World's Hottest/Most Controversial NASCAR Driver?

With Danica Patrick, NASCAR gets its groove back - ESPN

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/columns/story?columnist=blount_terry&id=4725407

Most people in general do not care one ounce about NASCAR; yet, news like this makes national, and even international, headlines instantaneously. Danica Patrick is easily considered one of today's hottest and most well known racecar drivers. Men watch her race more to witness what they idolize in copies of Maxim.

What surprised me most about this article is Mr. Brown's obvious distaste for Ms. Patrick's driving on the NASCAR circuit and for driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Mr. Brown goes so far as to claim that Patrick is "a flash in the pan for NASCAR and Earnhardt a never-was for his Cup career." This article is full of bias and even features some outright nastiness. He depicts Ms. Patrick as a pop culture icon, a sex image, and a driver devoid of any talent.

Also, I wonder how serious NASCAR is about her driving abilities. Obviously garnering this type of media attention will help increase the sports sponsorships, race attendance, and followers. Do they see Ms. Patrick as a "circus act" for the rejuvenation of a failing sport?

Finally, what if it works? What if a female driver can be successful in increasing revenue enough to help bring the sport back to life? More importantly, what if she proves she can outdrive all the good ol' boys of sprint cup racing? What if she wins a race? What if she wins the Cup at the end of the season? I am interested in seeing if she can prove all the critics wrong. A woman champion in what has always been viewed as a male's sport could lead to some interesting "consequences."

Tori Dario
KIN 338I, T/Th 9:30am