Danica Closer to AGR deal

I agree, NASCAR is going to show us her real abilities (or lack thereof) as a driver. I do not think it's fair to give her a couple races and make a decision there. But her ability to adapt to these cars I think will say a lot about her talent as a racer. Even Franchitti had a pole in Nationwide last year and had some decent runs in nationwide and arca. But his time there was considered a failure. Danica will probably get more time in the cars than Dario thanks to her sponsors, but at a certain point next season if she's not running or qualifying mid pack with top equipment, people are going to question her decision. And that can't be good for the brand. I suppose it's a risk she's willing to take, and she's never lacked for a healthy ego.

I'll also add that while I don't think her absence from the IRL will effect ratings all that much, I DO think it will have a significant effect on the IRL's ability to get a title sponsor. She's the face for a big affiliate sponsor, Peak Antifreeze, and my guess is that a "star" leaving the series will not look good in IRL marketing/sponsorship meetings. She adds a lot of perceived value to the series, even if it's more perception than reality.

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Originally Posted by NickFalzone

I'll also add that while I don't think her absence from the IRL will effect ratings all that much, I DO think it will have a significant effect on the IRL's ability to get a title sponsor. She's the face for a big affiliate sponsor, Peak Antifreeze, and my guess is that a "star" leaving the series will not look good in IRL marketing/sponsorship meetings. She adds a lot of perceived value to the series, even if it's more perception than reality.

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I don't doubt that there will be some fallout from some sponsors if she were to leave Indycar all together, but only for those certain sponsors that are attached to her and only for a short time (Peak, Godaddy, etc.). I think the point here was made (to which I agree) that maybe Indycar needs to be building it's own brand and not trying to piggy back on a mid to back of pack driver that wouldn't even be in racing if it weren't for doing some photo shoots. Seriously, has anybody ever considered that DanicaMania has really sort of stalled out? By stalled out I don't mean that it is dead but that it hasn't continued to grow at exponetial pace like it once did when she was a rookie at RLR. The curve has flattened way out and because Indycar counted on it I think it has limited the growth of the bigger picture for several years.

The fact her popularity has bascially reached it's peak is obviously exactly why she's considering NASCAR (aka $$$). Everybody needs to face it, she's popular for surpassing gender barriers, not for being good and it is arguable at best that she's even average. She's never going to be good at any form of racing so when the welcome has worn out the smart business thing to do would be to break the next barrier. Problem is...she's running out of barriers. After her failure in NASCAR with Hendrick level equipment, where too next? Can't do NHRA sweeheart, Shirley already did that and Ashley would stomp on you like asphalt under your own feet after loosing yet again.

This is a silly argument. Lyn St. James said itg best once: "The car doesn't know whether it's a guy or a gal driving it."

bye by and don't come back, you can't drive so take it where the races are fixed and you don't have too.

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Originally Posted by indycool

This is a silly argument. Lyn St. James said itg best once: "The car doesn't know whether it's a guy or a gal driving it."

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And that's one of the few things said by the mystery woman known as "Lyn St. James" that I ever agreed with. The other being, both of us were fans of McMillan and Wife back in the 70's... and I thought Susan Saint James was really cute too. :D

So to piggyback on Lyn's statement, why is Danica so popular? Well... uh... ;) But the rubber will be a meetin' the road soon enough.

Sincerely,

NASCAR_Warrior. :s mokin:

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Originally Posted by indycool

This is a silly argument. Lyn St. James said itg best once: "The car doesn't know whether it's a guy or a gal driving it."

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Perhaps you can show me what I missed, but I don't think this thread has focused on her gender as the issue at all.

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Originally Posted by grungex

Perhaps you can show me what I missed, but I don't think this thread has focused on her gender as the issue at all.

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Yeah grungy, what did we miss. This has nothing to do with gender other than the fact Danica happens to be a girl and one that can't drive.

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Originally Posted by grungex

Perhaps you can show me what I missed, but I don't think this thread has focused on her gender as the issue at all.

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some how, the remark has to come into play, just like how race has to come into play with others. I don't believe anyone here has made any sexist comments toward Danica in this thread.

Read the thread. Plenty of references to her being a her. If it was an E.J. Viso or Justin Wilson or Vitor Meira or Dan Wheldon or someone else like them, there would be no multi-page discussion.

well to be fair, none of those guys go bragging about how great they are neither or their "The Brand" is keeping the IRL afloat. what she needs to do is get off her head out of the clouds and come back to reality. I honestly don't care if she races or not, its her up-tight attitude that gets the people annoyed, she needs to take lessons from Sarah if she has to. but she can't keep saying how great she is (although the media does alot as well as making it worse to real race fans).

should she be in Nascar, absolutely not, she does not have enough talent to compete there, shes better off in the IRL for her career, the Nascar drivers will have zero patience for her and her blocking, and the Cup guys are not afraid to use the bumper at all except maybe for Martin