Be honest - do you think a woman should be racing?

[jenna]

hmmmmmm looks like i'm well in the minor-minor-minority here. heck no a woman shouldn't be racing, grrrrr (actually i'm not a fan of women drivers on the road at all.. especially those who like to put on make up in the mirror whilst driving...)
i can't really give an explanation, i guess i'm just old fashioned. i loved the kind of men's club atmosphere of racing, that was one of the best things about it (yeah there was Fisher, but she was hardly a factor lol!). i wish you-know-who would just go away (can't even type her name, oh how i dislike her!!)

in case you're wondering, i'm totally NOT being sarcastic...

[Dani Filth]

women should do whatever they want to

[botsquad]

a woman should never get in a race car. unless her name is eddie cheever

[GP Racer]

From the paddock talk rumor bin -


Another Woman Could Join Danica Patrick in the IRL ?


The Progress-Index is indicating that USAC's Erin Crocker might be the next 'Danica Patrick'... and she "could be the star of tomorrow in open-wheel racing if all the chips fall into place."

She definately enjoys the IndyCars, and told the publication, "I was walking around the IndyCar pits. I think the IndyCars are pretty fascinating. I come from an engineering background so I think they are really neat. I love watching them run here because they always put on a really good show."

But right now he plans include trying to put together a NASCAR Busch effort, but with so few top NASCAR rides available, the writer believes the IRL ought to help make an opportunity for Crocker in an IndyCar.

[Andrew Kitson]

Of course women should be allowed to race. Lella Lombardi was pretty quick in F5000.
Danica is a great addition to the IRL. A really nice person too having known her from her FF days in the UK. Yes she did finish second in the FF Festival, by staying on as 2 or 3 cars in front fell off on the last lap. Shame she did not keep it together to win the 500 but a good show of promise for the future. Might be wrong here but 'if' she had won Indy, would it have been her first ever car race win? Quite a record if it had happened.

[Hugewally]

Nothing wrong with women racing at all.

[alfasud]

Originally Posted by Rob29

Michele Moulton only did Rallies AFAIK,so not relevant here.

WRC is a motorsport world championship and Michele Mouton has 4xFIA World Rally Championship outright wins to her credit.... plus other major events such as the Pikes Peak hillclimb. If a women with 4xwins at world championship level isn't relevant to a thread of whether women should be racing, I'm not sure what is.

So far, there are no other women racers I know of with wins in a world championship level event or equivalent major series, but will stand to be corrected if there are.

Regarding the subject question, if a woman wants to race and is fast enough, then of course she should be racing.

Same with different races etc.

Danica is clearly quick enough... she just lacks experience. Hopefully she doesn't feel to much pressure to achieve too much too soon.

There are others worth mentioning including Jutta Kleinschmidt of Germany who won the Paris-Dakar Rally in 2001 and then there is Vanina Ickx (daughter of six-times Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx) who has been racing in Touring cars and GT's - most recently in the 2005 Le Mans in a Dallara Judd LMP1.

Hopefully we will see race wins in IRL for Danica and Le Mans/LMES wins for Vanina before too long.

[alfasud]

Originally Posted by alfasud

....then there is Vanina Ickx (daughter of six-times Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx) who has been racing in Touring cars and GT's - most recently in the 2005 Le Mans in a Dallara Judd LMP1.

Hopefully we will see race wins in IRL for Danica and Le Mans/LMES wins for Vanina before too long.

Forgot to mention... Vanina and the RollCentre Racing Team did well in the recent LMES race at Spa in April 2005 with 3rd place overall finish.

[JohnSSC]

Of course being old, I would also mention Denise McCluggage (I am sure I am spelling her name wrong) as well as a woman who was always fast and a winner on the local Club scene here: Donna Mae Mims.

[GoFaster]

Girls should race when they install steering wheels on ovens and vacuum cleaners...just kidding.
If the ability is there,of course they should,but I think this Danica hype is crazy.I'd consider her an average driver at the very best.It looks to me as if they leave her out hopeing for yellow solely to gain position,causing the casual fan to ew and awe that a female is among the leaders.I think she's over achieved by even getting a chance in the IRL.In my opinion,it's a marketing thing

[F1_KING]

IMO i dont think women are tough enough be in motorsport. Physically they may be able to, but mentally they are not tough enough. E.g. danica in the indy 500, when she caused the accident we could hear her on the radio, and it was quite embarasing to hear her. I won't go into detail but those who heard it know what im talking about.

[Kicking-back]

Yet she kept going, and finished the race in 4th place.

Doesn't sound like a lack of mental toughness to me.

[Xpunk75]

If the only complaint is the weight diffrence then IRL and Champ Car should put weights in the cars after everything has been weighed to equal the playing feild and making everyone rely on driving skill. If thats what its going to take to get rid of this argument about the weight diffrence of women and men.

[jenna]

Originally Posted by F1_KING

IMO i dont think women are tough enough be in motorsport. Physically they may be able to, but mentally they are not tough enough. E.g. danica in the indy 500, when she caused the accident we could hear her on the radio, and it was quite embarasing to hear her. I won't go into detail but those who heard it know what im talking about.

aw come on, go into detail!!

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by F1_KING

IMO i dont think women are tough enough be in motorsport. Physically they may be able to, but mentally they are not tough enough.

Right. Know much about Child Birth? If men had to give birth, we would have become extinct along time ago. I rest my case.

[F1_KING]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

Right. Know much about Child Birth? If men had to give birth, we would have become extinct along time ago. I rest my case.

i said physically they Are tough enough, but mentally i dont think they do to be competative against the men. IMO

[F1_KING]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Yet she kept going, and finished the race in 4th place.

Doesn't sound like a lack of mental toughness to me.

she was lucky to finish 4th after she stalled the car in pitlane, then was involved in some incidents. She was lucky that the safety car came out at the end so she didnt eat up as much fuel, cos she choose not to pit. By memory she had to slow down near the end cos she just was going to run out of fuel, which is why she finished 4th. If there had of been no afety car then it could of been quite embarasing for her and the team to run out of fuel.

[Kicking-back]

That's largely irrelevant - as it doesn't support your claim that women lack "mental toughness".

[F1_KING]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

That's largely irrelevant - as it doesn't support your claim that women lack "mental toughness".

refer to her comments and reactions in the indy 500 race on the team radio after she caused an incident,stalled in pit lane and her interveiw straight after the race.Did she seem mentally tough to you?

[Kicking-back]

Yes

[SALEEN S7R]

Going back to the original topic, I dont see any reason at all why female drivers should not be able to race at the top level of motorsport provided they are there on merit rather than budget. Dancia Patrick has proved IMO that she is undoubtedly talented and worthy of her place in motorsport. Theres a few women at the moment who are near the very top of motorsport IMO, Milka Duno and Vanina Ickx immedtily spring to mind, as well as Legge of course.

[F1_KING]

are you a female kicking-back?

[Snrub]

Originally Posted by Xpunk75

If the only complaint is the weight diffrence then IRL and Champ Car should put weights in the cars after everything has been weighed to equal the playing feild and making everyone rely on driving skill. If thats what its going to take to get rid of this argument about the weight diffrence of women and men.

I'm not going to go through all 7 pages again (I thought this was already covered), but Champ Car already does have a weight equalizing scheme, but it has something to do with balasting lighter drivers to the average weight. Champ Car did their system half way through the 2002 season when 120lbs CDM was whoppin' everyone. It didn't make a difference. Frankly I don't understand how the previously 200lbs+ guys like Michael Andretti and PT could race against guys like CDM, but it didn't seem to effect the situation too much. It's not a bad idea to implement equal weights to get rid of the contriversy.

From the IRL's perspective there's no advantage in equalizing the weights. Even if they thought there was a 5% chance that it might slow Danica down, if it did slow her down it would hurt the series. I'm sure they won't be jumping at the opportunity to take such risks.