless) analysis of Danica's move to NASCAR.. it completely makes sense to me. She probably realized by now the she is not going to win an IndyCar championship. She's been racing indycars for enough years to realize that. She knows that she is at or past her peak IndyCar performance. Her sponsors probably recognize this too, as well as the fact that her novelty factor is kind of wearing down. In NASCAR, she has a hope of having a clean sheet start and a new hope to win. Not to mention that there is probably more money involved in NASCAR.

[garyshell]

Well GoDaddy is staying with Andretti team.

New Andretti Era: 3 Generations at Go Daddy « Andretti Autosport (http://andrettiautosport.com/news/?p=743)

Gary

[00steven]

Well GoDaddy is staying with Andretti team.

New Andretti Era: 3 Generations at Go Daddy « Andretti Autosport (http://andrettiautosport.com/news/?p=743)

Gary

That's good news. I hope the entry is for Conway.

[SoCalPVguy]

Well GoDaddy is staying with Andretti team.

Good for them - now maybe they will have a chance to actually win a race.

[heliocastroneves#3]

Yep... Because they already won races.... But none of them was driving a GoDaddy car... :X

[SoCalPVguy]

Good for them - now maybe they will have a chance to actually win a race.

Let me re-phrase... Now Go Daddy actually has a chance to win a race LOL

[mac miller]

"danica" . Say it loud and there's music playing ....... Say it soft and it's almost like praying.......


Her omnipresence, her beauty, her talent, her personality, her ego could no longer be contained by the irl. She has achieved more fame and fortune than any high school dropout with a very minimum talent could ever dream of but, it is time for her to move up to the nascar "little league" series where nascar can "arrainge" for her success.

[Jag_Warrior]

"danica" . Say it loud and there's music playing ....... Say it soft and it's almost like praying.......


Her omnipresence, her beauty, her talent, her personality, her ego could no longer be contained by the irl. She has achieved more fame and fortune than any high school dropout with a very minimum talent could ever dream of but, it is time for her to move up to the nascar "little league" series where nascar can "arrainge" for her success.

You may not post much, but when you do, you knock it out of the park! :up:

[DBell]

"danica" . Say it loud and there's music playing ....... Say it soft and it's almost like praying.......


Her omnipresence, her beauty, her talent, her personality, her ego could no longer be contained by the irl. She has achieved more fame and fortune than any high school dropout with a very minimum talent could ever dream of but, it is time for her to move up to the nascar "little league" series where nascar can "arrainge" for her success.

That's some wickedly beautiful satire

[heliocastroneves#3]

NASCAR is her new home. In NASCAR they try to entertain the spectators and that's what Danica is also doing in her commercials... Entertaining people..

[nigelred5]

My prediction, she'll do well in Phoenix, Chicago and wherever they are racing the weekend after the first questions about her contract status arise.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

That's good news. I hope the entry is for Conway.

I hope it's for Wheldon! I doubt Go Daddy would settle with Conway. Nothing against him, but I guess they'd want a high-profile driver.

[nigelred5]

I got this email today from the company that provides a lot of our software training

"System Source celebrates the Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix. For fun, our computer randomly assigned you a driver in the race. If driver Danica Patrick wins, you will receive a free one-day Microsoft Office course for you or a friend. Winners simply reply to this email after the race with the name and date of your selected course. No purchase necessary.


I guess I'm still going to have to count on paying for that Sharepoint Designer level 2 course.

[Chris R]

That's good news. I hope the entry is for Conway.

I'd be really surprised if it isn't for Marco....

[nigelred5]

There was an announcement of sponsorship by Royal Crown Cola for MARCO in 2012. Elsewhere I read it was primary.

RC Cola Named Sponsor for Marco Andretti (http://andrettiautosport.com/news/?p=769)

Maybe RHR? Conway doesn't seem very "Go Daddyish". It would seem like the two should swap sponsorship. A brit with "Royal Crown" Cola and Marco driving the "Go Daddy" car makse more sense on SOOOO many levels ;)


With the earlier announcement of the Andretti Go Daddy deal, I'd expect the Go Daddy on Marco's car as well.

Will the 3M's continue with the cheezy GO Daddy commercials?

[00steven]

I hope it's for Wheldon! I doubt Go Daddy would settle with Conway. Nothing against him, but I guess they'd want a high-profile driver.

I read that Michael wants to keep the three guys he has know, plus add Wheldon.

[SarahFan]

AA wheldon and godaddy makes sense to me

[heliocastroneves#3]

They should give him the red Jim Bean car he had in 2005... Then Wheldon is unbeatable... xD