NASCAR to get it's first female race car driver in the Nationwide series...

[cynatnite]

On Tuesday, Patrick, the wonder woman of the Indy Racing League and her sponsor’s “racy” spokeswoman, formally announced what has been speculated about ever since she burst on the motor sports scene after finishing fourth in the 2005 Indianapolis 500 – she will give NASCAR a try.

snip:
That’s right, Patrick isn’t going straight to NASCAR’s premier Sprint Cup Series to compete against Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. No, she’ll start in the ARCA Series, known best for its copious wrecks and anonymity. From there, she’ll try to earn a license that will allow her to compete in the Nationwide Series – NASCAR’s Triple-A – beginning in February at Daytona.

If there’s big money to be made driving in NASCAR’s minor leagues, Patrick, who has reportedly signed with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team, will be the only one earning it. Her bonus – the one making it worth her while to abandon her comfort zone – won’t come until she makes it to the Cup Series, assuming she gets there, because the path from the IRL to Cup is littered with the road kill of her contemporaries.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=jh-patrick120709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

[jobycom]

1. She'll be accepted more by fans if she wins her way up.

Smart move if she can do it.

[divideandconquer]

2. NASCAR had a woman driver in 1949

[ohheckyeah]

3. She's not the first female to drive in NASCAR.

According to Wikipedia there have only been 15 women to drive in NASCAR:
* Sara Christian
* Jennifer Jo Cobb
* Erin Crocker
* Kim Crosby
* Tina Gordon
* Janet Guthrie
* Tammy Jo Kirk
* Ethel Mobley
* Patty Moise
* Leilani Munter
* Deborah Renshaw
* Mara Reyes
* Shawna Robinson
* Louise Smith
* Kelly Sutton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Female_NASCAR_drivers

[cynatnite]

5. My mistake. She is the first in the Nationwide series. Thanks. n/t

[ohheckyeah]

11. You're welcome.

I wasn't aware she was the first in the Nationwide series.

[Are_grits_groceries]

4. Juan Pablo Montoya is starting to make a go of it.

If she proves she can race, she will win fans. They don't consider open-wheel racing to be comparable. Fans want to see her prove herself in stock cars. It is a totally different type of racing. However, her experience behind the wheel will help if she can adapt.

BTW Louise Smith won 38 races back in the day. She was shown a lot of respect because of her ability.

[Subdivisions]

6. Where does it say she's the first...?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Female_NASCAR_drivers

:shrug:

That list includes Shawna Robinson whom I saw race a couple of times at Texas Motor Speedway.

[DJ13]

7. Bad move

Open wheel racers rarely make good NASCAR drivers.

Sure theres Tony Stewart, and (finally) Juan Pablo Montoya doing good, but the odds are stacked against success.

She should have tried for a seat at the new US F1 team, went prototype sports car racing, or stayed in Indy Car.

They'll use her for the PR, then discard her as soon as she joins the dozens of former open wheel drivers unable to compete.

Ask former Indy 500 champ, and former F1 champ Jacques Villeneuve how that works.

[Are_grits_groceries]

9. The odds are against her.

However, I won't bury her yet. I'll wait to see how she adapts when she changes systems. Danica may be one of the few who can make the move.

[divideandconquer]

10. There's also Mario Andretti, Mark Donohue and A..J. Foyt

[liberal N proud]

8. Too bad

She should stay with the open wheel racing.

[madville]

12. We'll see what happens, the odds are against her

The fields in NASCAR races are much larger than what she is used to. She has won one race is 5 years because of a fuel strategy gamble, there are many one-hit wonders in NASCAR that have pulled off that feat as well. She won't get close to a championship and probably won't win a race but they will make a ton of money on advertising and endorsements, it's a good financial move.

If her first race is the Nationwide at Daytona I will definitely tune in to see what happens, she wrecks all the time, that's a hell of a tight race for a first one with the restrictor plates and tight door-to-door racing.