Breaking news from Speedway, IN ...

[Ed_Severson]

Danica Patrick loses *****ox 500!

http://portfolio.iu.edu/marmbres/ridiculous.bmp

Could somebody send me a vomit smiley? I can't find one to accurately express myself.

[nrc]

The ratings will be up. Tony will decide that he doesn't have to negotiate.

[cameraman]

The ratings will be up. Tony will decide that he doesn't have to negotiate.

Good. I don't want to have to watch that thing again. They are calling that piece of crap a good race?

The F1 race this morning was good, the 500 was a joke.

[Mike Kellner]

I can't believe she got the photo, and not Dan.

OK, I can believe it.

Will SI run her or Dan on the cover? Perhaps a special swimsuit feature on the Tiger Woods of racing.

mk :laugh:

[Fio1]

The ratings will be up. Tony will decide that he doesn't have to negotiate.

Ya, but the car count will be down, big time! Sponsors spend money to be in this race and would like to get something out of it, like some TV time. Did we ever see a clear shot of Buddy Lazier's car that finished 5th? Did we ever see a clear shot of either of the Newman-Haas cars? Who even sponsored those 3 cars (Lazier's & Newman-Haas)? The Newman-Haas cars even hit the wall, and we never saw the car long enough to read the sponsor's name. Paul & Carl, if your sponsor really wants to run this deal next year, put the British Formula Atalntic chick in the car, at least you'll know you'll get some coverage....At the end of the day, if Danica's mom wore a shirt from Target, she would have generated more TV time for Target then all 3 of Chipo's cars.... :shakehead

I could see the ad in Autoport now. Wanted fearless female with heavy left foot, must speak English, should have better then average looks & have racing experience.

The biggest media hype ever before any race outside of Nascar, and Tony G and ABC made it the Danica 500. Basically, you tripped over a penny to pick up a dollar! :laugh:

BTW, I'm glad Dan Wheldon won it. He's nice guy who did very well in FF2000 & F.Atlantics before landing a sponsor for IRL. Nice win, now for your safety, go to F1!!!!!!

[swift]

all through the broadcast it was:
danicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicada nicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadani cadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanica danicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicada nicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadani cadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanica danicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicada nicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadani cadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanica danicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanicada nicadanicadanicadanicadanicadanica

the 'casual fans' who hadn't heard of her before this may's ROP were sick of hearing about her by lap 30. the IRL media team and the broadcast partner could have shown an small segment about her, maybe talked about her accomplishments (ok maybe not), and let the fans decide on their own who they want to cheer for. but nooooooo- we get danicle 24/7 shoved down our throats.

overexposure, hype, and let-down.

ms. patrick has exhausted her 15 minutes of fame.

[oddlycalm]

The biggest media hype ever before any race outside of Nascar, and Tony G and ABC made it the Danica 500. Totally predictable and a desperation move.

I didn't watch, but I didn't have to in order to know what would happen. Coverage would be about the "Danicle 500", a bunch of backmarkers would plow into the wall taking others out (some of whom would get injured), and the broadcast would be terminally annoying and targeted at non-racing fans that are 18yrs old. :shakehead

In a sad bit of irony, Danicle getting exploited into a carnival sideshow probably hurts her driving career long term. She's a decent mid-pack driver with some skills, yet having the inevitable rookie mistakes put under a microscope on national TV isn't going to help her in the eyes serious people in the racing business, and all the bluster will probably doom her to the EARL or similar carnie sideshow status unless pro wrestling makes her an offer... :rolleyes:

oc

[TKGAngel]

Totally predictable and a desperation move.

I didn't watch, but I didn't have to in order to know what would happen. Coverage would be about the "Danicle 500", a bunch of backmarkers would plow into the wall taking others out (some of whom would get injured), and the broadcast would be terminally annoying and targeted at non-racing fans that are 18yrs old. :shakehead

oc

What, you mean having Goodyear explain what a black flag, marbles and wickerbills are isn't darn fine entertainment? I watched the race (through the pages of the New York Times) and was ready for a good stiff drink at the end. I can only imagine what the casual fan would think.

[RTKar]

She stalled in the pits, caused a wreck and if not for a late yellow, would probably have run out of fuel and finished in double digits... :shakehead ims may very well put her picture on the trophy anyway and name the damn thing after her. :shakehead I was surprised the post race interviews of Wheldon didn't include his thoughts on danicle....

[dando]

Dint watch a second of dat ****, and I'm Indyfree and damn proud of it! FTG to the nth degree!!! :flame:

-Kevin

[CART T. Katz]

danica patrick was in a race today? i didn't know. only races that i know were today was the euro gp and the world 600 at charlotte. anything else on because i really wasn't aware.

seriously.

[dando]

The ratings will be up. Tony will decide that he doesn't have to negotiate.
No doubt. I expect a 6.0 or better. My MIL even watched the race because of Danica, and she rarely even watches the toob period. :rolleyes: She called and left a msg near the end to see if I was watching it, but I was outside working in the yard. :)

-Kevin

[rescue8]

Well if you were worn out by the Danica lovefest before, look out now. Some sportswriters are already calling her the potential savior of open wheel racing. danica dolls should be arriving shortly, but you'll never see 'em because all of the Trackforum regulars will buy them in bulk.
The really sad part (at least to me) is all the hype she got. I don't want to take anything away fro her accomplishments, but what about Shirley Muldowney, Angelle Sampey, Karen Stouffer, Ashley Force and other female racers who have won not only races but championships? I guess what they did means nothing.
Get well Bruno on to Milwaukee... :shakehead

[coolhand]

I am Sick.

people everywhere are tlaking aobut her leading a damn lap.

[DaveL]

danica dolls should be arriving shortly, but you'll never see 'em because all of the Trackforum regulars will buy them in bulk.


Actually not. The TF regulars are as sick of the hype as we are and the fact that she took 4 cars out due to her inability to drive a caution lap is duely noted. They are no more impressed with Danicle than we are.

[coolhand]

I think this may have negative implications for the league and racing in general too mcuh hype

[Napoleon]

The ratings will be up. Tony will decide that he doesn't have to negotiate.

Yep

[DaveL]

Danicle is getting pretty rought treatment from the TFers. They really resent that she took out 2/3s of the Panther team.

[Paintergeek]

disgusting.

Dan wheldon has now won 4 out of 5 IRL races, and when someone said "who won", I said "dan wheldon".....The reply was "Never heard of him.....howd danica do". Ugh.

The person who posted the ABC's of the Danicale 500 was dead on. I thought she did alot better than I planned, but the fact is that if she was a 120 pound brazilian rookie with the same qualifications, there would have been ZERO coverage of him. None. Just another foreigner rookie. But because she has boobuses, non stop chatter. For just a second there, I was worried about her winning......and then she quickly fell out of podium contention and I was releived.

Everyone thought I was the one being sexist for saying how overhyped she was. ugh. I cant even talk about this crap right now. Glad its over....let the rest of their season lumber on now.

[gjc2]

The ratings will be up. Tony will decide that he doesn't have to negotiate.

Lets see if the Danica effect props up the rest of the IRL season. I don't think it will. I also don't think it matters weather TG is willing to negotiate or not.

George

[coolhand]

Lets see if the Danica effect props up the rest of the IRL season. I don't think it will. I also don't think it matters weather TG is willing to negotiate or not.

George

it also will accelerate toyota's departure from the IRL.

Gnassi and Penske were non-aparent

[Jag_Warrior]

I don't want to take anything away fro her accomplishments, but what about Shirley Muldowney, Angelle Sampey, Karen Stouffer, Ashley Force and other female racers who have won not only races but championships? I guess what they did means nothing.
Get well Bruno on to Milwaukee... :shakehead

If Shirley didn't have her day in the sun, I don't know who has. Shirely is still seen as a legend where ever she goes. Even I stood in line for an autograph, and I generally don't believe in asking for autographs. Same with Janet Guthrie. Angelle Seeling/Savoie/Sampey (some might say she has an "S" fetish) has also gotten a lot of press over the years - especially when she was on the Winston bike... and winning. ;) Ashely may get her day - partly because of who her dad is and partly on her skills. But like Stouffer, she's caught in the trap that the NHRA fell into by being relegated to ESPN2. They should have followed the Craftsman Truck Series to Speed TV and maybe their ratings and viewership would be up... and people would have a better idea of who their drivers are. Other than John Force and the beer wagon warriors, no one (casually) knows who the various NHRA drivers are. The Pedregons used to get some play, but I haven't seen their mugs on TV in a long while. The Harley bike got some play... but ESPN2 is ESPN2.

The Indy 500 has (and is) history. I guess if Indy was still mucho important to me, I'd be a little wound up today too. But it feels nice not to care so much anymore. I watched the F1 race and the Coke 600 and enjoyed both - especially the NASCAR race. If Danica had been in EITHER of those races... you think people are talking about her now! :p

[Paintergeek]

I just now finally SAW the danica spin. Wow. The radio down played it SO much, and if you were listening to the TV and not watching, youd think she just spun and kept going. That was a BIG spin with ALOT of damage to the cars around her. She shoulda been knocked out of the race from a hit like that, but the hit missed her suspension and got the side of the nose. But they literally made NO mention of the cars that all wrecked out, just wentimmediately to her new nose, and then began touting her great performance. GREAT PERFORMANCE WHILE UNDER CAUTION FOR HER WRECK THAT TOOK OUT HOW MANY CARS?? How can they DO that? And then rahals comment?? "No Harm No Foul".....WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Better ask the Panther guys........ :shakehead In the 40 or 50 lasp I watched in replay, every second was about DP. And now they just said "50 years from now, you'll know where you were when danica patrick led her first lap at Indy".


:rofl: BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! :rofl:

Its all I can stand, Im out..............

[coolhand]

"50 years from now, you'll know where you were when danica patrick led her first lap at Indy".


i wanted to smack somebody for that non sensical banter. She went out of sequence big deal

[fourrunner]

Philladelphia Sports Wrap Up Headline

"Danica Patrick was predicted to be the big winner, Instead Michael Andretti breaks his JInx by Winning the 2005 Indy 500 !"

Only later do they mention Dan Wheldon as the driver .... They show the accidents ... But absolutely NO mention of who got 2nd & 3rd place ... Just Danica about 10 times ... Michael 3 or 4 times, and Dan Wheldon once

Nobody else evidently participated in this race

They then went immediately to Basketball

Since I just got home from a great Picnic & watching the "Blue Angels" at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station, I still have no idea who finished 2nd & 3rd

[coolhand]

To the casual observer you would think MA won the race.

After putting 4 cars in the field for 2 years you would think he would eventually. :shakehead

[chop456]

ESPN Radio interviewed Wheldon tonight. I'd estimate that 4 of the 10 or so questions were about Danica, and Wheldon diplomatically said that there were 33 drivers in the race today. They also asked Dan if he wanted to date her, or if any others drivers did, then went on to talk about the Spice Girls. Engrossing stuff.

After they let Wheldon off the phone, the one host said "Well, that's enough for me - I'll be watching the next indy car race!" One of the other hosts said "No you won't", and he replied "Okay, so maybe I won't, but Wheldon's my boy now". :laugh:

[coolhand]

Wheldon wont get the same treatment that Buddy got last year, Danicle will get that all with the help of the IMS propaganda arm :thumdown:

[Amanda B.'s Mom]

Bash me if you want (I am used to it), but Danica did fine. she was able to overcome the hype, and a rookie mistake. If not for fuel shortage, she might of won the race.

JMHO

[SteveH]

Saw an bit of Wheldon saying he was honored to be on the Borg Warner with Jimmie Clark and Graham Hill. I never thought about that angle.

[theunions]

Saw an bit of Wheldon saying he was honored to be on the Borg Warner with Jimmie Clark and Graham Hill. I never thought about that angle.

Does that mean the rumors of him having valid aspirations for F1, despite recent public quotes to the contrary (after BAR supposedly expressed interest), are true after all? :gomer:

[Fio1]

Saw an bit of Wheldon saying he was honored to be on the Borg Warner with Jimmie Clark and Graham Hill. I never thought about that angle.

There is nothing wrong with that! At least he didn't say with Eddie Cheever, Buddy Lazier & Buddy Rice. :laugh:

[Dr. Corkski]

Bash me if you want (I am used to it), but Danica did fine. she was able to overcome the hype, and a rookie mistake. If not for fuel shortage, she might of won the race.

JMHOThe fuel shortage was of her own making. She wouldn't have been in position to lead if she didn't have to stop to change her nosecone after wiping out 2/3 of the Panther team. She only got the lead by staying out during the Yasukawa caution, so it's pointless to suggest that fuel shortage lost her the race when she should consider herself lucky to even finish.

Did anyone else catch that idiot new announcer saying "Danica Wheldon"? :rofl:

[Sean O'Gorman]

The headline teaser at the top of the front page for the Cleveland PD today says "Danica Thrills at Indy" but the actual article itself in the sports section was mostly about Wheldon. Even better, there was even a seperate section about how the Champ Car drivers did, and often over the course of the month, Danica was referred to as "Danica Patrick, a product of Champ Car's Toyota Atlantic series." Cleveland PD is a great media partner for Champ Car. :thumbup:

[Paintergeek]

Amanda B's Mom, YOu are correct in that she did better than I thought, But the follow-up post by Dr. Corkski was dead on. She should DEFINATELY have been knocked out during her spin. That was no small shunt. That shoulda been the end of her day. She got realy lucky, but it threw off her pit sequence. They know if they pitted, she would end up being 14th or something, so they went for it. But I told my dad and the other Danica shills with 10 laps to go........It wont happen people...It cant happen. Fuel wont make it. . Better watch wheldon. They said 'whos Dan Wheldon'. I know enough about the IRL to know hes the dominator over there right now winning 4/5 races this season!

Indy star today said "Place: Indianapolis, Date: May 29, 2005. The day that a hundred pound bundle of excitement saved open wheel racing".

Dear lord.

[RTKar]

Indy star today said "Place: Indianapolis, Date: May 29, 2005. The day that a hundred pound bundle of excitement saved open wheel racing".

Dear lord.


Quick!.......so....who finished 4th in 1995 or any year for that matter?

[rjohnson999]

No, no, PG, it's the race that makes the driver. :rolleyes:


Indy star today said "Place: Indianapolis, Date: May 29, 2005. The day that a hundred pound bundle of excitement saved open wheel racing".

Dear lord.

[Racing Truth]

What, you mean having Goodyear explain what a black flag, marbles and wickerbills are isn't darn fine entertainment? I watched the race (through the pages of the New York Times) and was ready for a good stiff drink at the end. I can only imagine what the casual fan would think.

It (the broadcast) was a pure abomination. A bunch of wild chimps would have done better.

[Napoleon]

It (the broadcast) was a pure abomination. A bunch of wild chimps would have done better.

Where is Lancelot Link when you need him.

[Jervis Tetch 1]

Danicle is getting pretty rought treatment from the TFers. They really resent that she took out 2/3s of the Panther team.The race notes are not on the website, but a friend of mine, who covered the race let me listen to his tape recorder and it has Panther's fat owner John Barnes calling Danica "an idiot as far as he was concerned."

The quote did make the paper, but unfortunately I can't find the racenotes on the website.

But trust me, it was there. :rofl:

[oddlycalm]

Bash me if you want (I am used to it), but Danica did fine. she was able to overcome the hype, and a rookie mistake. If not for fuel shortage, she might of won the race. No bashing, but if she wasn't on an out of sequence fuel strategy she would have been mid-pack at best. She won't overcome the hype, it will ruin an otherwise promising career. She's just the latest exploitation opportunity for the TG, who never seems to notice the growing list of fractured spines.

I've always been a Danica supporter as she was a decent driver who handled herself well at a young age, but this kind of notoriety is the kiss of death to a career as [i]nobody[/i[]can possibly measure up to the hype and certainly not a young mid-pack driver. She'll be relegated to driving back breakers in the idiot racing league forever. If she was running in GP2 she'd be lucky to finish in the top 10.

oc

[NismoZ]

She has boobuses?...are you sure? Speaking on name gaffes, was I the only one who heard mention made of "Ashley Kanaan"? And that "50 yrs. from now" thing? ...announcers for years have been trying to come up with something to match Al Michael's "Do you believe in miracles!?"...not easily done. I was pleased, however, that the pictures and stories about the 500 were all larger, longer, and higher on the pages than the 600. When's the last time you saw something like that?

[JLMannin]

Quick!.......so....who finished 4th in 1995 or any year for that matter?
Gil DeFerran, right?

[Dr. Corkski]

Gil DeFerran, right?I thought he got taken out in the first lap mess that year.

[Sean O'Gorman]

4th=Rahal?

EDIT: Looked it up, its Salazar. Salazar had a top five in a CART Indy? :saywhat:

[RTKar]

Gil DeFerran, right?

Hell if I know...I'd have to look it up...who cares about 4th? :p

[FanofMario]

Lost in all the Danica hype is Wheldon. Despite his alleged affection for shoes, I thought the guy was pretty impressive the whole month. Other than the TG ass kiss in victory lane, I heard a guy who was sincere and knew what the race used to be in the context of history. Even if it is the IRL, the guy is as hot as any driver in a while. To think that we had this kid in in Atlantics and that CART owners took a pass on him. :flame:

At tonight's banquet, my take on Danica was polite applause. I think her mistakes won't be soon forgotten. Let's see how the hype holds up after the king of IRL backbreakers---Texas goes down. BTW, Dario still made a whiney ass comment tonight about his late race incident. :rolleyes:

[theunions]

Did anyone else catch that idiot new announcer saying "Danica Wheldon"? :rofl:

I caught it...and Goodyear was still referring to the driver of the #44 as "Jeff Buckman." :shakehead

[Brickman]

So... when they extended the yellow, and she got her nose fixed, and her and Herta, and Helio all stopped. What would have happened if there wasn't another yellow? (The one in which Wheldon et al stopped for fuel)

I would guess the winner would have come from one of those three.

[JLMannin]

I thought he got taken out in the first lap mess that year.

You are correct, sir. But the point has been made, as I do not remember who finished 4th that year. :)

[Al Czervik]

4th=Rahal?

EDIT: Looked it up, its Salazar. Salazar had a top five in a CART Indy? :saywhat:
<cheap shot reply> Salazar didn't get a chance to run off the other 3 who finished ahead of him

<real reason> Mo Nunn

[Andrew Longman]

How many (true) rookies have finished in the top 4? I imagine its a short list.

I'm not going to make any apologies for DK, she showed her inexperience and paid the price for it. If she hadn't caught a fair amount of pure luck, she would have finished much more disappointed.

Her body language and comments immediately after the race showed her disappointment, and I don't think it was just because she was running out of fuel. She hadn't heard all that crap about her on the broadcast. I think she knew the impact of her mistakes. BR was not full of complements either.

I look at it this way. It was impressive for a rookie but showed her inexperience. She handled a tremendous amount of attention and pressure quite well the entire month. She is poised and well spoken and has done exactly what she's needed to do off the track to attract sponsors and interest. Many other drivers should take a lesson from her in how to self promote. (are you listening Greg Ray ;) )

At no point has she said something that irritated me. Nor have I seen her getting carried away by the hyperventilating coming out of IMS and ABC. She is always downplaying herself and the importance of being a female.

Perhaps most of all, my enjoyment of the race increased enormously because I watched it with my 9 year old daughter who was rooting for her because she got a DP autograph in Cleveland. I was rooting for SeeBass and we had great fun exchanging barbs all day. I've done a lot of race watching with her older brother over the years, but for the first time my daughter too a serious interest.

If it created a new fan and something more I can do with my daughter, then so be it.

[KaBoom21]

My girlfriend lives near Danica Patrick's hometown of Roscoe IL. I was REALLY glad I was in Chicago for the holiday/race instead of out that way, or the uber-attention placed on her would have driven me nuts.

I had the race on as I read the Sunday papers and most of the announcer comments were laugh-out-loud ridiculous. I'll have to catch up on the other threads to see if anyone commented/capture some of memorable ones (i.e. Amelia Earhart (sp)).

I think she's pretty grounded about exactly why she's in the position that she is and she actually gives a pretty good interview.

One of the local Chicago news stations tried to get in on the action and claim her as "one of our own". Bad enough when they try to label Cheap Trick as a "Chicago" band!