That's my point. I don't think Patrick has skill. She just has access to better equipment because people consider her sexy. I think she is a weak driver.You can be the worst driver but if you are in a good car, that helps out a lot.I doubt she would survive in Nascar.The only reason people are concerned about her, is her looks.I just don't like or respect her. In the end, I think she si brining down women racers. She makes it seem like you can only get a good car deal is if you are willing to pose half naked across a car. Is that a message you really want to send to young girls?

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."-Helen Keller

Quite a bit of "make it up as I go" in Deja's post. Though she makes some good points about Danica, several of her "facts" are well off the mark. Her claim that the "sexist crap from the IRL boys club" had Danica's boobs being too big for her to be strapped into a car... Who said that, Deja? I've never heard that from anyone. I probably never heard it because it was never said. It was never said because Danica is about as flat as a board. People have said that about Ralf Shumacher's wife, Cora. People have said that about Milka Duno. Both of them sport silly-cone enhancements in the D-cup range and actually have had issues being strapped in. But be real, no one has said that about Danica, unless they were being mean and teasing her. Sam Hornish has bigger boobs than Danica. As well, no one in racing cares about how small (height wise) she is. Her weight, well of course that would be an issue. The IRL weighs the car without the driver. Most pro series weigh the car with the driver. No one who knows racing (or physics) would question that her weight provides a static advantage. That's the IRL's fault, not hers. Some comments made about her do smack of sexism. But that doesn't mean that there is not also some legitimate criticism. Like this is her 3rd year in the IRL (5th year in American open wheel racing) and she still can't get on or off pitroad consistently without spinning or stalling the car. Those are rookie issues. She's been around too long to still be struggling with that.

Sarah Fisher. Sarah has raced at Indy 9 times? Really? Danica has raced at Indy 3 times and Sarah has raced there 6 times. And yeah, Danica has always had good equipment and Sarah's was usually sort of marginal. But equipment aside, I believe Danica to be a better (formula) race car driver than Sarah. Danica grew up with go karts and formula cars. Sarah grew up with go-karts and sprint cars. IRL cars are formula cars > advantage Danica. Rahal sent Danica to Atlantics for two years and then moved her into his IRL operation. She's had enough time in formula cars to be well trained at this point. I don't particularly like (or dislike) either one. I do think Danica is incredibly over-hyped, considering that she has NEVER won a professional level auto race. Whereas Sarah Fisher has won races. She was actually a very promising sprint car driver. And then she fell for Tony George's IRL scheme and promises of Indy once again being for American short and dirt trackers. And Sarah didn't waffle around in NASCAR. She lost her IRL ride. She bummed around the track for most of one season and then managed to get a sorta-kinda lower level NASCAR deal. She got married and I believe she got back in school aftre dropping out (good for Sarah!). She got back in the IRL with some luck and some mystery bucks said to come from Tony George.

The hype surrounding Danica isn't all her fault. Her mother and father, T.J., are stage parents from hell. And I wouldn't hack her for taking the checks that are sent her way. I'd cash them too! But when she said that she didn't know what she wanted to do... maybe F1? I wonder if she giggled when she said that. Someone who has never won a race would only get into an F1 race if she bought a ticket. And when she mentioned NASCAR last year, there was no NASCAR deal. There were teams willing to let her drive a car... if she brought her own money to fund the team. Heck, I could get that kind of deal! That was a lie that she and her father cooked up to get more money from whatever IRL team would bring her on, as she was leaving Papa Rahal. AGR bit and Motorola paid. As far as I know, all parties are relatively happy now. Mike Andretti has a fat check (minus Danica's salary) and a championship this year. Danica has a nice paycheck and more endorsements than she ever had with Rahal. And T.J. and Mommy Dearest get their management cut.

Now that she's heading into her 4th IRL season and her 6th year of North American formula car competition, it is time for Danica Patrick to do one thing in order to silence her critics: WIN! Ashley Force wins. Angelle Sampey wins (races and championships!). Shirley Muldowney won (races and championships!). Desiree Wilson won. Katherine Legge (in Champ Car Atlantics) won. For all the hype and excuses (and Danica has more excuses than most people have dust bunnies under their couch), Danica Patrick has YET to put one in the W column. 2008... Danica Patrick... put up or shut up!