Danica Patrick - Will she win Indy - Page 3

quote:

ORIGINAL: AWDaholic

While not UNPRECENDETED, rookies have only won in 8 of the 89 runnings of the Indy 500. The first few kinda skew the curve because, for teh first running the WHOLE FIELD was rookies. It wasn't a globally popular race way back then, ya know. Toss out the first five u=years and there've been just 5 out of 89.

So, Beginner's Luck:
Rookies who have won the Indy 500...

Year Driver
2001 Helio Castroneves
2000 Juan Montoya
1966 Graham Hill
1927 George Sounders
1926 Frank Lockhart
1914 Rene Thomas
1913 Jules Goux
1911 Ray Harroun

AWD - Good info! After taking out the 1st 5 you have Graham Hill, Juan Montoya, and Helio. Well Hill had already won an F1 world championship before his Indy victory. Montoya had won the FIA Formula 3000 championship and the CART championship before he won on his first try at indy. Castroneves, I don't know much about, except he likes indy, two wins there, and a long karting and open wheel career before his rookie win at indy.


So...I don't think Danica is bringing the type of racing portfolio to the table....not much chance of her winning. But it should be interesting to watch and maybe in a couple of years with more experience she could will do it.

quote:

ORIGINAL: CheckMyVitals

quote:

ORIGINAL: abacab

Ok...that was intertaining....

your spelling of entertaining is entertaining...

Canadians would SMOKE the indy... we just don't wanna. too much beer to leave

Oh...and this is way off topic, but since we were talking about canada....thought i would throw this in....funny molson comercial from canada

Joe Canadian Rant

quote:

ORIGINAL: abacab

I grew up a fan of champ cars, but once I saw my first F1 car, I was hooked...and still am. F1 is just insane, the cars are insane, the sponsors, the organizing body, the crowds, the tracks, the press, the hype....it is the sureal life...and I love it. I'd rather watch an entire F1 race and see one pass for the lead, then watch NASCAR guys bump and push and pass back and forth all day long.

I got hooked early on, on the SPETACULAR crashes NASCAR had to offer. That and teh old Can-Am races. The Chapparell's and their table-top wings. Later, RAC Rallye and the SuperB's. Later still, road courses and production-based racs cars. Nowadays, I can honestly say that ANY motor racing, from kids in go-carts to the hyper-powerful and super-fast Offshore Cats is interesting to me. As long as te competition of close. If anybody is TOTALLY dominating I kinds drift off, or channel surf.

In fact, it doesn't even have to be MOTOR racing. I've got a Mountain bike, and know where a couple of good fire roads/back trails are. Anybody here think they can take me? I'm 40-something y/o, I work in a cube, if I cuc fit either of my cars through the front door I'd drive to teh bathroom each morning... And, if it came down to it, I'd pedal 'il my heart LITERALLY exploded, if that's what it would take to WIN!!! Any takers? I understand exploding hearts are a sight to see

First race I saw was a Can Am race at Riveside Int Raceway (sadly it is now a sub division). Fantastic cars...Jim Hall was there with one of the vacum cleaner chapperals, dennie hulm and bruce mclaren were in their orange monsters....I was hooked.


AWD - what mt. bike do you ride? I'm just switching over from road riding...so I don't have much bike handling skills...but it is fun.

I've got two mtn bikes, actually. One's a Raleigh, something-or-another. British bike, hard-tail, had it for about 15 years, now. It's set up for hardpack and road riding, but with the sturdier mtn frame (needed, IMO, for inner-city riding) and no drop-bars. It's got everything I could think to add onto it, including skinny tires, extra bottle mounts, an electric (battery) horn to warn folks with on those FAST downhills. I'll hafta tell ya, one day, the phunnie-ass'd story of what happend when I rode it home from the store.

My other bike is an EXOTEC FSX-1. Full-floater. Minimal accessories. Lights, front & rear, and a trip computer w/cadence. My sister-in-law and I, along with her two children, I think, plan to ride a portion of teh C&O canal this summer. If you're NEwhere near DC you're welcome to join us. From what I understand teh trail is alternatively paved or hardpack, so you cud even bring your road bike, if you wanted.

Ok...my prediction....she'll spend the early part of the race in the top 10....Rahl will let her know not to go out like a rabbit, no nead to chase the early leaders, or get involved in any early lap mishap.

If her car can handle well in traffic, then she'll just ride the middle of the race biding her time, trying to catch the breaks on pit stops and cautions. Then step it up at the end...cautiously. Top 7 finish, rookie of the year.


AWD - I have a trek oclv carbon, hardtail....nice bike, but like they say, it is not the bike, it is the rider. I'm working on my part of the equation.

Thanks for the invite. Not sure if a trip to the d.c. area is in the plans, but I'll keep it in mind.

If the summer ride goes well I'm considering tackling some portion of the Applacian trail this fall. I'm not 100% sure but I think the northern reaches extend into NY. ...???

Sooner or later I'd like to take a month off and ride the whole thing.

Yep it does...actually goes all the way to Maine. That would be quite an accomplishment if you ride it...


here is another pic of danica

"Danica Patrick staked her claim as a favorite to win the 89th Indianapolis 500 by posting the top speed in Miller Lite Carb Day practice today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 225.597 mph."
Source: www.indy500.com

"She’s 23 and a hotshot who’s been racing competitively since she was 10 and has paid all the dues any driver can pay."
Source: www.msnbc.com

Sounds like she's got more competitive driving experience than many of us on this forum.

quote:

ORIGINAL: AudiJapan

Sounds like she's got more competitive driving experience than many of us on this forum.

I dunno, I can be 1 hot beeyotch when it comes to jockying for position in teh supermarket line, and I've been doing that almost twice as long as Damica's be on teh planet...

Meet me at the Shop Rite down the street and we can settle this for once and for all!!

I'm off to Indy for the race now. I'll post pics if anyone's interested.

Have a good Memorial Day weekend, everyone. Especially to those of you guys who serve in the military...cheers.

quote:

ORIGINAL: AWDaholic

I dunno, I can be 1 hot beeyotch when it comes to jockying for position in teh supermarket line, and I've been doing that almost twice as long as Damica's be on teh planet...

pics like abacab posted are what make me not take her as seriously...

I'm just glad the OTHER Indy jockeys DON'T pose semi-nude. Yanaahmsayin?

haha..thats an excellent point..

Yeah. I'd take them WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY less seriously than I would Danica, were they to pose as she does. Might drive me to if they did. Ewwwwwww!!! Click on a link and it'd be, like, . DAMN! Then I'd hafta pluck out my eyes and be all . Afta that I'd get on one of dem talk shows and be all like

I'll be OK with Danica posing as long as them others don't.

damn good effort i must say 4th

Watching over 30 cars coming down the straightaway at over 225 MPH is an exhilarating experience. Wow. Danica is so freaking fast. I agree with black99...not a bad rookie finish.

im surprized how good Danica did. I wish she had more gas int he car so she could finsih higher but not bad at all. And shes still damn good looking

i am also impressed...

what is the highest finish by a women in the 500?

ya, and first women to lead a lap in indy

at the expense of sounding sexist, she will probably do fine until she gets into "the big one"...once she has made sweet love to the wall at 150mph, or slid a few hundred yards on the top of her helmet, id like to see how well she handles everything

i'm impressed...but like patrick said, one big wreck (and it happens to ALL of us, eventually) and she's done.

they are really making a big deal out of this chick....she was the highlight of the local news' sports coverage last night, and now she's on msnbc

EDIT: she's also been mentioned on fox news, local nbc, local fox, cnbc..

too much hype will go to her head... she is past the climax of her fame

until her racing career starts to suffer and she is forced to get completely naked in magazines like SWANK.