Reality sets in

[Todd McCreary]

and i personally find it pretty fricking hilarious after all of the retarded media coverage we've for the last three weeks.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?...yhoo&type=lgns

"But you know what? This is a whole new ball of wax for me, and it’s all different. And I have to disconnect from the results for quite some time, I think, because they’re probably not going to be what I’m used to.”"

...

What would be abnormal is her running in the top 15 and providing a glimmer of hope to those who want to see a female win a NASCAR race for the first time.

[Darren]

this is only a question

why is it that 18 and 19 years olds like Logano and k. Busch can come to the track and run Nationwide Series for the 1st time and finish in the top 10 and other people can't?

[JackTripper]

In those cases, those guys pretty much grew up driving stock cars whereas Danciamania has never been in one period. She grew up getting her butt kicked in karts before moving on to Formula Ford, Atlantic, IRL, etc.

I think it's probably tough at first to go from driving "twitchy" cars to big heavy cars where you're kind of disconnected somewhat from direct input.

[andre]

She grew up getting her butt kicked in karts before moving on to Formula Ford, Atlantic, IRL, etc.


I think she grew up working at making sure she would be richer than god before she is 30, using all and every appeals she has, and she's doing pretty good at it....It's all about medias, exposure, money, flash & glamour. Performances are secondary. Look at Dale Jr, and nothing against him, but, still most popular driver, and far from winning every week???? She probably brought more new people at race tracks and in front of TV in last few weeks than any new comer in last few year, and that cannot be denied. So, in a time where stock car racing in general is hurting, like her or not, I would believe any help she could bring should be welcome, no????

[Jane]

Sorry Todd but my blood pressure is alittle high today so hope I make sense to you.

How many times have you seen a "star" from another series come and honestly believe that winning their very first race on asphalt will be a snap. Hell, they won on what they were racing on and it was no big deal so asphalt should be a snap - NOT. I have seen them get very frustrated, some have quit, some have kept on trying but no one can do it just like that, not even Danica.

Ricky Carmichael was a master on dirt bikes and switched to round track asphalt racing which he found out was not so easy and a snap. Yes, he has kept on trying but unless you can name me one, I don't know of anyone who went out straight from the block and won their first race after switching from whatever they knew best. It takes time and learning and you and I both know that.

Like I said, out of respect I won't give names but I have seen it over and over again. And when you tell them that it just does not work that way, well, you become the bad guy and a liar.

I love to write but when I go back and read some of the first stories that I ever wrote for Orlando and New Smyrna back in the early 90's, they were awful. It took time, alot of help from other writers, and learning what was and was not important. It did not come overnight and I am still learning. And to me, racing is just like that. It takes more and more seat time to get good at your sport and yes, eventually, hopefully you will win that first race but it does not come overnight.

I still remember the very first time I saw Todd McCreary behind the wheel of a racecar. It was an enduro race during the day at New Smyrna Speedway and you got a helicopter ride out of the track because you broke your neck or back but that was the first time I ever saw you race. Just like your dad and the very first time I saw him wheel an enduro car. I was so impressed at his driving skill coming from the rear to the front and never touching anyone. I still would love to see Ron in a dirt enduro because I love watching that man race and it was Butch Pierce who told me to watch him.

Everyone has dues to pay, even Danica and Ricky. They just have more money than most to learn. I wish them both luck just as I did the ones who came and failed.

Now, got to get my blood pressure down. Too much stress today with my dad.

Love ya and miss you and your dad both - Jane

[Rick Williamson]

Try moving from a 4 cly bomber to say a Sportsmen class car and see how many do well the first year. Not many!

[ocalasp76]

Montoya came over from open wheel,what, about 4 years ago. He has won one race, a road course. Hornish is in there 2nd season now...Nothing really ticking there either.
Tony Stewart is the big exception I can think of right now. Tony also does a lot of Sprint Dirt racing and that tweeks the sences really good.
Everybody moves at their own pace in stock car racing is what I am trying to say.
-JIM-

[DeMan951]

Hornish is in there 2nd season now...Nothing really ticking there either.
-JIM-

Actually this is start of season 3 for Sam. I am not impressed with him, and you forgot about Robby Gordon who has been in cup for years and still sucks. I will give him credit though he has remained in cup and runs his own team no easy task.

[FLQuacker]

LOL....ain't been too many rookies that fill this out like she does.

That's the REALITY.....it's M-A-R-K-E-T-I-N-G...AIN'T NOTHING TO DO WITH DRIVING!!

[Todd McCreary]

why is it that 18 and 19 years olds like Logano and k. Busch can come to the track and run Nationwide Series for the 1st time and finish in the top 10 and other people can't?


Matt Kobyluck was asked almost exactly this question after the Camping World race at Irwindale this month about Logano and Pena. his answer? something like "It's a lot easier for them when they show up with a Cup budget".

up to the Busch series, the Cup teams can still make a driver look way better than he should just because most of the field can't spend enough money to keep up with them.

at the Cup level? Hendrick isn't really going to outspend Roush ( or vice versa or any of a dozen other teams ).


having brought up Pena, i'd like to point out that Logano was getting his @$$ kicked by a 16 year old who doesn't even know how to manage a rolling restart. ooooooh, getterdone Sliced Bread.



I think it's probably tough at first to go from driving "twitchy" cars to big heavy cars where you're kind of disconnected somewhat from direct input.

agreed.



So, in a time where stock car racing in general is hurting, like her or not, I would believe any help she could bring should be welcome, no????


Danica brings "help"?

maybe on a very short time horizon. until the casual viewers who tuned in because they've been hearing so much about "Danicamania" can't figure out why so much broadcast time is being wasted watching a +30th place car get lapped.

then they're going to tune right out again. in the long run, you're actually hurting the sport. mostly due to the stupid media coverage.




Everyone has dues to pay, even Danica and Ricky.

agreed. the question is, why the hell are they "paying their dues" at what is supposedly a professional racing level when they aren't up to the ability of an average short track Sportsman driver?

no need to answer that, it's a rhetorical question. it doesn't even aggravate me so much that they're there. every racing series has always had their share of goofballs with more money than brains who are going to keep showing up at the track until they burn their fortune down.

it's this never ending media coverage stupidity that drives me crazy.



I still remember the very first time I saw Todd McCreary behind the wheel of a racecar. It was an enduro race during the day at New Smyrna Speedway and you got a helicopter ride out of the track because you broke your neck or back but that was the first time I ever saw you race.


yeah, my third race ever and my very first enduro. after a six year lay off.

probably not the wisest decision i've ever made. but we're wandering rather far afield here, don't you think?




Montoya came over from open wheel,what, about 4 years ago.

JPM is actually a good case study.

Montoya has had more success at every level than Danica has even thought about having and he's had success at higher levels than Danica has ever thought about competing at.

Montoya could probably be retiring from F1 right about now. what does that mean? it means he gave up a lot of money to come to NASCAR. Montoya isn't here for the paycheck ( like Danica ), he's here because he really did think this would be fun.

no rational person could expect Danica to have results that exceed those of Montoya. a rational person might even be forgiven for thinking that she might not match him.



Actually this is start of season 3 for Sam. I am not impressed with him, and you forgot about Robby Gordon who has been in cup for years and still sucks.


also, Scott Speed, Dario Franchitti, A.J. Allmendinger, Jacques Villenueve, Nelson Piquet Jr., etc.

also, Robby Gordon sucked in Indy Cars.




That's the REALITY.....it's M-A-R-K-E-T-I-N-G...AIN'T NOTHING TO DO WITH DRIVING!!


marketing? really?

you mean, the same thing that gave us Obamarama? acid rain? global cooling and the coming ice age?

well, now that you put it like that i seem rather shallow for being aggravated by it.