DANICA PATRICK IS GOOD FOR NASCAR BUT…
Greg Cybulski, WINNIPEG, MB (February 19, 2013) Response was swift across social media on Sunday, February 17 about Danica Patrick's pole qualifying run for next Sunday's Daytona 500. After observing how the mainstream motorsports media falls over itself to utter the name Danica at the drop of a hat, plus fan response, I have concluded that Ms. Patrick is perfect for the business of NASCAR.
From a marketing view, she will generate new fan interest and most likely with it the next generation of NASCAR faithful to fill grandstands for the coming years.
Here's where I get off the bus and start walking. I do not endorse the heavy usage of Danica Patrick's gender to sell racing.
Having spent over a decade with the racing community and discussed this very topic, I believe that very few look at female racers any differently than male racers. Everyone puts on their fire suits and helmets the same. They all get into their race cars and do the only thing that is on their minds, WIN.
Over the years, I have had the pleasure of watching people like Ashley Donald, Amber Balcaen, Jennifer Carlson and Jessica (Lavallee) Sweeting strap into a race car and give it their best every night. To the best of my knowledge I have never written a word about them being the first woman to do anything in racing. To me, they are racers first and their achievements on the track plus their professionalism off the track speak for themselves.
While the mainstream media is busy trumpeting about their newly discovered "Next Big Thing", real racers continue to do what they have known since they fired up their first race car.
