Thread: Danica Predictions??

Quote:
She will compete for the championship in the entire Nationwide Series schedule while running eight to 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup races for Stewart-Haas Racing, beginning with the 2012 Daytona 500. As if NASCAR's biggest race needed even more hype, Patrick's participation will add a new level of interest to the Great American Race. For those fans who want to see more of her in Sprint Cup, her schedule is heavily loaded on the back end. But one thing is certain -- where there is Danica Patrick, there is plenty of attention.
/Quote

I think she is going to languish near the rear of the field just like she did in open wheel racing. Anyone think she will be competitive?
(yes, I know we have discussed it before here, but this caught my eye)

Originally Posted by Christiancoach

I think she is going to languish near the rear of the field just like she did in open wheel racing. Anyone think she will be competitive?
(yes, I know we have discussed it before here, but this caught my eye)

Hard to say for sure this early, but the ovals are her strength. Qualifying and finishing consistently in the top 10 on the Indycar ovals can not be accomplished by accident. That said, she will get roughed up a bit by the NASCAR boys. I saw this happen with Shawna Robinson years ago as having a female near the front of the grid didn't sit well with some of the drivers. I watched as Shawna was intentionally taken out at Atlanta once after hearing the offending driver predict a poor first lap for her if she raced for the lead (she was taken out in turn 3 on the first lap). An innocent third driver (Nemechek) ended up in the infield care center and with a totaled race car as a result. With narcissistic idiots like the Busch brothers and a few others running those ovals, I can guarantee Danica will take more than a few lumps.

She'll run mid pack. Her equipment is going to be great and let's get serious, the learning curve at MOST ovals isn't very steep, especially in those cars.

That said, patience has never been one of her strengths, so I think she'll find the wall on a few occasions this first season.. That is, if she can find enough speed to qualify for the Cup races. (remember Allmendinger's first season?)

Originally Posted by mmaroney

She'll run mid pack. Her equipment is going to be great and let's get serious, the learning curve at MOST ovals isn't very steep, especially in those cars.

That said, patience has never been one of her strengths, so I think she'll find the wall on a few occasions this first season.. That is, if she can find enough speed to qualify for the Cup races. (remember Allmendinger's first season?)

I 2nd this.

That's pretty much what I was going to say. 26rd and 43rd for the past two years in the nationwide series isn't bad but still not top ten. Maybe if she makes a leap like she did from 2010(43) to 2011(26) then she has a chance. Like mmaroney said her car/team is good but like photography you can have the equipment and do GOOD but a real photographer does Great.

Really...who cares?

Later,

Originally Posted by Christiancoach

heavily loaded on the back end

giggity

speaking of back end.....I have her Go Daddy rear bumper hanging from my rafters in my warehouse

Originally Posted by Lee Yoder

Really...who cares?

Later,

Very nice! I don't really care, it is more morbid curiousity than anything.

She will do better than many who have come from open wheel in the past few years for one simple reason, a stock car suits her style better. She will do better than many 'development' drivers (in NASCAR Nationwide it's my dad is a SVP or above at my sponsor deal for atleast 8 last year alone) in that she is actually very mechanically inclined and understands how a car works and how to give good feedback. I never thought Indy style cars suited her, you have to be in a Penske or Ganassi car and incredibly aggresive with your aero package to be up front consistently. I also never saw her get over that hump of taking the car beyond the comfort zone at the 1.5 mile tracks, and well we know about the road courses. A bigger car that takes finesse and rewards drivers who can be smooth and don't use up the chassis, brakes or tires can suit her if she can get used giving the necessary feedback she can easily be a top 10 driver in the NW series next year.

If all things remain "fair" within the sport/field, she'll get murdalized... and yes, that's a word.