Go, Danica, go
More famous for selling her sex appeal than for her single Indy-car victory, Danica Patrick is well aware of her critics.
She has them in open-wheel racing, and her foray into stock-car racing has only attracted more.
But come this afternoon, when Patrick makes her NASCAR debut in the Nationwide Series, what can she possibly do about them?
“I mean, if I spent all my time trying to prove to everybody I could drive a race car, I would be out of energy,” said Patrick, who in 2005 became the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500. “All I really need to do is keep my team happy, keep my crew chief happy, and keep myself happy.
“I can’t really change people’s minds. They have to watch and judge for themselves.”
So far, Patrick has kept herself happy.
In fact, she’s having as much fun as she has in any race car. She finished sixth in the ARCA race last Saturday at Daytona International Speedway and will start 15th in the Drive 4 COPD 300 on the eve of the Daytona 500. Patrick also drove a 59 percent spike in TV ratings for ARCA and attracted ESPN coverage of Nationwide practice.
“While I’m not as comfortable as they are with the car,” Patrick said, “I just need to stay on my toes and learn the racing style, learn how these guys drive, learn some of their personalities out there, just kind of absorb it all.”
PARTING SHOT
“Don’t write that. I don’t want anybody to think I’m an idiot.” — Paul Goydos
The co-leader at the AT&T Pebble Beach national Pro-Am, telling a reporter that when he arrived at the course Friday he discovered he had forgot to put on his golf shoes. Goydos said he practiced a few putts, got back in his car and went and got his golf shoes, returned hit a few balls and then teed off.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
