June 16th, 2010 
T.C. And by “she,” I mean Danica Patrick.
This post serves as your official 10 day hype warning. You’d better enjoy the nice, quiet, normal Nationwide Series coverage this weekend on ESPN, because it will be the calm before the storm. Danica returns to the JR Motorsports #7 on June 26th at New Hampshire.
Through the first three Nationwide Series races of the season, you may not have even realized there were 42 other drivers in the field. Or really, you may have thought Danica was the only NASCAR driver there was. Danica Mania hit NASCAR hard, with constant coverage of her during the races, and plenty of stories about her to read about online. Since her last race at Las Vegas in February however, the hype has died down.
The hype is about to get shocked back to life.
While she’s been away from NASCAR, Danica has been busy working on a very mediocre Indy Car season. Through seven races this season she has one top five and three top ten finishes. She currently sits 11th in the points standings, and her average finish is the worst she’s had since her rookie year in 2005. Some have gone so far as to suggest that her foray into NASCAR has taken something away from her open wheel skills this year.
The Danica haters have been quieted a little in recent weeks, as she finished sixth at Indianapolis, and then followed that up with a second at Texas on June 5th. Jumping back into a Nationwide Series car right when it appears she has the open wheel ship righted might not bode well for her, however. Couple that with the fact that her summer NNS starts are coming at New Hampshire, Chicagoland, Michigan, and Dover, and it might be a tough summer for Ms. Patrick.
After her Loudon start, Hurricane Danica will reappear in NASCAR once a month through September, and then starting October 9th at Auto Club Speedway, Danica will run the final six NNS races.
So now that you’ve been warned, you have plenty of time to go buy canned goods, flashlights, batteries, and other necessities. Also, don’t forget to board up your windows and batten down the hatches. Looks like Hurricane Danica could be a CAT 5.
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We have seen this storm before, JR. Same thing just a different name. This storm too will pass. Maybe not from (lack) of performance, but it will pass. Years from now we will look back and scratch our heads and wonder what the big deal was.
I never thought I’d say this, but the Nationwide Series has been pretty dull the past couple of months. If ESPN dosen’t overdo Danicamania, It will be a big boost to have her back in the series. It will be interesting to see how well she’ll work with a new teammate driving the #88…..Elliott Sadler, and of course, how well she can get around the Magic Mile. It can’t be that challenging right? JRM driver Landon Cassill got his first and only career pole at New Hampshire.
Yet ANOTHER reason NOT to watch the pre-race shows! Or the rest of the nationwide races that she is entered in……thanks for the remnider!
Danica who?
Instead of getting valuable seat time by testing a Nationwide car Danica went on vacation last week. I think she will end up about 5 laps down in her overhyped New Hampshire adventure.
Its a joke. Her first short race should be interesting. I have a feeling she’ll bounce off everything on the track.
As long as ESPN doesnt turn it into the Danica Patrick 200 like they did at Daytona, AutoClub, and Las Vegas it should be ok. Now may I ad that she crashed out in 2 of those and was 3 laps down in another one. Whats all the hype about so far she hasnt shown us a dang thing! If she runs in the top-10 then I can see it. But to constantly do “Danica Updates” when she is in 31st is absolutely ridiculous. No one else gets coverage for running in 31st!
I’m afraid the only real interest is in the media, and that’s only because of the Go Daddy Girl thing. Face it, if not for that, she wouldn’t get the time of day from the media with her driving record. Not that its bad, its just nothing special is all. Just look at the other ladies that try it and the total lack of coverage.
So most fans will just yawn at this since the “Go Daddy Girl does NASCAR” novelty has already been experienced. The media will finally figure out the fans don’t care a few weeks later.
If it turns out she can win, then good for her, she’ll develop a NASCAR following just like the rest of the drivers who can win.
I have to admit, it has been a while since I’ve watched a race in the Joe Gibbs Invitational Racing Series (a.k.a. The Nationwide Series).
ESPN can now show the gripping drama of Danica running 35th in a top 10 car, instead of being forced to watch Kyle and Joey check out to their usual 10-second leads.
do you realize that by posting this you are part of the hype you are describing?
Garry: Yup, sure do. But you will be thanking me next week when all you will be able to find is Danica coverage and we’ll have fresh content. She’s too big of a story not too mention, so I got it out of the way early. And if I forget to tell you, your welcome.
I say thank you already,
I got to the store just in time to buy up the last of the canned goods, flashlights, batteries, and other necessities ; )
PS
http://twitpic.com/photos/DanicaPatrick
Danica says “this is the coolest shirt” ( but we have to use our imagination to see what she does not have on behind it ……
http://twitpic.com/1xmc73
Hype? As what used to be the print media sinks into oblivion, picking the low-hanging fruit becomes their way of life. In the spring there was a good deal of speculation that Go Daddy’s master plan was to get Danica ready to take Mark Martin’s seat when his contract ran out after 2011 – but I have yet to see any mention in the mainstream media about what Kahne’s taking Mark’s seat at Hendrick’s might mean for Danica’s future, if any, in NASCAR. Her future in NASCAR really is not that big a deal, but it fascinates me that the media virtually completely forgot about her ( and her connection with Hendrick) about a week after she returned to the IRL. So if there is nothing easier to write about (like Tom Logano) when she returns, the media will just inundate everyone with incite about what’s-her-name.
Danica Mania. This is making a household name for Go-Daddy, whatever that is. I bet they’re elated over the publicity received over her. They can’t pay her enough. She’s so hot I even went to the Go-Daddy web site.
Besides this folks, with no more experience than she has, Danica is a credible race car driver. However she is up against the best in the world in this profession. Don’t bash her without including the Kenny Wallaces etc. There are lots of funded drivers who can’t even sniff the top 10 who have been in it alot longer than Danica.
You go girl!!!
TC…I tried to ignore this article. I really did. I failed. I’m just going to repeat what everyone has said.
She’s here to bring in money and ratings. She’s not expected to win. We have the choice to watch it or not. I always watch the NW series anyway but I won’t watch the pre-race stuff.
Thanks for the heads up.