Danica Patrick At Jr Motorsports

DanicaFan · 5 Nov 2009, 05:15 (Ref:2576110)

Well, it appears that Danica Patrick has signed a 2 year deal with Jr Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. Jr. Motorsports is owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. She is in the final phase of the contract with the team. She is expected to make her debut during speedweeks at Daytona next year in February.

The limited 17 race schedule in the IndyCar series will allow her to race several races with the team in the Nationwide series.

**gomick** · 8 Nov 2009, 10:04 (Ref:2578128)

Rubbin's Racin'...

V8 Fireworks · 9 Nov 2009, 06:39 (Ref:2578692)

Excellent.

Winning car too, unlike those wishy-washy so-so MWR nationwide cars that were another option.

ptclaus98 · 10 Nov 2009, 04:25 (Ref:2579300)

This is not a smart move for Danica, TBH.

JagtechOhio · 10 Nov 2009, 04:39 (Ref:2579304)

It's only good as the beginning of an exit strategy: big contracts from both sides to bankroll a retirement plan. She won't be competitive in any Sedan Series, and her fine and consistent showing in IndyCar is not going to get her in a winning seat.

Two or three years and done.

**gomick** · 10 Nov 2009, 09:28 (Ref:2579382)

So she shouldnt give it a crack then?

ptclaus98 · 10 Nov 2009, 12:26 (Ref:2579467)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomick

So she shouldnt give it a crack then?

Nope.

JagtechOhio · 10 Nov 2009, 12:42 (Ref:2579478)

From a career standpoint as a racecar driver, no way. She's going to look incompetent, and a portion of that will be because the difference between the cars is night and day according to Sedan Series drivers.

From a personal endorsement and contract negotiating standpoint, she'll need a pickup truck to hold all the cash she'll be racing home with.

V8 Fireworks · 10 Nov 2009, 23:33 (Ref:2579830)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JagtechOhio

She's going to look incompetent

How hard can it be? JVi qualified in 7th (?) in his first Cup race, Papis is consistently competent.

The experience to tune the car will be missing, but the fast set-ups will be in place in the JR cars...

Are you suggesting Danica lacks the fine touch to be able to coax an unresponsive sled-like NASCAR through the corner on the limit, as opposed to throwing the IRL car into the corner and stomping on the throttle with the excess of rear grip and low power?

JagtechOhio · 10 Nov 2009, 23:53 (Ref:2579839)

No, I'm suggesting that I am a completely incompetent as*hole, and have no business voicing my opinion in public.

icemachine · 11 Nov 2009, 00:16 (Ref:2579853)

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

How hard can it be? JVi qualified in 7th (?) in his first Cup race, Papis is consistently competent.

The experience to tune the car will be missing, but the fast set-ups will be in place in the JR cars...

Are you suggesting Danica lacks the fine touch to be able to coax an unresponsive sled-like NASCAR through the corner on the limit, as opposed to throwing the IRL car into the corner and stomping on the throttle with the excess of rear grip and low power?

From what I've seen Danica has less than 20% of the skill of JV or Papis. Perhaps she will succeed where others haven't but I expect she will not find the cabs to her suiting

Hawkwood · 11 Nov 2009, 00:49 (Ref:2579864)

Quote:

Originally Posted by icemachine

From what I've seen Danica has less than 20% of the skill of JV or Papis.

LOL

Where did you grab that arbitrary figure from? How could you possibley have judged that, seeing as the only time they've met on track is when Papis did the 500 a couple of years ago?

Come on, it's time she got a bit a credit for driving rather than people dismissing her because they're fed up with the fact that she gets more coverage because she's a girl. She has been the top American in a mostly domestic American series for the last 2 years after all.

icemachine · 11 Nov 2009, 00:55 (Ref:2579865)

A series in which I would sadly call the bulk of the talent second rate

kartracer41 · 11 Nov 2009, 16:53 (Ref:2580220)

Quote:

Originally Posted by icemachine

A series in which I would sadly call the bulk of the talent second rate

Then what do you call the talent in NASCAR?

JHamilton · 11 Nov 2009, 16:57 (Ref:2580221)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ostrogothicus

LOL

Where did you grab that arbitrary figure from? How could you possibley have judged that, seeing as the only time they've met on track is when Papis did the 500 a couple of years ago?

Come on, it's time she got a bit a credit for driving rather than people dismissing her because they're fed up with the fact that she gets more coverage because she's a girl. She has been the top American in a mostly domestic American series for the last 2 years after all.

Well, arbitrary figure aside, he's right. I don't need to see them race head to head to know two former F1 drivers, one of them a champ, are better than Patrick.

The only reason she has a ride is because of her looks. That's fine, and she has done a decent job this year. However, I don't expect her to get better or set the world on fire in Nascar though.

I agree with others that this is a smart business move for her. Pad the bank account... maybe she would like to start a family soon? Hard to race anything preggers I would imagine.

Down F0rce · 11 Nov 2009, 22:28 (Ref:2580417)

I don't think this is such a bad idea. If she does disgrace herself, so what? She can easily retreat back to the IRL and go back to turning in a respectable performance. The sponsors will be queuing up, that's for sure...

johntt · 11 Nov 2009, 22:43 (Ref:2580429)

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

How hard can it be? JVi qualified in 7th (?) in his first Cup race, Papis is consistently competent.

Thats was at Talladega, a plate track with a very smooth surface.

In all seriousness almost anyone can qualify at Talladega, however to race there in a pack of cars is the reserve of the very brave.

fieldodreams79 · 12 Nov 2009, 12:58 (Ref:2580745)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Well, arbitrary figure aside, he's right. I don't need to see them race head to head to know two former F1 drivers, one of them a champ, are better than Patrick.

I dunno, she hasn't really been given a chance to prove herself.

here's a comparison with real figures and a "crossover to NASCAR" driver:
Sam Hornish, Jr. in 116 races, 12 poles, 19 wins, 3 championships, 1 Indy 500 win
DP in 81 races, 3 poles, 1 win

i can tell you who's figure looks better......

Sam has mangled a car at just about every NASCAR track he's been to. he has shown some flashes of goodness, but nothing spectacular and i expect even less from DP.

but more power to her...ride the wave, girl, ride the wave.

instant classic · 13 Nov 2009, 01:46 (Ref:2581163)

Quote:

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

I dunno, she hasn't really been given a chance to prove herself.

here's a comparison with real figures and a "crossover to NASCAR" driver:
Sam Hornish, Jr. in 116 races, 12 poles, 19 wins, 3 championships, 1 Indy 500 win
DP in 81 races, 3 poles, 1 win

i can tell you who's figure looks better......

Sam has mangled a car at just about every NASCAR track he's been to. he has shown some flashes of goodness, but nothing spectacular and i expect even less from DP.

but more power to her...ride the wave, girl, ride the wave.

i 100% agree on that

Dutton · 13 Nov 2009, 06:28 (Ref:2581214)

In time I think Danica could be a respectable Nationwide driver, provided she stays in decent equipment. She could end up, in time, a consistent runner in that 15-25 range I think.

Cup, OTOH, well, that won't work out too well.

Neil22 · 15 Nov 2009, 04:36 (Ref:2582158)

Danica is a driver who gets to drive in Nationwide, make oodles of money and crash into people without penalty. What's not to like?

Yannick · 15 Nov 2009, 14:25 (Ref:2582282)

Why doesn't she just say to her management "Come on, get me a race winning IRL drive so I can finally have a stab at the championship, and then we'll see from there?"

I don't know what all that "will she do this or will she do that?" she's getting asked in interviews might do to her confidence.

She needs to focus on the racing now - and on the winning.

I'm sure, though, that her management would love to make more money if there was more money to be made by her racing stock cars.

ptclaus98 · 17 Nov 2009, 16:05 (Ref:2583586)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yannick

Why doesn't she just say to her management "Come on, get me a race winning IRL drive so I can finally have a stab at the championship, and then we'll see from there?"

I don't know what all that "will she do this or will she do that?" she's getting asked in interviews might do to her confidence.

She needs to focus on the racing now - and on the winning.

I'm sure, though, that her management would love to make more money if there was more money to be made by her racing stock cars.

She's been in one for three years.

Jimmy Magnusson · 17 Nov 2009, 20:25 (Ref:2583724)

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

How hard can it be? JVi qualified in 7th (?) in his first Cup race, Papis is consistently competent.

The experience to tune the car will be missing, but the fast set-ups will be in place in the JR cars...

Are you suggesting Danica lacks the fine touch to be able to coax an unresponsive sled-like NASCAR through the corner on the limit, as opposed to throwing the IRL car into the corner and stomping on the throttle with the excess of rear grip and low power?

As has previously been said, that was at Talladega, were even you or me could qualify, as long as we don't mind going 200 miles an hour. Cup regulars would tell you as much. Restrictor plate, foot to the floor doesn't take skill (to do a fast lap, RACING is a whole different matter), it takes a bit of set-up, the right weather conditions and a bit of luck. Since JV was a go-or-go-home-car he had to go with an agressive setup to make the field - at the first pit stop they changed pretty much everything to try to make it raceworthy. Not a way to do it if you come to race, but JV needed track experience, so it was the right thing to do.
And really, Papis is nowhere during the races. I only remember seeing him on the road courses and when he gets lapped. Not all his fault (the TRG cup programme is a bit short on funds, for one), but he's doing nothing worth noting.

It's been proven time and time again to me that an open-wheel guy doesn't just step into a stock car and perform, no matter who it is. Juan Montoya is, I'm sure we'll all agree, a fair bit better than Danica, and it took him a fair bit of time to get used to NASCAR. I think Danica is possibly on the same level as Scott Speed - if she started in ARCA, and then did a year in Nationwide, I think she'd do much better. But just doing a few random races in between IndyCar races isn't going to do anything but make her look bad.

mountainstar · 18 Nov 2009, 02:09 (Ref:2583918)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

And really, Papis is nowhere during the races. I only remember seeing him on the road courses and when he gets lapped. Not all his fault (the TRG cup programme is a bit short on funds, for one), but he's doing nothing worth noting.

I had a friend working for that team and they just don't have the resources and funding to run at the front.

Can't say I was really following what they were doing this year, but they were doing quite a bit of testing at VIR so the few road courses must have been their main focus to do well.

I think danica is going to be in for surprise. It's a whole nother world with stock cars.

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