Tag Archives: Danica Patrick

Danica Not The Surprise At Daytona

Sports, , , ,

This week marked the much anticipated NASCAR debut of Danica Patrick at Daytona, taking part in the 3rd-tier ARCA race.

It is not really a surprise that she was relatively quick, qualifying 12th in the grid just half a second off pole, since her best IndyCar races have been on super speedway type tracks. Patrick knows how to run in the draft, drive efficiently and carry speed through the corner, all basic requirements for big oval success.

The big test will be how she handles being in the middle of 43 stock cars, rubbing fenders and banging wheels for 200 miles at those speeds. Driving fast is not the only key to NASCAR success; being able to anticipate trouble – and avoid it – is just as important. That will be the part that will come slowly, and probably frustratingly, for Ms Patrick. She has the basic driving chops, now she has to prove she has the race craft.

Lost in all the “Danica-mania” is the fact that disgraced Formula One refuge, Nelson Piquet Jr out-qualified Patrick in his first visit to a super speedway. With just a Craftsman Truck test under his belt, the Brazilian qualified 7th. Piquet will certainly have his work cut out during the race, as he tries to learn the nuances of drafting and oval racing strategy while trying to avoid tangling with young guys brought up on the rough and tumble world of quarter midgets and dirt tracks.

My prediction for today’s race? Piquet will get punted into the wall about half-distance after running in the 20th-30th spots. Patrick will bring it home in the 10th-15th place range…and no one will remember who won the race by Sunday.

– MCZF1

USF1 Driver Speculation

Formula One, , , , , ,

Now that Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson’s USF1 project has been made public, speculation has been rife as to who could be the American drivers the team has stated they will employ in 2010 (and beyond). During the initial launch several names were mentioned so let’s take a look at some of the possibilities:

Marco Andretti
PLUS: A very well known name in F1 circles; Young (21)
MINUS: Would he trade a front-running IRL team for a back-of-the-grid F1 team?

Graham Rahal
PLUS: Well known racing name; Young (20)
MINUS: Would he trade a front-running IRL team for a back-of-the-grid F1 team?

Kyle Busch
PLUS: Fast, aggressive & known in Europe; Still young (23)
MINUS: Would he trade a front-running NASCAR team for a back-of-the-grid F1 team?

Danica Patrick
PLUS: A very well known face; Relatively young (26)
MINUS: Would she trade a front-running IRL team for a back-of-the-grid F1 team?

Scott Speed
PLUS: F1 experience; Still young (26)
MINUS: Would he trade a front-running NASCAR team for a back-of-the-grid F1 team (again)?

Are you seeing a pattern here?
OK, Sebastien Bourdais swapped THE best ChampCar team for a back-of-the-grid F1 team – but that was after he had won FOUR ChampCar titles! He was bored and wanted a new challenge…

Others possibly on the USF1 list?

Alex Gurney – a very well known F1 name but way too old at 34.
Casey Mears – another racing family, but again at 30 a little too old to start F1.
AJ Foyt IV – name recognition, yes. Still young (24) but has never shown much road-racing skill.
Ed Carpenter – deep pockets, but that’s about it.
Townsend Bell – technically skilled but too old (33).
Sarah Fisher – a woman equals publicity but she is really an oval racer.

So how does that leave us? With no one really. If the team succeeds even partially in 2010 then maybe someone at the top of our list will make the switch for 2011. For 2010 the possibility of having two American drivers is remote – more likely is a young one plucked from F3/Atlantic level, alongside a seasoned, foreign F1 campaigner, the obvious choice being Rubens Barrichello.

We shall see as things develop during this year.

– MCZF1