Two Facts About Danica Patrick's First Indy Car Win

by Diecast Dude on Apr 20, 2008 2:59 AM EDT

Yes, it's really hers:

And no, these guys didn't appear over the hill immediately thereafter:

It's very easy to snark at the winner of a fuel mileage race as being somewhat less than worthy of the trophy. They didn't win it on speed or driving skill, it was all a strategy call from the pits, etc etc etc. And yes, strategy does come into play. That said, as a driver you also have to place yourself in a position where you can make full use of a strategy call, meaning you have to be close enough to the front so when the moment arrives where you can take advantage of having more fuel (or any at all) than the other drivers contending for the win, you're there. Danica Patrick was there today at Twin Ring Motegi. And she won. She genuinely, truly, deservingly won.

It is no doubt to the profound chagrin of everyone connected with the IRL that the moment they have been praying for ever since Patrick entered the league took place not only on foreign soil, but also late on a night (Saturday) and on a network (ESPN Classic, where the race was shunted from ESPN2 after yesterday's postponement due to a wet track) guaranteeing only the hardiest and most fanatical of open wheel fans would be watching. Their new hope is for Patrick to replicate the feat, preferably via the more traditional method of speed and such, in the not too distant future at a track much nearer to the overwhelming majority of you and I. Like Kansas. Or... gee, here's a wild hare... Indianapolis.

No one is going to be mentioning Danica Patrick alongside A.J. Foyt or Dan Gurney or Rick Mears or a dozen dozen other legends of open wheel anytime soon, or in all likelihood ever. That duly noted, for a moment let's set aside the allergic reaction to her penchant for self-centered surliness and exhibitionism. The woman has won an IRL race. Yes, small field and fuel mileage yatta yatta yatta. Fine, okay, got it. But she still won when Helio Castroneves and Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon and Tony Kaanan, the leading lights in IRL, didn't. For that give Mrs. Hospenthal the acclaim she's due. She won the race. In the end, that's what matters.

(P.S. Good to know I'm not the only person watching IRL in SBN land!)

0 recs | Comment 9 comments

Story-email Email | Print |

Comments

I'm celebrating

Many of us knew it would only be a matter of time before she won. She has always shown herself to be as competitive as any of the racers on the track, not just as a woman, but as a racer.
BTW, I'm posting a blurb for this item over at the Digest, if you haven't already.

by RevJim on Apr 20, 2008 11:33 AM EDT 0 recs

Thanks...

... one of these weeks I'll be well enough to remember doing things like that!

by Diecast Dude on Apr 20, 2008 3:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

Well...

Anyone that isn't happy for her and the league doesn't have a heart.

by Bobbleheaded on Apr 20, 2008 12:13 PM EDT 0 recs

It's the best thing...

... that could happen to the IRL for sure. An Indy 500 win would be icing on the cake. They can now revive their best-ever ad campaign: the print one with her wearing the patented Patrick confident half-smile (and a fully zipped driver's suit -- sorry, boys) with the tag line "gentlemen, start your excuses."

And now that the A-K (no, not Alicia Keys) comparison has been forever put to rest, hopefully she'll relax and lighten up. A more mellow DP would be a more universally likeable DP. And that along with a winning Mrs. Hospenthal would put industrial-strength pressure on NASCAR to maintain its place as the number one motorsports league in this country.

by Diecast Dude on Apr 20, 2008 3:42 PM EDT up 0 recs

About lightening up...

Seriously... I saw her smile more times last night than in the past three seasons put together. I had to roll my eyes at her Sportscenter interview when she said she probably wouldn't even be able to enjoy it because of the media obligations. Ya dance with the one that brung ya, sweetie.

by Bobbleheaded on Apr 20, 2008 5:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

And yet...

Yahoo has a huge headline about how someone thinks Danica's win should be downplayed.

http://sports.yahoo.com/irl/news?slug=bm-patrick042008&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

by MindyL78 on Apr 20, 2008 8:01 PM EDT 0 recs

Thanks for the link...

... I now know what my next post will be about.

by Diecast Dude on Apr 21, 2008 12:18 AM EDT up 0 recs

For the most part...

Margolis is right.

While it is a huge moment for the sport and for Danica, it still doesn't need to be trumpeted as a dominating performance or like she is the best female driver ever. While you can say being the only female with a win on the US National spotlight qualifies her as the best female driver ever, you're discounting the fact that this win, and most of her better performances, have come via race strategy ie getting on different pit cycles etc. It's not like she's ever charged through the field or stayed in front long enough to just rout the hell out of the field.

In a historical sense, yeah, this is huge. In terms of the sport, she's Derrike Cope in '90 until she becomes a threat week in and week out. But her win will help out the sport way more than Cope's did LOL.

by Bobbleheaded on Apr 21, 2008 9:09 AM EDT 0 recs