[wardfan]

I see it as a contract ploy. And even if she does switch it will be the usual media attention for a short time as she rides around at the back of the pack like Crocker(who only advances in positions if those ahead of her drop out). Unless she wins pretty quick sponser dollars will be hard to come by because riding around at the back of the pack gets no air time for sponser dollars. But don't get the wrong idea I would love nothing better than to see her jump in and kick ass but that's not likely.

[Juggernaut001]

Danica,
3 poles 0 wins 2 top fives and 7 top tens for '05
0 poles 0 wins 0 top fives and 4 top tens for '06
Juan Pablo,
2 poles 3 wins 7 top fives and 10 top tens for '05
0 poles 0 wins 4 top fives and 5 top tens for '06

Stats don't tell the whole story but one of these drivers is moving to NASCAR to race and the other is "considering" moving to NASCAR to get some media attention on what otherwise is a ho hum season.

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Personally, I think it would be different with Danica, because she would come into NASCAR with a pre-existing star quality about her. Unlike Erin Crocker or Scott Pruitt, she's a big name, even amongst those who aren't racing fans. If nothing else, I could see NASCAR trying to "convince" its drivers to lay off of her. Imagine the bad press for the person who put pretty little Danica Patrick into a wall!

My take on it is $$$$$$$. Her moving to NASCAR would be a win-win situation for everyone. She wouldn't come for peanuts, sponsors would pay through the nose to sponsor her since she would get major air time and car owners would get mega exposure also. NASCAR would also get a $$ boost with her on the circuit also. She may well stay in IRL but it's goinna cost Rahal/Letterman a few extra $$$

[Bob Tanner]

Looks to me as though a lot of folks here have it pegged.

Her contract with Rahal/Letterman is up this season.
She's a proven media prize.
Apparently her parents consider her their "Golden Parachute," and a hedge against buying the book, "25 Way to Cook Alpo, and How to Like It" in their old age. So Dad is out drumming up a alternate deal for their little girl.
Yep... Seems like a bit of the old "Follow the money," thing to me.

Or, it all might be totally on the up-and-up?Time will tell.

[Smoke842]

Originally Posted by Juggernaut001

Danica,
3 poles 0 wins 2 top fives and 7 top tens for '05
0 poles 0 wins 0 top fives and 4 top tens for '06
Juan Pablo,
2 poles 3 wins 7 top fives and 10 top tens for '05
0 poles 0 wins 4 top fives and 5 top tens for '06

Stats don't tell the whole story but one of these drivers is moving to NASCAR to race and the other is "considering" moving to NASCAR to get some media attention on what otherwise is a ho hum season.

I'm sorry females, I agree with Jugger! And I'm a female. I live in the real world! No current female driver has ever done anything in any of the Nascar series. If they can get the ride maybe...but probably not. One thing to qualify on your own. Nascar has 43 cars to deal with. How many does Ms Danica's have? 17? 20? 25?

[oncea3fan]

I say it's all about money, I don't see her here next year. not enough time.
maybe a few races for a try out later in the season.

give her a shoot at talladaga, bristol night, and the coke 600.

I think those 3 races will tell the tail, she either love it or hate it.

I wonder if she has the strength to turn the car for 500 laps at bristol in 120* heat, and is the P/S goes out ????

talladaga = 500miles of stress
charlotte and little of both.

[24/8/48fan]

I personally would'nt mind her coming over, but maybe it's that whole accident on the freeway theory, "You just can't look away." I just want to see what would happen.

[papa_q..24-48-20]

...

.......i grew up an open wheel fan but followed nascar with the limited media attention it had in the 60's and 70's....i will always consider open wheel the more dangerous of the 2 because swapping paint usually ends up a disaster..if open wheel had not practically ruined itself folks like jeff gordon and tony steward would be racing much lighter vehicles...these 2 have championships and are not southern bred....rahal is simply not as competitive this year as the 2 top teams.......

......i would not question her skill or fortitude as she came back after her teamate was killed in a horrible wreck[1 replay was all i will ever watch]....she would need more time than 3 races and is certainly not the first to jump to a more popular venue.....just my thoughts

[Team Yates]

Originally Posted by papa_q..24-48-20

...

.......i grew up an open wheel fan but followed nascar with the limited media attention it had in the 60's and 70's....i will always consider open wheel the more dangerous of the 2 because swapping paint usually ends up a disaster..if open wheel had not practically ruined itself folks like jeff gordon and tony steward would be racing much lighter vehicles...these 2 have championships and are not southern bred....rahal is simply not as competitive this year as the 2 top teams.......

......i would not question her skill or fortitude as she came back after her teamate was killed in a horrible wreck[1 replay was all i will ever watch]....she would need more time than 3 races and is certainly not the first to jump to a more popular venue.....just my thoughts

Welcome to the forum papa q..24-48-20, glad you found us!!!! Are you more a fan of open wheel or NASCAR? Or possibly they are an even liking? We have a ton of fun here. We have a weekly race predictions thread, this weeks prediction page is titled Lenox 300, we pick for 1st and 2nd place and there are prizes where you can upgrade your "title", the little saying listed under one's name, as you can see we have had some winners!!! Unfortunately, I haven't won yet, but I expecting to win this week!! Hope to see your predictions!!!! I haven't yet posted on this subject because I haven't quite figured out how I want to post about it. I do like Danica, I think she's got alot of talent and skill.

[kaseykahne9]

Danica tells Dad..no to NASCAR BUT.....: Danica Patrick's father clarified his stance today: While he wants the Indy-car driver to switch to NASCAR; she's not so interested even though her contract with Rahal Letterman Racing is set to expire at the end of the season. "I'd be a fool not to want her there, and if you were her father you would, too," T.J. Patrick said after his comments last weekend ignited a media frenzy. "But it's not my decision . . . and I don't believe she wants to do (NASCAR). She wants to stay here (in the IRL), she wants to run Indy, she wants to win the Indy 500. That's her goal." Danica Patrick has been unavailable for comment. T.J. Patrick said he spoke to Danica on Monday so she understood what he told a reporter working for the Tribune Co.[Ed Hinton Orlando Sentinel/Chicago Tribune] "She kind of laughed and said, 'What did you do?' " he said. "It's gotten blown out of proportion so much. No one said a thing when I went with her to the NASCAR race in Phoenix (in April). She talked with (NASCAR team owner) Jack Roush and stuck her head inside Kurt Busch's car. No one said a thing."(Indianapolis Star) BUT: A season's worth of setbacks and upcoming free agent status has IRL IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick thinking about something she never gave that much thought to — NASCAR. "It's important for me to know what's out there and who is interested in me and who will give me the best chance to win," she told USA TODAY in a phone interview from Los Angeles, where she will be presenter at the ESPY Awards being taped tonight. "NASCAR is so big, how can you ignore it?" Patrick, 24, says it's been a "frustrating" and "confusing" season as Rahal Letterman Racing has struggled mightily. A year after capturing three poles and leading the Indy 500, Patrick has struggled along with her team's two other drivers who only have two top-five finishes among them. "My priorities haven't changed," says Patrick, whose contract is up at the end of the season. "I still want to be a winning IndyCar driver. If I'm given an opportunity to drive for an IndyCar team and win races, I'm going to do it." But if the right opportunity isn't there, she has her eye on NASCAR. "I think I'm capable to taking on the challenge, but it would have to be with the right team and with the right deal," she said. "Then I would consider it. Until then, I'm investigating what the interest level is."(USA Today)(7-12-2006)

[papa_q_24-48-20]

Originally Posted by Team Yates

Welcome to the forum papa q..24-48-20, glad you found us!!!! Are you more a fan of open wheel or NASCAR? Or possibly they are an even liking? We have a ton of fun here. We have a weekly race predictions thread, this weeks prediction page is titled Lenox 300, we pick for 1st and 2nd place and there are prizes where you can upgrade your "title", the little saying listed under one's name, as you can see we have had some winners!!! Unfortunately, I haven't won yet, but I expecting to win this week!! Hope to see your predictions!!!! I haven't yet posted on this subject because I haven't quite figured out how I want to post about it. I do like Danica, I think she's got alot of talent and skill.

........thanks for the welcome,i am now a full time nascar fan but i follow all sports to some degree...i post using lower case because i am the world's worst typer..simpler this way
.........because i follow too many sports i claim to be no expert on any...i do realize most highly successful people in anything usually have big egos......what i sometimes do not understand is the lack of respect many nascar fans have for the extremely fast and dangerous open wheel racing....i was watching an open wheel race from kansas and announcer rusty wallace said an open wheel car would pass a nascar entry every 5 laps according to average speed....open wheel cars almost seem to jump when they change lanes....both racing takes different skills and should be admired by all.....i am a fan because i cannot do what these folks do....if i could drive like a young a j foyt maybe i would be more negative about certain drivers......as always only my thoughts

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A fellow IRL driver says Danica Patrick has what it takes to succeed if she switches to the paint-swapping world of NASCAR and she's plenty aggressive in open-wheel racing when it's "the right time of the month."

FOX Sports - NASCAR - Carpenter: Danica's 'pretty aggressive' in IRL

[candlejack]

Sorry, Danica should not come to NASCAR. She would be chewed up and spit out. She is much too cute to let that happen to her. This year, she has the sophmore jinx going for her. Maybe she can prove herself and make her name in Indycar. I think that that is a more forgiving series, a shorter series, and a place where she can be real good.

[TN_Gal]

Originally Posted by WVGrandma4Kasey

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A fellow IRL driver says Danica Patrick has what it takes to succeed if she switches to the paint-swapping world of NASCAR and she's plenty aggressive in open-wheel racing when it's "the right time of the month."