Russ wrote on May 29, 2006 5:55 AM:I can guess that there are a lot of great drivers that have never won Indy or for that matter have not even compiled the respectable Indy finish place numbers on Danica's record. I think that rather than tear down someone who has added additional interest to the sport of auto racing you should focus on writing more about the winners so they are not forgotten. There, that should give you something to do this year. Russ

Daren wrote on May 29, 2006 6:31 PM:Patrick was a fresh piece of publicity for Indy racing, but she hasn't done anything. Stop talking about her until she wins aomething. She's suffering from the "Kournikova Syndrome"-- all looks, no results.

Al wrote on May 30, 2006 8:44 AM:Does Danica Patrick deserve all the hype? Yes. Does Loren Nelson deserve the title “staff writer”? No comment! His story is just another great example of how, even idiots have opinions.

lp wrote on May 30, 2006 11:42 AM:Danica Patrick is not in the same league as Anna K. when it comes to beauty. Forget about it. As far her racing - much respect that a woman volunteers to strap herself into a rocket on wheels and flirts with death everytime she gets behind the wheel. Does she deserve the attention??? Probably not but it sure helps in promoting INDY racing.

Doc wrote on May 30, 2006 7:55 PM:How many racers have finished behind Ms. Patrick last season? How many team drivers finished behind her 8th place finish in this year's Indy? She has, indeed, made a place for herself. How does Mr. Nelson stack up as a writer? Everyone has to make a living, save, that is, for ol' retired bloggers.

Daren wrote on May 30, 2006 8:30 PM:My point is not who is better looking- Kournikova or Patrick. My point is that both women are physically attractive and their attractiveness led to their media hype. Neither woman has done anything of note in their respective sports.

Rick wrote on May 31, 2006 5:01 PM:Yes and No, The difference is that she knows how to market herself. She is an excellent driver, female or male, she finished 4th last year but was leading when she ran low on fuel. Finished 8th only because of the cuation as she was pitting. There were a lot of male drivers who came in behind her. Some of the male drivers did not even make it through 5 laps. She is always been in the top 10, not very many male drivers can say that. Does she deserve all the hype, not really, not any more than any driver of her caliber male or female. She gets the hype because she is a good looking female that can drive with the big boys and hold her own. She is respected by her fellow racers. I don't see a problem with her using her good looks in marketing, in NASCAR, all the young guns do it and they don't always win. Your staff writer doesn't know much about racing, anytime you are in the top 5 you are successful as a driver. It's not like tennis, 215 MPH in an open wheel car is no comparion. You can't even compare the two women.

Al wrote on May 31, 2006 8:20 PM:Rick, well done! I agree 104%. If you aren't a writer, you should be.

Fernando wrote on May 31, 2006 8:25 PM:The staff writer is an idiot. If there was a female-only racing league, Danica would have won many races already and would have widespread acclaim. Without such league, she has to compete in a much more difficult environment. Say, if the the American female soccer team was to compete in the male World Cup and got a 4th place, that would be a national holiday - while for Danica, what she gets for her accomplishments is the disdain of willingly ignorant staff writers.

Fitch wrote on Jun 1, 2006 4:56 AM:How many men's tennis tournaments did Anna enter? How many men's golf tournaments have women finished 4th in, or even 8th, or even made the cut? I think the answer is zero to all of the above questions. Danica is competing head to head against men in a very physical sport. Those cars do not have power steering. Rusty Wallace commented on how much harder they are to drive than a stock car. By any measure Danica is a very good driver. She got more out of the Panoze chassis at Indy than any other driver including prior Indy winners. She qualified highest of all Panoz drivers, finished 8 places ahead of the next finishing panoz driver. Her race was solid and best in class. Any driver that can do that is a heck of a good driver. Does she deserve the hype? Absolutely! She is the only one of a succession of very capable women drivers that has managed to accomplish what she has accomplished. That makes her the best woman indy driver ever. Being a successful race driver is about driving first, and generating publicity (and sponsorship)second. The name-brand NASCAR drivers are all very good at generating publicity. She does both very well indeed. Fitch

Rick wrote on Jun 1, 2006 9:10 AM:Thanks, Al. I am not a writer but a fan of racing, open wheel, NASCAR, and have seen over the years several drivers killed while driving. The latest was Danica's team mate at the beginning of the year. I have never seen a tennis player killed on the courts yet, I am also a tennis fan. I don't know how this staff writer can treat such people like Danica or her fellow drivers like this. Racing is a dangrous sport, last week Stewart was taken to the hospital after his crash, drivers get hurt in this sport. To make it all about a beauty contest just shows that the staff writer has never been to a race, smelled the burning rubber, felt the grit from the tires, heard the roar on the cars. It's different from watching a race on TV, you have to be to really appreciate the drivers, their teams, and the fans. Al and Fernando, your right, this staff writer doesn't have a clue. I suggest he go to the next race at the Calif. Speedway and get an education before he writes about another race driver. Interview one of the drivers, their team and see what it takes to be a driver.

JR wrote on Jun 1, 2006 9:58 AM:All those blaming the writer for danica being nothing but a slut needs to learn what racing is really all about. Danica is not even a middle grade race driver. Any track that is not a circle she has performed even worse, with weighing 30 lbs plus less then others the only way to "lead" the indy 500 was to wait until all the others pitted for gas and then claims how great she is FACTS: Last year due to engine she was using was a advantage over those using another engine. Now that all are using the same engine you see her going backwards. There is only like a 20 car field, let her try this in NASCAR with 42 cars and watch her finishing place go in the dumps. She is scared of corners so they use more wing angle to give more downforce which costs her gas mileage so she will never win when having to pit more often. Her photo spreads are just that and does not fool those of us who are true race fans. She is making a laughing stock out of other women who would be a better race driver and deserve to be in that racecar. Being tied in with Letterman who most of us dislike will never support his team or her Lastly the IRL to me is a traitor to our country, they take an American sport with long American history and drag it down with non AMERICAN cars, engines, vendors, commercials, and most are non American drivers and to try and hype their product with a 100 lb girl with pimples that is more interested in any path she can use to make big bucks but in the end the IRL to me is a dead sport.

carl wrote on Jun 1, 2006 12:51 PM:JR.. u are not a true race fan..! where do u get off saying that the IRL are traders..?? and Danica is scared of corners?? she was flying into turn 1 at indy at almost 230 mph everylap..i KNOW!! I WAS TIMING HER!!strap your butt into an indycar, and i DEFY U to do 100mph into a turnall i can say for u is u are a joke. ...got to be a NASCLOWN fan..

Sports fan wrote on Jun 1, 2006 1:16 PM:Danica has more guts in the tip of her little finger than Loren Nelson has in his entire body. He must really be insecure about his manhood.

JR wrote on Jun 1, 2006 9:00 PM:carl wrote on June 01, 2006 12:51 PM:"JR.. u are not a true race fan..! where do u get off saying that the IRL are traders..?? and Danica is scared of corners?? she was flying into turn 1 at indy at almost 230 mph everylap..i KNOW!! I WAS TIMING HER!!strap your butt into an indycar, and i DEFY U to do 100mph into a turnall i can say for u is u are a joke. ...got to be a NASCLOWN fan.. " ------------- I suggest you get a new stop watch for she or no one else did 230 MPH in EVERY corner. I open road race which is closed public roads and have run 217 MPH and that is on bad roads, blind turns and no safety people around so do not tell me what real balls are about. If it was not for the cautions she would have been lapped. I suggest you find a real woman who would stick to driving and honor the other drivers and not remind us they are in it for only the money and will do anything stupid to get free press. She has not won one race yet has a book published as she was some famous when in fact she is a flash in the pan and is ruining IRL so badly that most of us have quit watching their races. Being she is 11th in point standings in about a 20 car field she should shut up for as Marco said "2nd is nothing" so 8th place is a grass roots driver and she should go back to go-carts.

Fernando wrote on Jun 2, 2006 1:46 AM:JR, if your first name was Jane or Danica's name was Dan, I would see your point -- but, assuming you're male, your post just places you besides Richard Petty. I'm baffled how conservative racing drivers just don't see: guy getting 4th in Indy 500 - nobody cares; sexy girl or Native American getting 4th - everybody cares, because that's a novelty. It's not for the "4th", it's for the "best result for woman". That's how fans see that, and as races (as a business) exist for the fans, that alone would justify the hype. But also, I don't care that she is not the most extraordinnaire driver in the field, I'm her fan because I feel an emotional attachment for her (and Vitor Meira's) struggle. Research shows that she is more beloved than Dale Earnhard Jr and Tony Stewart, therefore JR, Chip Ganassi, Richard Petty and the staff writer can ramble all year long how unfair it is for us to love her without any wins, but it doesn't matter how vocal the female-haters are: emotion and novelty are a powerful drive, and will power her career with or without victories -- and I will keep writing to every single of her sponsors, telling them how great their support is (I even got some free donuts for that - hooray!).

Al wrote on Jun 2, 2006 8:48 PM:Even WHEN Danica wins her 1st IRL race, there will be idiots who refuse to admit she won because of her driving skills. She has the skills to get the job done and she will get the job done in the near future and I am going to enjoy seeing some of these guys CHOKE on their EGO. May all their wives/girlfriends become race car drivers. :-)