To be a successful in any form of competitive,top line racing, car or bike you have to be ruthless, not nice and Danica is not nice. Her mom Bev was a a top kart racer and very intense and father TJ was kind of crazy with his normal speaking voice being a scream, he was banned from the Indycar paddock due to his histrionics. Danica, as she says is very "intense" and had the ruthlessness to win. I heard the same story separately from two mechanics in the British Formula Ford series that she raced in at 17-18. Apparently, right before the finals of the biggest race of the year, the British FF festival where she qualified 4th, she allowed the top three competitors five minutes each of her "company" in an effort to tire them out. She did not win that race but if true, shows she definitely has what it takes to be a top racer!
I still don't get the mild "hate" of her feminism being exploited. Same guys who says she's hot will be the 1st with criticism She's not much different than any of the dudes, you know they all have makeup artists and hairdressers ...just the same. It baffles me that so many perceive her as "hot". Sure she's sexy when all "dolled up," ..but like I said ..no different than most any woman who gets glamored up. Years ago I worked for Pam Anderson on a couple jobs ..( she's a really cool person by the way). Of course she's short & pretty ..but honestly ..average pretty when done up w makeup though ..Dear Lord...just smoking hot drop dead sexy. My Ex G. F. looked alot like P Anderson when done up, it was kinda nice....we never went out without someone making the comparison to Pam..but without make up you'd be hard pressed to tell the same person, seriouslly. Most ANY woman looks GREAT when professional style is received..... I doubt Danica.. asked for any of that treatment.....I'm sure she was advised.... Well advised too $$$$$
I can say myself and my buddies beat Danica in karts growing up. Quite a bit. We just didn't look good in bikini's and blow our way to the top. Sarah and her husband are great people. Was with the Fisher/O'Gara clan running at IRP on Friday night.
I was at IRP too on Friday and I am now a fan of excellent female racer Taylor Ferns. She finished 5th in the very competitive Silver Crown feature after starting 16th steadily deep braking into T3 to make passes. Finished second at IRP and a 3rd at the crazy fast Winchester speedway last year. She has a lot of short track experience in TQ midgets, USAC midgets, Dirt sprintcars and stockcars. She is not really a hot babe but does have a masters degree and law degree and is operations manager for the law firm that is also her main sponsor. Family race team consisting of ex racer uncles and father, lots of feel good stuff. She will probably become USAC's first silver crown feature winner at some point. I hope she stays in short track racing and does not get drafted into NASCAR or Indycar and becomes a champion in Silver Crown . Silver Crown cars are the direct descendant of the old indycar roadsters, very cool cars. Good web site Taylor Ferns Racing.com
Yes, that is where she finished 5th in probably the largest Silver Crown field in many years. Silver Crown are the longest of the openwheel short track cars and carry up to 75 gallons of methanol in the tank so balance of the car totally changes over the 145 laps of the Hoosier 100. You could see the cars were coming off the corners much faster towards the end of the race than the early laps. SC was dying a few years ago and is now in a big revival mode, go see a race if you have the chance, and root for Taylor!
Lol...I forgot so long ago...I beat a couple of well know Indy light drivers way back when @ Malibu Grand Prix, when they had real honest rotary engines cars and chassis's. Set the lap records too!!..numerous times at age 18-22. But unlike Danica...I wasn't a: National Kart Champion. Didn't will my division 3Xs. Didn't go to Europe to race.. Then back to America and become the most successful woman in the history of American motorsports. Nor do I have 80 million in the bank.. Can't even say she got chances I or others dudes wouldn't of, as her family was a poor as mine. Bottom line..she's a Rock Star in her field and deserves every accolade bestowed upon her And I'm not even a real fan of hers..but credit due where credit is due.
You don't think Katherine Legge is more successful? She at least has an IMSA championship. Danica has one Indy win (not saying that isn't a huge accomplishment, just that a championship is more than a win).
Depends which championship and which race, I'd say. And how much weight you assign to the different factors. For instance, team (drivers) performance vs single at the top echelon of open wheel racing in the US.
Don't overlook Danica's one Indy win came in Japan via a fuel mileage race where she had pitted off schedule and everyone else needed a late fuel splash. Did she win? Yes. Did she beat Tony Kanaan and Helio to the line with her blistering pace and skillful racecraft? No. May as well engrave the crew chiefs name on that trophy. She was a talented driver, but not even close to talented enough to get the rides she got all the way through her early years. She wasn't even a contender in the feeder series (Atlantics, Barber Dodge, etc.) even with the benefit of the best equipment. Sara Fisher was a far more talented driver, just didn't have the swimsuit issue cover looks.
Who? I asked a few of us round here never heard of her? " That pretty much answers the question" ..and I'd venture to say $80 million dollars . Your way off on your "judgement" Dude she was beating Kannan, Weldon, Castro ..when her car had to slow due to fuel...she had that 500 in the bag....until that menagerie...lol but that's how it goes..in Round & round racing Zzzzzz Look at the Andretti only 1x out of all the attempts.... She was running "for the win" with the best in The world. And who are ya kidding, Glamor Sarah up...she'd be looking damn fine.... Really? Do you think Danica..looks that good???? Maybe living in California does that to you because I absolutely guarantee you you let me into the Lowe's across the street from me or the Cane's Chicken stand I will find a girl and either one of those stores in less than 3 minutes that looks way better... Try as some might ....she has no equal. Your just gonna have to put that in yer pipes & smoke it. It's not even really debatable...lol
IIRC - Legge had her Indy career cut short with a horrible accident at RA. Kink or Canada corner I believe. Took quite a few years before she resurfaced in sports cars and was competitive there.
