Danica Patrick won’t return to Stewart-Haas in 2018

[DanicaFreak]

the biggest downer of this whole thing is that she doesnt want to leave--shes talking to other teams, etc. If she was retiring on her own terms thats one thing.......just so much

 

[Cholo]

Even though she is a spoiled brat who blames everyone else for her problems I always hoped she'd learn how to drive. You can't underestimate the drawing power she had for fans and it would have been good for NASCAR for her to be succesful.

 

[Team Penske]

!!!

Well, as I said in another thread (and as Ricky Craven just said on Sirius XM), would be interesting to see her in a good Xfinity ride. Though I have no idea if any opportunities exist there.

Kelly will take her back at JMS if she brings her own sponsor.

 

[Hotrod]

the biggest downer of this whole thing is that she doesnt want to leave--shes talking to other teams, etc. If she was retiring on her own terms thats one thing.......just so much

There were some rumors swirling around a year or 2 ago she was looking at
a part ownership in a sportscar team. I would love to see that happen. GT Daytona
would be perfect.

 

[DanicaFreak]

Kelly will take her back at JMS if she brings her own sponsor.

Id actually like to see this. I doubt it would happen.

My secret wish is the trucks. I want to see her PWN jennifer cobb.

 

[Formerjackman]

There were some rumors swirling around a year or 2 ago she was looking at
a part ownership in a sportscar team. I would love to see that happen. GT Daytona
would be perfect.

Two problems with that idea. One, sportscars COST money, not make it, and she isn't really that good of road racer anyway.

 

[Revman]

I wonder how this will be viewed historically? Was the Danica era a success? I mean we hear about breaking down barriers, etc.; but at the end of the day, she wasn't competitive. Did she make it easier or harder for the next woman?

 

[Skoalbandit33]

I wonder how this will be viewed historically? Was the Danica era a success? I mean we hear about breaking down barriers, etc.; but at the end of the day, she wasn't competitive. Did she make it easier or harder for the next woman?

Danica was seen more for her marketing ability and yoga poses than a race car driver. Hopefully the next female racer will be seen as a race car driver and not all those other things.

 

[Formerjackman]

Despite her shortcomings, she IS a decent racecar driver, and if she had gotten into a stock car about a decade sooner, the story would likely be somewhat different. She has also had a certain amount on longevity, and that counts for something too. She has pretty much lasted longer than all of her contemporaries from Indycar, Sarah Fisher, Milka Duno, Simona de Silvestro, Ana Beatriz and Katherine Legge (who is in sportscars.) If you exclude drag racing, you would have to consider her the top female racer ever. Janet Guthrie knocked down barriers, but never really ran that many races, and while Lyn St. James had a nice career, her Indycar success was less than Danica's while her sportscar career was a so-so. We are still waiting for the first true superstar female racer (drag racing excluded) and despite all the hype about this person or that, we're STILL waiting.

 

[DanicaFreak]

http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2017/09...mbing-walls-according-to-instagram-posts.html

 

[MRM]

I think its been established that shes proficient in running fast lap times by herself. She just cant race.

Yep, there's a big difference between the two.

 

[Towmater]

Despite her shortcomings, she IS a decent racecar driver, and if she had gotten into a stock car about a decade sooner, the story would likely be somewhat different. She has also had a certain amount on longevity, and that counts for something too. She has pretty much lasted longer than all of her contemporaries from Indycar, Sarah Fisher, Milka Duno, Simona de Silvestro, Ana Beatriz and Katherine Legge (who is in sportscars.) If you exclude drag racing, you would have to consider her the top female racer ever. Janet Guthrie knocked down barriers, but never really ran that many races, and while Lyn St. James had a nice career, her Indycar success was less than Danica's while her sportscar career was a so-so. We are still waiting for the first true superstar female racer (drag racing excluded) and despite all the hype about this person or that, we're STILL waiting.

Why do you discount the female drag racing stars? They produced in a sport and broke more of the same ground that Danica walked upon. Are you going to tell me that Shirley Muldowney path in Top Fuel and Erica Enders-Stevens path in Pro Stock wasn't the same, if not harder, than Danica's? Please share that with me. I ain't buying into it unless you have some really compelling facts. Before you start please remember that the entire sport was against Muldowney when she started racing. They hated her. Her path was much harder than Danica's. Oh, and let's not forget that those two ladies I named have multiple championship titles.

 

[Nitro Dude]

the biggest downer of this whole thing is that she doesnt want to leave--shes talking to other teams, etc. If she was retiring on her own terms thats one thing.......just so much

DanicaFreak, here is a link to an interview where she is talking about some of the other things she is doing outside of racing. I wouldn't worry to much she is going to be fine with or without racing.
https://www.thestreet.com/video/143...eld-.html?puc=yahoov&cm_ven=YAHOOV&yptr=yahoo

 

[Mr. E]

 

[Nitro Dude]

Why do you discount the female drag racing stars? They produced in a sport and broke more of the same ground that Danica walked upon. Are you going to tell me that Shirley Muldowney path in Top Fuel and Erica Enders-Stevens path in Pro Stock wasn't the same, if not harder, than Danica's? Please share that with me. I ain't buying into it unless you have some really compelling facts. Before you start please remember that the entire sport was against Muldowney when she started racing. They hated her. Her path was much harder than Danica's. Oh, and let's not forget that those two ladies I named have multiple championship titles.

Towmater, I don't think he was discounting them the way you think he was.

 

[Candace66]

I just saw that.

I've always thought it would be fun to put some of the hardcore Danica haters in a room to discuss the matter with Smoke (her car owner)

 

[Skoalbandit33]

DanicaFreak, here is a link to an interview where she is talking about some of the other things she is doing outside of racing. I wouldn't worry to much she is going to be fine with or without racing.
https://www.thestreet.com/video/143...eld-.html?puc=yahoov&cm_ven=YAHOOV&yptr=yahoo

I agree as most of us would kill to have DP's problems as she has been richly blessed in many ways.

 

[Mr. E]

Darrell Waltrip & Jamie Little Discuss Danica Patrick’s Exit from Stewart-Haas Racing


http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/...cuss-danica-patricks-exit-stewart-haas-racing

 

[Formerjackman]

Why do you discount the female drag racing stars? They produced in a sport and broke more of the same ground that Danica walked upon. Are you going to tell me that Shirley Muldowney path in Top Fuel and Erica Enders-Stevens path in Pro Stock wasn't the same, if not harder, than Danica's? Please share that with me. I ain't buying into it unless you have some really compelling facts. Before you start please remember that the entire sport was against Muldowney when she started racing. They hated her. Her path was much harder than Danica's. Oh, and let's not forget that those two ladies I named have multiple championship titles.

No, No, please don't misunderstand. I am not discounting the female drag racers at all, I enjoy watching them race and I'm in awe of them. I was simply making a distinction between drag racers, where women have been quite successful, and track racing where they generally have not. No doubt Shirley, like Janet Guthrie had a far tougher row to hoe than any of the women that followed. Let me amend what I said by saying that you could make the case that Danica is the most successful female non-drag racer in the sport.

 

[Zerkfitting]

I've followed Danica since she started Indycar. I like her and she has helped motor sports. I had hoped she would have had better results. As far as I'm concerned, she is a competent race car driver.

 

[downnice]

If Danica can not get a cup ride in 2018, I am sure Indycar or Formula E teams will be calling for her

 

[Nitro Dude]

If I recall I thought it was fuel mileage?

Don't forget that she also lost the Indy 500 because of a late caution that caused her to have to turn her fuel dial back at the end of the race which netted her a 4th instead of a win. I sure would have liked to seen her and Wheldon battle it out at the end if she had not had to turn that fuel dial back. But, maybe it was for the best because if she had won then she may not have came to NASCAR and probably wouldn't have had the money she has now...or worse.

 

[Skoalbandit33]

We have heard many people talk about what a good thing DP has been for Nascar but Nascar has also been very good to her.

 

[ChexOrWrex]

In 241 races between her Cup & Xfinity career, she has finished in the top 10 in 4% of the races. Thats 10 top 10s in 241 starts.

Theres your reason.

 

[Mispeedway15]

I'd like to see her win in some cheated up Xfinity car

 

[Towmater]

We have heard many people talk about what a good thing DP has been for Nascar but Nascar has also been very good to her.

Noting the size of the yacht she shared a clip of on instagram that she and Ricky rented to celebrate his 30th birthday it has been very good to both of them. BTW, stuff like that and private planes might be a reason for the decline in the fanbase. The fans can't relate to drivers any longer. They aren't working class people and the separation between them and the people in the seats annual income is vast.

 

[aunty dive]

Noting the size of the yacht she shared a clip of on instagram that she and Ricky rented to celebrate his 30th birthday it has been very good to both of them. BTW, stuff like that and private planes might be a reason for the decline in the fanbase. The fans can't relate to drivers any longer. They aren't working class people and the separation between them and the people in the seats annual income is vast.


.

Wealthy athletes are not working class people ... in any sport.

 

[Blaze]

and by rain shower you mean half the competitive field not signed up for the race.

Well I mean she was racing with ALL the same people she had been for a few years, cause the ones who weren't there was drivers who came over from Cart in the merger. So if not for the merger then no one would be saying this.

 

[Towmater]

Even with much lower salaries coming into vogue I think it will be difficult for Joe Sixpack to relate to drivers. I think I read that Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions makes 27 million per year. Wow!

I don't think that your average fan in football ever looked at the pro football players as someone who they might know, might live next door to, or work in a garage around the corner from them. NASCAR drivers used to fit that mold. Heck, they used to fit that mold through the mid-80's/early 90's. They aren't your average joe any longer and that's something I believe that NASCAR fans long for when you read posts about driver interaction, and autograph/picture/die cast collections. This used to be a every man's sport and it has slipped into something very different.

 

[Tumbleweed]

There really aren't (m)any decent Cup seats she'd be in the running before, and I've never gotten the impression from her that she'd be willing to languish around in a Front Row or similar type of ride.

Sounds as if she's looking for the right team, one where those darned crew chiefs don't keep making all of the decisions:

"The message Patrick will send to those wondering if she will keep racing is she wants to race for a team that she feels is behind her.

"It takes people," Patrick said. "In NASCAR, you're better off with a group of guys or girls that are working day and night and diligently for you. It is a hard job. ... The workload it takes to be competitive at the Cup level is relentless.

"I feel bad for them, but that is what it takes. If you have a group of people willing to work that hard, you're better off at a second-tier team than a first-tier team that has a group of people who doesn't care about you."

Did she have people who cared about her when driving at SHR, ones willing to fight for her?

"At times," Patrick said. "I don't think it's always constant. At the Cup level, I partially blame just how difficult it is, the workload challenge of it -- it's wide and deep, especially at Stewart-Haas, where it's a crew-chief driven team where the crew chief makes all the calls and the car build and how it is and what setup ultimately goes on it."

http://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/c...ck-ready-give-racing-do-find-competitive-ride

 

[Towmater]

Sounds as if she's looking for the right team, one where those darned crew chiefs don't keep making all of the decisions:

"The message Patrick will send to those wondering if she will keep racing is she wants to race for a team that she feels is behind her.

"It takes people," Patrick said. "In NASCAR, you're better off with a group of guys or girls that are working day and night and diligently for you. It is a hard job. ... The workload it takes to be competitive at the Cup level is relentless.

"I feel bad for them, but that is what it takes. If you have a group of people willing to work that hard, you're better off at a second-tier team than a first-tier team that has a group of people who doesn't care about you."

Did she have people who cared about her when driving at SHR, ones willing to fight for her?

"At times," Patrick said. "I don't think it's always constant. At the Cup level, I partially blame just how difficult it is, the workload challenge of it -- it's wide and deep, especially at Stewart-Haas, where it's a crew-chief driven team where the crew chief makes all the calls and the car build and how it is and what setup ultimately goes on it."

http://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/c...ck-ready-give-racing-do-find-competitive-ride

She's making it sound like her performance issues in a team that has 2 drivers in the playoffs this year and has won 2 championships since 2011 aren't her fault. The writer should have really followed-up more and gotten more quotes. That's a HUGE story.

 

[Nitro Dude]

She's making it sound like her performance issues in a team that has 2 drivers in the playoffs this year and has won 2 championships since 2011 aren't her fault. The writer should have really followed-up more and gotten more quotes. That's a HUGE story.

Maybe some of the fans were right when they said SHR may have a hard time keeping 4 cars competitive when they first went to a four car team after all Clint Bowyer is a pretty good driver and he didn't make the cut either.

 

[Towmater]

Maybe some of the fans were right when they said SHR may have a hard time keeping 4 cars competitive when they first went to a four car team after all Clint Bowyer is a pretty good driver and he didn't make the cut either.

I've not heard Clint or any of the other drivers at SHR state what Danica did. That's a major story.

 

[sloggie]

Danica broke a lot of new ground for women in NASCAR. Being able to maintain a ride for multiple years is quite an accomplishment. Here is to hoping more women follow in her footsteps.

 

[Charlie Spencer]

According to Racing Reference, her average finish in IndyCar was 10.5. Her average finish in NASCAR is 24.0. So she definitely was more competitive in IndyCar.
http://racing-reference.info/driver/Danica_Patrick

Other than the 33-car field for the I500, IndyCar fields usually run 22 to 24 cars. 10th in a 24-car field is about 18th in a 40-car field. That's still better than her Cup performance, but definitely not as good as the average finish initially appears.

Danica broke a lot of new ground for women in NASCAR. Being able to maintain a ride for multiple years is quite an accomplishment. Here is to hoping more women follow in her footsteps.

Her ability to maintain a ride for most of those years was due more to her ability to maintain a relationship with GoDaddy than to her on-track abilities.

 

[jws926]

Other than the 33-car field for the I500, IndyCar fields usually run 22 to 24 cars. 10th in a 24-car field is about 18th in a 40-car field. That's still better than her Cup performance, but definitely not as good as the average finish initially appears.

I pointed this out on page 3, I think that mean's we have great minds and we think alike , wait, or is that scary ?

 

[Charlie Spencer]

I pointed this out on page 3, I think that mean's we have great minds and we think alike , wait, or is that scary ?

Yeah, I posted before I read all the intervening comments. Mea culpa.

 

[sloggie]

Her ability to maintain a ride for most of those years was due more to her ability to maintain a relationship with GoDaddy than to her on-track abilities.

Running 20th on a consistent basis is nothing to sneeze at, and maintaining a sponsorship in a sport that's been male dominated is also an accomplishment.

 

[jws926]

Yeah, I posted before I read all the intervening comments. Mea culpa.

Oh I was pointing it because I thought it was funny that we both thought same thing

 

[Team Penske]

I would like to remind one and all that no second rate male drivers had to race like Danica. How many times have we seen the back markers ( or Denny) take her out just because they didn't want to be beat by a women. Shameful as it is, her numbers would have been much better if she was a male. I waited her whole time in cup to see her pull a JG or a MK but she proved herself more manly than those two.