NationStates Jolt Archive

For the first time in Indianapolis 500 history, three women are starting the race. Danica (http://es.motorfull.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/danica_patrick.jpg) almost won it in her rookie year and is now part of Andretti Green Racing, so she has her best shot yet. She's qualified ahead of Micheal Andretti and Marco Andretti (but only barely, she's starting 7th).

She's joined by Sarah Fisher (http://www.racerchicks.com/images/racer_IM/fisher1.jpg), who has been racing all her life. (http://www.sarahfisher.com/biography/young20sarah.jpg) But honestly I just now heard of her (I don't follow IRL because all ovals isn't an exciting formula for me, but I understand they have some road races now-I watch Indy out of tradition, really).

Then there is Milka Duno (http://galeria.forocoches.com/data/500/19157036_Milka_Duno.JPG), the Venezualan with three freakin' Masters degrees and who is a spokesperson for education in her country. She's goofy as hell in interviews, and a sports car driver (http://motorsportcollector.com/0804Images/09Citgo/01L.jpeg) normally (surprise, she's sponsored by Citgo), so holding at over 200 miles an hour is an adjustment.

So, who's your chick, the one that will establish women as serious contenders in top level racing? I've always said that once women get a fair shot at the top level they'd start to dominate. On a level field when I raced as a kid, the girls were really fucking good. Whether it's because only girls who were serious about racing got cars while a boy could get a car because he was a boy, or if they felt that they had more to prove, or if they just have inherently better eye hand, I don't know. But I look forward to them being a part of the fields.

lolz car racing blows

Seriously, what the FUCK is it with car racing? It's always, always, always the same, even on the road tracks! Yay, you can drive a car around an oval a thousand times! BOOOOOOORING!

If I was to watch any kind of car racing, I would watch RALLY. That shit's sick!

Car racing is stupid.

lolz car racing blows

Seriously, what the FUCK is it with car racing? It's always, always, always the same, even on the road tracks! Yay, you can drive a car around an oval a thousand times! BOOOOOOORING!

If I was to watch any kind of car racing, I would watch RALLY. That shit's sick!

I respect rally racing, but watching rally racing is really akin to watching a stunt show. "Look at that, he slid through a turn. I bet the next guy will do that too. Maybe if I sit here long enough someone will fuck sliding through a turn up and hit a spectator." You get no sense of the race, just a result sheet at the end of the day that doesn't really bring that competitive excitement as much as it does a 'Huh.'

What circuit racing provides is the sport part, the watching whose fastest and being able to tell. As a test of driver and machine, rally is where it's at. But if I want to watch sport, it's not going to deliver.

Ovals aren't really my thing, but when you get right down to it, the racing is closer. And Indy is a tradition, so that's the oval I'll watch once a year.

Car racing is stupid.

Yeah, I understand. I can't stand baseball or American football. I guess the real difference is I just don't click on threads about them. Part of that 'not-everything-has-to-be-about-me' thing I got going on...

The ignorance and impotence of the above two griefers is indicative of an inability to add to our universe by self-indulgent tweeners.

Danica Patrick has by far the best car of the three lady drivers in the Indy 500. In my opinion Marco Andretti is the hungriest of the drivers given last year's final pass by Sam Hornish to subjugate Marco to 2nd place.

In the World 600 at Lowes Speedway I offer Jimmie Johnson as the odds on favorite.

Kisses

The ignorance and impotence of the above two griefers is indicative of an inability to add toour universe by self-indulgent tweeners.

Danica Paatrick has by far the best car of the three lady drivers in the Indy 500. In my opinion Marco Andretti is the hungriest of the drivers given last years final pass by Sam Hornish to subjugate Marco to 2nd place.

In the World 600 at Lowes Speedway I offer Jimmie Johnson as the ofdds on favorite.

Kisses
I keep forgetting that there is other racing on this weekend. I haven't caught a NASCAR race this year at all. I don't follow it as often as much as I try to follow things like American Le Mans Series. But like I said earlier, for whatever its faults might be, the oval provides the closest racing.

EDIT: It looks like you're right about Marco, he's going at it tooth and nail and it isn't even half way.


Welp, there goes Milka...running in 27th, runs into the wall. Wait, from lifting the throttle? She's from sports car, I don't think she'd make that mistake...

Red Flag at the Indy 500

1st Tony Kanaan
2nd Marco Andretti
3rd Danica Patrick

A 1-2-3 Andretti Green Racing Finish should the race not re-start

Milka (http://www.sweet24.de/images/milka_100g_noisette.jpg), of course. She wins by chocolatey default. *nods*

Okay, so I know nothing about car racing. <<

But that part about why girls may be better drivers was actually interesting. >>

Red Flag at the Indy 500

1st Tony Kanaan
2nd Marco Andretti
3rd Danica Patrick

A 1-2-3 Andretti Green Racing Finish should the race not re-start

It's not restarting. That doesn't look like a short lived rain.

I love the interview with Danica. "Third is good, you should be happy." "Bullshit, third sucks, this sucks. I want to win." "But your teammates are up front." "Whatever, I'm not up front, this sucks." (paraphrasing)

Milka (http://www.sweet24.de/images/milka_100g_noisette.jpg), of course. She wins by chocolatey default. *nods*

Okay, so I know nothing about car racing. <<

But that part about why girls may be better drivers was actually interesting. >>

I'm a much bigger sportscar fan than I am anything else, so for that alone Milka should be the one I dig. And she's down right goofy in interviews, like Charo goofy. And there's the whole 'three Masters degrees' thing. But I feel like I came to the dance with Danica after getting into her on her rookie year.

keep you Indy 500 and i'll keep our V8s bring on the China race track

keep you Indy 500 and i'll keep our V8s bring on the China race track

I've never understood single series racing fans, as if they all happen at the same time and you can only watch one.

I've never understood single series racing fans, as if they all happen at the same time and you can only watch one.

no thats not how V8s work

no thats not how V8s work

Huh? I don't think you understood what I said.

EDIT: I'm going to save steps because I think I finally get what you think was said. I was saying that I don't get people who only watch one particular series of racing to the exclusion, and sometimes derision, of other series. Such as saying, "Keep your X, I'll take my Y." I was not saying, as I think you read that, that you can only watch one V8 at a time-I think that's what you think you were responding to. Wow, map that...

Huh? I don't think you understood what I said.

EDIT: I'm going to save steps because I think I finally get what you think was said. I was saying that I don't get people who only watch one particular series of racing to the exclusion, and sometimes derision, of other series. Such as saying, "Keep your X, I'll take my Y." I was not saying, as I think you read that, that you can only watch one V8 at a time-I think that's what you think you were responding to. Wow, map that...

we don't get Indy 500 here we get V8s supercars ,Rally and F1 and none of the race on a oval track

we don't get Indy 500 here we get V8 ssupercars ,Rally and F1 and none of the race on a oval track

Okay...

A). Why don't they race in the rain? I drive in the rain all the time, it's no big deal.

B) Danica Patrick won't win. The best she can hope for is that the race gets canceled right now so she can keep her third. She's never actually won a race at any level, and I doubt she'll start now. (At least that is the opinion of my more knowledgeable friends).

A). Why don't they race in the rain? I drive in the rain all the time, it's no big deal.
There are a number of reasons, most of which is it's an oval. There is no run off, and they're going over 200mph most of the time (all of the time?). Even with rain tires that would put a lot of people in the wall really hard.

That and spray would make it impossible to see anything. Not that it stops road racing cars.

B) Danica Patrick won't win. The best she can hope for is that the race gets canceled right now so she can keep her third. She's never actually won a race at any level, and I doubt she'll start now. (At least that is the opinion of my more knowledgeable friends).
She's done better than a lot of rookies. With the right car under her I think she might just. She just shot from 19th to 3rd before the rain. I wouldn't count her out.

There are a number of reasons, most of which is it's an oval. There is no run off, and they're going over 200mph most of the time (all of the time?). Even with rain tires that would put a lot of people in the wall really hard.

That and spray would make it impossible to see anything. Not that it stops road racing cars.

really not safe for that kind of track,what i can't work how they get away with racing F1 in the rain

really not safe for that kind of track,what i can't work how they get away with racing F1 in the rain

Lower speeds and walls that are further away from the track.

Lower speeds and walls that are further away from the track.

Formula1 has low speeds
not the goldcoast track that is a street race

She's done better than a lot of rookies. With the right car under her I think she might just. She just shot from 19th to 3rd before the rain. I wouldn't count her out.

From my limited understanding, it's not that she is a bad driver or anything, she's just not a winning driver.

And it does seem highly improbable that the first race she ever won would be a flagship event.

Also, it seems to me there is a lot of luck involved.

Formula1 has low speeds
not the goldcoast track that is a street race

Lower speeds, lower.

And street races don't make things faster or slower, it depends on the layout.

From my limited understanding, it's not that she is a bad driver or anything, she's just not a winning driver.

And it does seem highly improbable that the first race she ever won would be a flagship event.
It's not likely per se, but not out of the question. Had she not had fuel issues she would have won it on her first try.

In a way, I should identify with what you said. When I was karting I was a perennial bridesmaid, I finished in the top 5 consistently, but not on the top. However, she's been in lesser rides and knocking on the top, now she's in a top ride. See if she converts.

Also, it seems to me there is a lot of luck involved.
There's a lot of luck in everything. Still not going to bet on the guy with the most four leaf clovers stuck in his sock.

The word right now is that they'll go green in about 20 minutes.

Of the three women, Patrick certainly has the best equipment. I remember Fisher when she was the next big thing, but she never had sponsors worth a damn, so her finishes were never impressive, and she has trouble getting press now because--and this is crappy--she's not as pretty as Patrick. I'm not saying she's a better driver--just that she's never really been able to compete on a level track with Patrick because she hasn't had the buzz and the better quality equipment that comes with getting sponsors who want your picture on shit (or helps you get jobs with a place like Andretti Green Racing).

There's a lot of luck in everything. Still not going to bet on the guy with the most four leaf clovers stuck in his sock.

I'm not saying that there is no skill either. It just strikes me that you can be the best driver out there, but if you have shitty luck, you'll never win anything.

In a way I suppose it is inevitable, just because the engineering on those cars is pushed to the very edge, so the chance of mechanical failure/underperformance is very high.

The word right now is that they'll go green in about 20 minutes.

Of the three women, Patrick certainly has the best equipment. I remember Fisher when she was the next big thing, but she never had sponsors worth a damn, so her finishes were never impressive, and she has trouble getting press now because--and this is crappy--she's not as pretty as Patrick. I'm not saying she's a better driver--just that she's never really been able to compete on a level track with Patrick because she hasn't had the buzz and the better quality equipment that comes with getting sponsors who want your picture on shit (or helps you get jobs with a place like Andretti Green Racing).
That's the way of it, now a days. The days of the ugly driver of any gender is out. When a sport is this reliant on sponsorship to even exist, that's what's going to shape things. Fisher is in that Catch-22, she can't do more without a better car, she can't get a better car unless she does more.
I'm not saying that there is no skill either. It just strikes me that you can be the best driver out there, but if you have shitty luck, you'll never win anything.

In a way I suppose it is inevitable, just because the engineering on those cars is pushed to the very edge, so the chance of mechanical failure/underperformance is very high.
As a life long Andretti fan I'm intimantly familiar with the frustration of mechanical failures robbing folks of victory.

EDIT: I love Marco's answer just now, "Marco, you're in second place. When we start up whats your next move?" "Well, what do you think? There's only one place to go."

the main reason they cant and likely wont is the the people in the tire co. are having trubble engenering a tire that can hold up to 200+ 4 times a lap enering corners w/o blowing out a very bad situation at those speeds f-1 can because the strain isnt on just one tire ( rf) and they are rarely entering a corner at 200+ and at some point they will also call the race for rain i was a fan of all motorsports now i just watch the 500 b/c i am from in.

Now I'm actually watching it, I'm rooting for Dan Wheldon. Even if he is a southerner.

Now I'm actually watching it, I'm rooting for Dan Wheldon. Even if he is a southerner.

Interesting choice.

It's the pit stops, so everything is a jumble. I don't know where he's really sitting.

9 leaders and 22 lead changes? Damn.

Interesting choice.

It's the pit stops, so everything is a jumble. I don't know where he's really sitting.

9 leaders and 22 lead changes? Damn.

Ah, well, figure I might as well support a fellow landsman.

Jimmy Johnson just caused a huge crash in the lowes. Listening to Mark Martin on track pass in the kitchen (long story as to why I even have it, don't ask), he always comes up 'smelling like roses anyway'. Pretty funny.

Ah, well, figure I might as well support a fellow landsman.

Jimmy Johnson just caused a huge crash in the lowes. Listening to Mark Martin on track pass in the kitchen (long story as to why I even have it, don't ask), he always comes up 'smelling like roses anyway'. Pretty funny.
I was flipping back and forth but missed it because I was microwaving burritos after I got tired of waiting for my roommate to leave so I could make some cannibutter for a batch of mac and cheese. Of course he left as I nuked...bah!

I'm trying to sort this race back out again. I need graphics, damn you!

By the way, I love that it doesn't really go to commercial, but the race runs in a side window during ads. Rockin'.

Well, Marco is out.

Well, Marco is out.

Spectacularly. I wonder if they'll be able to beat the rain now. Sucks for Danica. (well, more for Marco than anyone...)

Well, that's that. Well, that's my old number in the first spot. That's something...

Well, I guess the Scottish guy won. Makes Ashley Judd happy I guess.

Well, I guess the Scottish guy won. Makes Ashley Judd happy I guess.

It's not all bad, we get lots of shots of her in a wet sundress hoping over barriers.

It's not all bad, we get lots of shots of her in a wet sundress hoping over barriers.

Well, he's from West Lothian, which is sort of just up the road from where I grew up, so it's not all bad for me.

And like you say, any opportunity to see Ashley in a wet sun dress is never a bad thing.

Well, he's from West Lothian, which is sort of just up the road from where I grew up, so it's not all bad for me.

And like you say, any opportunity to see Ashley in a wet sun dress is never a bad thing.

I don't even know if there is anyone from my state in this race. For that I'd have to switch over to the NASCAR race, and I grew up with that guy. (on the same track, we didn't hang out otherwise.)

that is dumb i think that they could have made a attempt to finish it this rain wouldnt have lasted long enough to lose the track

that is dumb i think that they could have made a attempt to finish it this rain wouldnt have lasted long enough to lose the track

The rain was already pretty thick, and it takes 2 1/2 hours to dry the track. The co-ordinator had the thing ending at the latest in half an hour. It was pretty much over no matter how you slice it.

Marco sounds like Randall from Clerks

I'm disappointed that Dario didn't say 'Och aye the noo' and such.

Damn globalism.

I'm disappointed that Dario didn't say 'Och aye the noo' and such.

Damn globalism.

Where have all the Jackie Stewarts gone, eh?

geez you guys must think that everyone was watching the race

so who came in where?

geez you guys must think that everyone was watching the race

so who came in where?

Why would we think that?

Franchetti finished first, Scott Dixon second, Helio Castroneves third.

Danica finished 8th, Sarah 18th. Milka hit the wall.

And what mark martin said was true.

Jimmy Johnson does indeed come up smelling of roses.

And what mark martin said was true.

Jimmy Johnson does indeed come up smelling of roses.

I have no concept of this race, though it's on. Still trying to get used to the NASCAR Camry.

Milka, because I know her, personally, and she's awesome.

And well, she gets goofy because she gets nervous. She's not goofy at all, I can guarantee you that.

lolz car racing blows

Seriously, what the FUCK is it with car racing? It's always, always, always the same, even on the road tracks! Yay, you can drive a car around an oval a thousand times! BOOOOOOORING!

If I was to watch any kind of car racing, I would watch RALLY. That shit's sick!

Why don't you get off your dead ass and go to a local dirt shot track and go draw your own conclusions.

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/4461/dirtip2.jpg

Look boring to you?

I have no concept of this race, though it's on. Still trying to get used to the NASCAR Camry.

My house is hosting a racing party right now. (The things we do for love eh?).

Anyway, the opinion is that this is the 'real' race, and also that jimmy johnson is one lucky son of a bitch.

There is, though, mixed feelings about Toyota racing. My girlfriend says it really means jackshit anyway since NASCAR is all so standardized anyway, yet on the other hand other people complain about it being an 'american' sport.

Personally, I think it is a good thing. If you can have a NASCAR Taurus, why not a Camry?

Milka, because I know her, personally, and she's awesome.

And well, she gets goofy because she gets nervous. She's not goofy at all, I can guarantee you that.

With that education you can't be goofy all the time. She seems like she'd be a cool person to know. Of course, so would Charo...(I kid, I kid...)

I was wondering if you knew about Milka once I found out where she was from. I have to check the program to see if she was at Laguna Seca last week. I would have been rooting against her because she's in a Pontiac, or more importantly, not-Porsche...

Didn't count on you knowing her, though. Pretty cool.

My house is hosting a racing party right now. (The things we do for love eh?).

Anyway, the opinion is that this is the 'real' race, and also that jimmy johnson is one lucky son of a bitch.

There is, though, mixed feelings about Toyota racing. My girlfriend says it really means jackshit anyway since NASCAR is all so standardized anyway, yet on the other hand other people complain about it being an 'american' sport.

Personally, I think it is a good thing. If you can have a NASCAR Taurus, why not a Camry?
On the American thing, they didn't kick Dodge out when Daimler bought them, and more Toyotas are built here than the so-called 'American' companies, so ultimately how American do they want it...

But does Toyota even make a V8? At the very least the car running should be available as a V8.

But your girlfriend is right, it's a silhouette series playing dress up. You could call the cars anything, they have only a lip service attachment to that badge. It's a shame that Trans Am thought that was the formula for them, it made the series completely irrelevant. The Koni Challenge is now more Trans Am than Trans Am has been for years.

To improperly quote that comedian ventriloquist.

"I hate NASCAR."
"Why do you hate NASCAR?"
"Because all they do is drive around in circles. Oh look, he's makin' a left turn. He's makin' another left turn."

On the American thing, they didn't kick Dodge out when Daimler bought them, and more Toyotas are built here than the so-called 'American' companies, so ultimately how American do they want it...

But does Toyota even make a V8? At the very least the car running should be available as a V8.

But your girlfriend is right, it's a silhouette series playing dress up. You could call the cars anything, they have only a lip service attachment to that badge. It's a shame that Trans Am thought that was the formula for them, it made the series completely irrelevant. The Koni Challenge is now more Trans Am than Trans Am has been for years.

Yah, Toyota does have a V8 in its stable (well lexus does anyway).

I never liked the way those cars drove though.

To improperly quote that comedian ventriloquist.

"I hate NASCAR."
"Why do you hate NASCAR?"
"Because all they do is drive around in circles. Oh look, he's makin' a left turn. He's makin' another left turn."

Hey look, he tossed a ball. Hey he tossed it again.

Yeah, any sport can be reduced to absurdity. You don't even get a cookie because you had to have someone else do the reduction for you. You know what's more boring than NASCAR? Listening to someone regurgitate someone elses short sighted jokes about NASCAR...

Yah, Toyota does have a V8 in its stable (well lexus does anyway).

I never liked the way those cars drove though.

I guess trying to sell the Lexus brand to the NASCAR fan base isn't really the strategy they go for...(they do use the Lexus brand for the Grand Am Daytona Prototype engines, though-a slightly more honest silhouette series...)

danica looks more interested in a glamour shot career than racing. the other one looks boring. i'm going with sarah.. something... the one i voted for anyway.

lolz car racing blows

Seriously, what the FUCK is it with car racing? It's always, always, always the same, even on the road tracks! Yay, you can drive a car around an oval a thousand times! BOOOOOOORING!

If I was to watch any kind of car racing, I would watch RALLY. That shit's sick!

they do use cars in rallying you know..? but i agree, wrc is teh shit and pwns all over other car racing.

danica looks more interested in a glamour shot career than racing. the other one looks boring. i'm going with sarah.. something... the one i voted for anyway.

The sad truth of the matter is the hotter she looks the more money she gets. Who is that tennis player that is bottom ranked but hot as hell so she gets endorsements and posters and all that shit? It's in her best interest to be t eh sexy. But that can only take you so far. Sooner rather than later she's going to have to win. I think she had the juice to do it today, but Franchetti banked on rain and won. It's not less of a victory, reading the conditions is part of racing. With Sarah's experience I kind of expected more, but she might not have the car under her.

The sad truth of the matter is the hotter she looks the more money she gets. Who is that tennis player that is bottom ranked but hot as hell so she gets endorsements and posters and all that shit? It's in her best interest to be t eh sexy. But that can only take you so far. Sooner rather than later she's going to have to win. I think she had the juice to do it today, but Franchetti banked on rain and won. It's not less of a victory, reading the conditions is part of racing. With Sarah's experience I kind of expected more, but she might not have the car under her.

Anna Kournikova.

Now ladies singles I do know a bit about, and she was a totally indifferent tennis player. Looked awesome in a bikini though.

I don't honestly think that Danika will ever win anything, just because it's not in her nature.

With that education you can't be goofy all the time. She seems like she'd be a cool person to know. Of course, so would Charo...(I kid, I kid...)

I was wondering if you knew about Milka once I found out where she was from. I have to check the program to see if she was at Laguna Seca last week. I would have been rooting against her because she's in a Pontiac, or more importantly, not-Porsche...

Didn't count on you knowing her, though. Pretty cool.

In any case, she's a famous venezuelan woman and I am a feminist venezuelan journalist. I had a radio show with interviews to famous and succesful venezuelan women some time ago. I met here there, then I met here several times after that, I even discovered that she is the cousin of a friend of mine some weeks ago. She's nice, and even if she's not that much of a pilot, she's fine as a woman and as someone.

Anna Kournikova.

Now ladies singles I do know a bit about, and she was a totally indifferent tennis player. Looked awesome in a bikini though.

I don't honestly think that Danika will ever win anything, just because it's not in her nature.

If someone gets behind the wheel of a race car at a certain level definitely have it in them to win. The problem is that the field is full of people like that and only one winner at a time is allowed.

There are drivers that took longer to win who weren't getting as close as she is. It's too early in her career to count her out.

In any case, she's a famous venezuelan woman and I am a feminist venezuelan journalist. I had a radio show with interviews to famous and succesful venezuelan women some time ago. I met here there, then I met here several times after that, I even discovered that she is the cousin of a friend of mine some weeks ago. She's nice, and even if she's not that much of a pilot, she's fine as a woman and as someone.

It was her first time on an oval, and Indy is a weird oval at that. The mistake she made reflected an inexperience in open wheel cars on a weird oval, it doesn't mean shes a bad driver, just a rookie at the Brickyard. She seems to do okay in the sports cars. Especially considering she didn't start racing until she was 21 or 22, can't remember.

If someone gets behind the wheel of a race car at a certain level definitely have it in them to win. The problem is that the field is full of people like that and only one winner at a time is allowed.

There are drivers that took longer to win who weren't getting as close as she is. It's too early in her career to count her out.

Well I'll defer to your superior knowledge about it. I've never claimed to be an expert.

But the people around me have written her off as a Stirling Marlin or Ricky Craven.

ya i was a fan of nascar than i nodiced i couldnt make it through a race w/o falling asleep out of bordum so i havent watch a race since sanoma of last year and from what some of the people i know they said it is getting worse back 5 years ago it seamed like people wanted to win and would fight you tooth and nail for the win the last what i would call a race is ricky cravin and rusty wallis at the race that probily saved darlington but since than there has been no racin i still enjoy going to watch the locals fight it out but i am not going to waste my time on nascar