Sadly the IRL embraces Danica's wild side

[Schwartz Fan]

In quest for eyeballs, IRL embraces Danica's wild side

Inevitably every professional sports league will be confronted by a story it wishes would just go away.

Embarrassment must be minimized. Damage control exercised at all times. Sweep it under the rug, hope there's no video and move on.

Unless you happen to be the Indy Racing League.

When serial confronter Danica Patrick stepped to Milka Duno on Saturday in her latest it's-really-all-about-me drama, the IRL didn't hesitate to post the video on its website.

A different league might worry that its star's extracurricular antics were detracting from the results on the track, but when you preside over an interest-starved sport, you can't be too choosy about what constitutes good publicity. Whether Danica is clipping another team's crew member in pit row, posing for a scantily clad pictorial or delivering one of her finger-wagging lectures on how to drive to an opponent, IndyCar understands that Danica, no matter how boorish, sells.

It's no accident that her driver page in the IndyCar media guide includes a picture from her Sports Illustrated swimsuit shoot. One league's hot-headed problem child is another's promotional campaign.

What the IRL has in Patrick is 100 pounds of TNT (T, I said, TNT) with an anger management problem. The diminutive Danica — mini driver? — got physical with Dan Wheldon last year and famously stalked down pit row in pursuit of Ryan Briscoe at this year's Indy 500. (Danica's bad weekend in Ohio didn't get any better when she finished 12th while Indy nemesis Briscoe won on Sunday, a result that was predictably overshadowed by video of Danica vs. Milka.)

When you're just over 5-feet tall it may be hard to pick on someone your own size, but on Saturday at least Danica sought out someone who has actually won fewer races than she has for one of her impromptu tutorials.

Duno, however, turned the tables on Patrick, twice throwing a towel in her face as Danica demanded an explanation for what she considered obstructive driving during qualifying.

"You like show, you like show, go away from here!" the Venezuelan Duno, a part-time driver in the series, barked at Patrick. Perhaps this should become the standard dismissal for all drivers who find themselves on the receiving end of one of Danica's public castigations. (Gee, for someone who has won one race in four seasons, she sure seems to have a lot of wisdom to share with her fellow drivers.)


Patrick would later claim that she had merely approached Duno to ask whether she'd seen her when Duno cut her off during qualifying on Saturday. Patrick failed to mention that she had embroidered her inquiry with some colorful and pointed language.

Danica may have intended to take Duno to the woodshed, but her fellow female driver wasn't interested in hearing her lecture.

"She came to my team and our pit box in a very bad way with bad words ... if you come in a nice way, perfect we can talk," explained Duno after the contretemps. "If you come in a bad way, you are going to find my bad side. I don't like drama and I told her, 'Go away, you are not welcome.' She can push the guys because they cannot do anything to her, but she cannot push me."

After taking the second towel to the face, a stunned Danica said, "It's not my fault you're slow." Oh, snap.

Of all people, Danica might have understood the risk in confronting another female racer. Milka Duno may not be the world famous star Patrick is, but she must share her toughness and fearlessness to compete on the highest level in a sport and world dominated by men.

Compared to her attempt to upbraid Duno, shoving Wheldon last year was a walk in the park.

While other leagues might play down their loose cannons, the IRL knows that it has one true transcendent star. She may win only once every ... every ... uh, career? But Danica Patrick has the biggest name in the smallest frame in IndyCar.

So the sport not only abides her churlish confrontations, it promotes them. Danica is all too ready to be the first to cross the line (except the finish line, of course) and IndyCar wants the eyeballs she attracts when she does something besides finishing 12th. Footage of someone finishing out of the top 10 won't get people talking about open-wheel racing, but a catfight is another story.

The sad part is that this was supposed to be the season when everything changed, when Danica's on-track accomplishments got as much attention as her sexy photo spreads. But since she became the first woman to win an IndyCar race with her victory in Japan in late April, the last three months have been a disappointment.

After wrecking — or being wrecked — at Indy, Patrick incurred the wrath of two separate drivers following a race in Iowa last month. Points leader Scott Dixon called her a "menace" and Ed Carpenter accused her of doing her "normal supreme block job."

Sounds kind of like what Patrick went to chastise Duno about on Saturday. In racing, it seems what goes around comes around.


FOX Sports on MSN - IRL - In quest for eyeballs, IRL embraces Danica's wild side

Sadly? The embracing of Danica Patrick is good for them. I'm willing to bet if Danica is their "jewel" for having any ratings at all. Without her, I think the IRL would be kaput.

[Schwartz Fan]

Embracing Danica is good for the series, but is the double standard good for the series?

I don't think she's nearly as important to the series as she seems to think she is....(not saying I don't like her, don't really care one way or the other) Just seems like their "jewel" is a little bi-polar at times...top tens with one of the best teams out there doesn't exactly make her qualified to go off on anyone. Especially when your known for throwing blocks on drivers just to stay mid pack...


For the record, I don't think Milka the 'moving road block' belongs in the series at all....

I doubt Milka will last in the IRL for very long. Too many complaints about her and she'll gone faster than you can say hello.

[troublemaker]

I agree...Danica saved the IRL....

[Schwartz Fan]

All hail the Queen Danica




It isn't that uncommon to see drivers act as if they have a sense of entitlement on the track. How many times have we heard over the radio, after a race, and even during practice one driver berate another for not yielding the right of way to the much faster car? Too many times to count. But this is the sport of auto racing. Racing being the central theme. In order to advance your position, you must race to earn it.

Danica Patrick is the Queen of Entitlement. No other driver in either NASCAR or IRL exhibits such the behavior of a spoiled child and a sense of because I'm so-an-so, you should move out of my way. With all of one win under her belt, she is the be-all-end-all of Indy Racing. Her tirades know no boundaries, man or woman will draw the ire of the Queen of Entitlement. Right or wrong, it matters not, because this is Danica Patrick.

Having her in racing is vital, her success is paramount. But her actions will deflect any on track success she achieves. Bikini clad photo shoots and brawls are what people will associate with Danica, not her on track accomplishments.

It would be hard to accept this kind of person into the NASCAR world. While we have our own share of whiney drivers and bad guys, the attitudes are fleeting. One minute a driver is whining about his car or another driver, but it comes and goes. With Danica it just rolls on. There is a lot of give in take in racing, a driver must pick their battles and decide when it is time to race hard or pull back just a little.

Danica's actions and attitude would certainly not be tolerated in NASCAR, not by drivers and certainly not by fans. On track actions speak way louder than any foul mouth tirade in a fellow driver's pit box. So until Danica can shut-up and drive and let that do the talking, she will only be known for her off track actions and be known as the Queen of Entitlement.

Inside The Pit Box-Feature- Sharon Bundy - All hail the Queen Danica

[24girl]

Originally Posted by Schwartz Fan Embracing Danica is good for the series, but is the double standard good for the series? I don't think she's nearly as important to the series as she seems to think she is....(not saying I don't like her, don't really care one way or the other) Just seems like their "jewel" is a little bi-polar at times...top tens with one of the best teams out there doesn't exactly make her qualified to go off on anyone. Especially when your known for throwing blocks on drivers just to stay mid pack... For the record, I don't think Milka the 'moving road block' belongs in the series at all....

Ditto on all the above!