Danica GIRDS FOR WAR in Charlotte

Here's the thing: Danica Patrick has a temper, and it's pretty clear she ain't takin' no shit from anybody.

If you've ever gotten The Look (as I have), you know this is NOT miniature golf.

So you had to see the smack coming after Danica got rolled (allegedly) by James Buescher at California last race.

Today Danica in Charlotte Danica was throwing down: "I hope that he (James Buescher) thinks about what he did last weekend. If he plays well with others then you know we'll be able to carry on. But if he doesn't, there's going to be a need for something to happen because you can't get pushed around out there. You can't."

Read more Danica Smacktrick HERE.

"There's going to be a need for something to happen ..." Translation, "something's going to have to go down" or "we are gonna GO." GO TIME IN CHARLOTTE. If everyone thinks I'm suddenly a Fanica or kissing Danica's ass or whatever, they're wrong. I'm a fan of passion and emotion and something other than vanilla beating vanilla for the 769th time in a row.

Danica is colorful and different and edgy. I'm a fan of all that. And ... news flash ... so are sponsors. Plus I'm so hungry for some emotion in racing that I'm unreasonalby giddy about NASCAR paint swapping. You all go about your business arguing over the IndyCar championship trophy, etc. I'll be watching a race at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Friday on ESPN2.

Props to my boy Andy Bernstein for making me aware of the smack talk in Charlotte today.

Comments

[John Oreovicz]

Fanica? You talkin' 'bout Robin Miller? :^)

[Tsycon]

Exactly what she wants you to say . After the race the most she said was it looked avoidable . But now she's going with it , making a controversy ( with a straight face ) out of it . Almost like pro wrestling . She's put herself center stage for Friday's race . No ? The racing is real , the controversy is orchestrated .
BTW P2 in the last practice ...

[Becky]

She was asked a question and answered. I think the difference between post-race and this comment was that she was able to review the tape with her crew plus now she has heard that Buescher thinks he didn't do anything wrong. Basically, all she said was she would stand up for herself if it was necessary but that she wasn't going to initiate things.

This is typical of someone new to a sport/series you have to show them you won't be pushed around or else you will continue to be pushed around.

[pressdog]

I don't have a problem with Danica's statements, obviously. Back in the day AJ Foyt et al used to pop off like this all the time and everyone seemed to cheer. I tend to agree with Becky, she was asked and answered. Danica is shrewd business woman who recognizes opportunities, but I've never gotten a manipulative vibe off her.

[Mr. Mike]

How small can you Photoshop Danica's head? Just keep watching!

[redd]

You're right about the sponsors, P-dog. I read that althought 7-11 is leaving Kanaan and Izod is leaving RHR, they are both going to Daniker's car as associate sponsors.

[John S]

If that is not a penis on the trophy, what is it? I can longer have my children watch, not sure I can watch.

[Where Is Cleanupcrew?]

Who gives a damn what she thinks.

She's a NASCAR AAA backmarker.

It would be like Mario Romanicini getting pissed because EJ Viso punted him.

EARN some respect (which she hasn't) and get back to us, Dani.

[Jim Bob]

WIC,

She has a right to state her opinion. Not sure I agree with some of the things she says, but ohh well.

I think her comments about "bumping people" are sad, though. The best drivers in NASCAR, pass people and race people the right way 95% of the time. Its only hacks and people who think Talladega Nights is really the way it is, that use the bumper all the time to "race".

My question for her is, why does she always need someone else to go out and set her car up for her? Kanaan did it a few times at Indy and now Martin did it at Charlotte. Real drivers, don't need that kind of hand-holding.

I think in one of these last 5 races, she is going to luck into a top 10 finish and the calls for her (some coming from Go-Daddy) to become a NASCAR Nationwide full-time driver in 2011 will be hot and heavy. I think there is a "out" in her AA contract for 2011, that some don't know about. So while some of you "fanicas" root hard for DP, realize the better she does the closer she is to moving away from Indy Cars for good.

[Jim Bob]

Redd,

I think that is probably correct. But I also read the original PR piece and it said that 7-11 was staying "on the 7 car" as a associate.

There was no mention of the driver of the 7 car in the release.

[Mike M]

She's in a good old boys club now. Even if she had a car to win, someone will put her into the wall. Reason #1, she's a girl. #2, she is getting all the press.

Her lack of success in NASCAR simply shows how superficial the sport has become, in other words it's not about racing anymore.

Danica has it made. She gets to race IndyCars, dabble in NASCAR and make tons of money finishing at the back. She has proven that being, for the most part, a figure head participant in NASCAR, she can earn more money than those who race the whole schedule.

In a series where wrecking other drivers intentionally is tolerated, she won't stand a chance.

[B-man]

Because Danistar is bringing so much needed attention to NASCRAP right now, I think any good old boy (i.e., dumb ass cracker) who puts her in the wall intentionally will be talked to very forcefully by the powers that be. That may have already happened to the Buescher kid, although it was probably his own team that has already told him that if he again causes a wreck that takes out his own team mate, damages his team mate's car, and damages the car of a popular driver/teamowner (Dale, Jr.), while taking out a popular new driver, he will be driving hobby stocks at his local roundy track on the nights he has off from his fast-food restaurant job.

And why all the talk about Danistar being put into the wall because she is a girl? I simply assume that any driver who does that, or any NASCRAP fan who applauds that, has personal sexual identity issues they have yet to work out.

[Mike M]

Never under estimate the power of Jelousicy.

[pressdog]

The market, of course, has the last word in pro sports. "Professional" means "for profit" among other things, after all. So the reason we hear so much about Danica is that so many people are interested in her. Love it or hate it, the media goes where the mass audience is. Of course we all get to make our own media/sports consumption decisions, which means we can change the channel, etc. at any time.

[Trick Dickle]

All the so-called "attention" that Patrick has brought NASCAR, has resulted in no bump in TV ratings or attendance for Nationwide races (since the initial race or two).

[TripleHead]

How many races has she run? It's difficult to keep the attention alive and boost ratings when she's not on the racetrack.

[pressdog]

This stretch of Danica running several races in a row will be a better indication if she moves the needle. I seriously doubt Nationwide thinks they would be better off in any sense without Danica Patrick. At minimum, they got big GoDaddy cash and now TISSOT sponsorship of her car in the series.

[GeorgeK]

A non-controversial race for Danica with no drama and another disappointing finish. It will take her YEARS of racing to raise her performance level beyond mid pack status, if she can ever figure out how to set the car up.

[Ron Ford]

I don't get all worked up about whatever Danica says, but what irritated me about the article is that the writer referred to IndyCars as those "dainty IndyCars".

[GeorgeK]

Comparatively speaking with a NASCAR ride, maybe fragile would have been a better word.
The roll cage alone of a stock car probably weighs as much as a fully fueled Indy car.

[Trick Dickle]

Ron,

Danica didn't help matters, by stating how "you can't bump or make aggressive moves in Indy Cars" thus inferring that Indy Cars are "dainty".

At this point, she needs to just shut up and race.

[ffxiv gil]

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the freedom to choose his attitude in any given set of circumstances.

[BRUCE]

She gets to race IndyCars, dabble in NASCAR and make tons of money finishing at the back. She has proven that being, for the most part, a figure head participant in NASCAR, she can earn more money than those who race the whole schedule