Danica Patrick strikes a blow for women in sports

We interrupt this political blog to bring you some amazing news from the world of sports.

Danica Patrick has just become the first woman ever to win a major open-wheel automobile race, a spectacular achievement for women in sports.

Patrick gambled on fuel mileage late in the race, took the lead with three laps to go and hung on to beat Helio Castroneves at the Twin Ring Motegi course in Japan

Never again can she be derided as the Anna Kournikova of auto racing -- all looks and no wins.

Link

•  excellent

  she always seemed like the real deal to me.

  by unterhausen on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:38:13 PM PDT

  •  It's got to be

    a huge monkey off her back.

    by quaoar on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:39:04 PM PDT

  •  I love Indycar racing

    But I spent the day campaigning in Pennsylvania. Since I'm boycotting ABC at the moment, I guess I wouldn't have seen it anyway. Maybe I'll make it to the 500 this year--best $20 ticket ever.

    by The Bagof Health and Politics on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:32:23 PM PDT

•  She beat the Dancing with the Stars

  champ too! Go Girl Power! ;-)

  by Pithy Cherub on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:41:48 PM PDT

  •  I bet we see her on dancing with the stars...

        But really, beating Helio is no small feat.

    by last patriot left on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:36:14 PM PDT

•  Sweet!

  GREAT NEWS!

  She has always been dragged down by that kind of crap...no more!

  Now I have something to point to my 3-month-old daughter as a success story whilst I train her to be MLB's first female knuckleball ace!!!

  by Aqualad08 on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:42:23 PM PDT

  •  My daughter will get there first! :-P n/t

    by LordMike on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:49:47 PM PDT

    •  Get in line

      My daughter is four and already has the splitter down.

      by BuckMulligan on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:12:51 PM PDT

      •  I'm going to teach my daughters

        the SPITTER!  Myah!

        by simca on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 01:20:48 AM PDT

  •  If she's treated like mere eyecandy...

    I can't find it, but I remember seeing a Honda Civic Si ad where she opens up her cleavage with the expectation it would get her out of a speeding ticket.

    And here's her unzipping her outfit in a "Go Daddy" ad... pretty tame, but still playing off her looks.
    http://www.youtube.com/...

    And here's some cheesecake from FHM.
    http://bp1.blogger.com/...

    by Lurtz on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:55:45 PM PDT

•  Good for her

  although I imagine within ten years all nascars will be driven by 65-pound midgets now, considering how much controversy there's been about her 'weight advantage.' ;P

  by kingfishstew on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:42:32 PM PDT

  •  They balance the weights on the cars now

    So Danica has weight added to her car, and a heavy driver would have some taken away to equalize the field.

    by Fro on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:20:05 PM PDT

    •  I heard them talking about the "Danica Patrick"

      rule on tv, so I know about that. (Don't followe Nascar myself.) I still think that's a bit silly, but whatever. Personally, I'd have liked to see a new field open up for jockey's.

      Never any love for the little people. ;)

      by kingfishstew on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 08:43:48 AM PDT

•  outstanding!

  I remember cheering for Janet Guthrie during her Indy 500 debut many, many years ago. It is outrageous that it took so long between Janet & Danica. Danica is great for the sport.

  by akdude6016 on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:47:00 PM PDT

  •  Wasn't She the Physicist? I Remember

    hearing her in interviews and thinking "wow, civilization."

    by Gooserock on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:55:01 PM PDT

  •  Janet was never the kind of driver Danica is.

    She and Lyn St. James were good in qualifying and were good enough drivers not to muck up the field, but they weren't contenders. Neither was aggressive enough to compete with people like Cheever, Andretti, Castroneves, etc. Danica is different...she's daring as hell and the boys don't seem to bother her a bit.

    I liked Sarah Fisher's driving and thought she might be the first to get a major IndyCar win. She's had 2nd and 3rd place finishes. Guess Danica just wanted it more.

    by Spiffarino on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 12:44:27 AM PDT

•  I'm happy for her and her team.

  I wanted to watch the race on ESPN today, but it didn't come on as scheduled.  Damn.  I would have enjoyed watching that race.

  by MTmofo on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:47:47 PM PDT

  •  It was supposed to be last night

    But they had to reschedule because the track was too wet from rain.

    by quaoar on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:05:53 PM PDT

•  That's great to hear.

  It's been a long time coming.  Wish she could have achieved it when she was with Letterman/Rahal.

  by jazzmaniac on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:48:22 PM PDT

•  I saw her on Sportscenter

  and I was so proud of her.  She was very proud and emotional and she seemed like the weight of the world was lifted off her shoulders.

  by joiful on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:50:37 PM PDT

  •  Take THAT

    to all the sexist assholes like Mario Andretti who have been trivializing her and dragging her down.

    by simca on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 01:23:11 AM PDT

    •  Scratch that

      Not Mario Andretti -- it's Richard Petty I was thinking of.  A real dick.

      by simca on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 01:31:14 AM PDT

•  oh...

  ....when you said strike a blow, I thought you meant that like it was a bad thing.  Like she posed in playboy or something.

  but that's a pretty good thing.  Just so I understand, who got stuck by that blow exactly?  

  by DawnG on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:51:26 PM PDT

  •  Who got struck?

    the macho lunkheads.

    by ActivistGuy on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:02:39 PM PDT

•  It's a great milestone --

  too bad "auto racing" isn't really a sport; more like a technologically souped-up contest...

  by Cassiodorus on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 09:58:27 PM PDT

  •  You'll probably catch heck

    for that statement, but I kind of agree. I argued with my Dad for years that golf isn't a sport, it is a pursuit. I caught heck for it.

    by crose on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:02:20 PM PDT

    •  Golf --

      has more of a claim to being a sport than auto racing.  Most of the action in auto racing is done by engines.

      by Cassiodorus on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:04:21 PM PDT

      •  You've obviously

        never tried to drive a race car.

        by quaoar on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:07:11 PM PDT

        •  I've also --

          never tried to push one, but I do know this: pushing race cars would count as more of a sport than driving them...

          by Cassiodorus on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:18:44 PM PDT

        •  Hear hear.

          I once spent 30 minutes driving balls to the walls in a go-cart against twenty other drivers and I learned just how much of a sport racing is. It's one of the most exhausting things I've ever done.

          Saying racing isn't a sport is a little like saying baseball isn't a sport because they use those springy bats to hit the balls. Truth is, both are all about controlling the inputs to get the desired output.

          by Spiffarino on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 12:55:34 AM PDT

      •  You've never watched golf, either

        Golfing while carrying your OWN BAG = tough
        Golfing while a CADDY CARRIES YOUR BAG = easy

        If professional golf was a strain, we wouldn't have a seniors tour. And have you seen the beer bellies on some of those guys? Craig Stadler won several events, and his stomach weighed more than my body.

        As for open wheel racing, twice around the track and you'd be puking in the car from the g-forces. No joke.

        by BuckMulligan on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:19:53 PM PDT

        •  If strenuousness were what counted as "sport"

          then construction workers would be athletes.

          by Cassiodorus on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:27:13 PM PDT

          •  so what does count?

            The only player on a baseball diamond putting out any consistent effort is the pitcher (and, perhaps, the catcher). Everyone else stands around or sits on their ass 90% of the time.

            My thought derives from the question, "What difference does it make?" Saying "this is a sport, and that isn't" doesn't lead to any difference in our actions (we'll watch what we always watch).

            by BuckMulligan on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:39:21 PM PDT

            •  Auto racing = operating a machine

              The primary physical motion in baseball, golf, tennis, basketball etc. is caused by one's own muscles.  The primary physical motion in auto racing is caused by motor-fueled engines, created and designed by someone else.  I stated this at the beginning (if perhaps too briefly).

              Does this distinction mean nothing to you?

              by Cassiodorus on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 06:34:21 AM PDT

              •  Nope

                All sports have an element of "tools" - baseball bats, basketball hoops, golf clubs, etc. Even swimming has specialized suits.

                So are we to argue which "tool" does less work? Or do we argue which participant does more physical work? And does physical work include quick reflexes? Should we measure how much weight a participant loses throughout their respective event? If not, then what is a more accurate measure of physical work?

                In the end, all the question does is split hairs. We gain nothing by answering it.

                by BuckMulligan on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 05:35:31 PM PDT

                •  Nope yourself!

                  The main action in auto racing is performed by the vehicle.  That doesn't apply to any of your other examples.

                  by Cassiodorus on Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 10:18:47 AM PDT

        •  If it WASN'T a strain

          Seniors wouldn't get to use golf carts, and there wouldn't need to be a Seniors Tour.  Is it as much of a strain as football or basketball?  No.  But is it the physical equivalent of playing cards or pool? No again.

          by leevank on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:44:39 PM PDT

  •  Well, it does take...

    ridiculous timing and coordination, and tons of skill.  And if you ever see them 'doing their thing', their bodies are never at rest.  Every part of them is moving and doing something at all times.

    That being said though, only here in the land of the Exurbs could one of the most blatant wastes of resources in the history of the world become as big as it has...

    by Hardhat Democrat on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:04:34 PM PDT

    •  Can we televise video-game playing too?

      It takes all of those skills to be a champion video-game player...

      by Cassiodorus on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:20:09 PM PDT

      •  They actually do televise them...

        "The Madden Challenge" on ESPN.  It's an annual television tournament where NFL players play the Madden NFL videogame on TV.  Seriously...

        I move around a lot while I play videogames, too...but that's only because my video Rutgers Scarlet Knights find ways to choke away easy games just like the real Scarlet Knights always do...

        :/

        by Hardhat Democrat on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:31:13 PM PDT

  •  Lots of strange "sports" these days

    it seems like the "sport" that gets the most hours of airtime on the ESPN networks is poker.  About on a par with auto racing as a sport is concerned, I suppose, mostly featuring people sitting.

    by ActivistGuy on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:06:06 PM PDT

    •  Lol...

      Okay, but come on.  Auto racing is much more physical than poker...and despite what you see on the screen, they're moving constantly.  And it gets hot inside there.

      But in the end, I'll take poker every day of the week, and twice on Sundays...

      Poker players may fly to their tournaments, but they don't also bring a car there via truck to drive it around a circle for 500 miles and then drive it back via truck while they fly on to the next race to drive their car in a circle for 500 miles and then move it to the next racetrack via truck while they fly...

      And etc, etc...

      And the Saudis grin...

      by Hardhat Democrat on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:14:01 PM PDT

      •  Yeah, I believe they don't have power steering

        Very dangerous.  And running a road or street course in the rain is very tough.

        It's not just turning left for 200 laps.

        by Fro on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:21:35 PM PDT

      •  Indy cars burn ethanol

        by quaoar on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:45:44 PM PDT

        •  But how about...

          the trucks that take the cars to the track?  And the track itself?  And the parking lot, and the tens of thousands of cars contained therein?  As opposed to NFL, MLB, NBA or NHL cities; how many big racing cities have decent mass transit systems to provide fans with alternatives to get to the event other than driving?

          I'm not claiming that any sports are truly 'green', but auto racing is certainly amongst the worst of them.

          by Hardhat Democrat on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:52:58 PM PDT

    •  Well, there's physical sports and skill sports.

      And sports in between. And sports that lean more towards one than the other. Although I think its fair to say that when a sport requires absolutely no physical component at all...like Poker...its transcended into a Game. ;)

      Like Sprinting, Marathon. Nearly Pure Sport. Golf, Nascar have athletic components (Nascar at least some physical endurance) but mostly skill.

      by kingfishstew on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:16:53 PM PDT

  •  Sorry, no.

    It's physically grueling and takes spectacular reflexes, strategy, tactics, and courage. Saying it's not a sport is like saying horse racing isn't a sport 'cause the horse does all the work.

    by frostyinPA on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:56:10 PM PDT

    •  Sorry, no, yourself!

      It's physically grueling and takes spectacular reflexes, strategy, tactics, and courage.

      So does construction work.  I await the telecast of "Building Erection" on ESPN.

      Saying it's not a sport is like saying horse racing isn't a sport 'cause the horse does all the work.

      Bad analogy.  Horse racing is a sport because the horses are athletes.  Cars aren't athletes because they're machines.

      by Cassiodorus on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 06:54:37 AM PDT

      •  OK, I can agree to disagree.

        Speaking of courage, sports, and construction workers, is tightrope walking between the World Trade Center pylons equivalent to sitting on an I-beam taking a break for lunch?

        by frostyinPA on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 11:39:02 AM PDT

  •  My brother-in-law races cars...

    ...and would agree with you. Kinda. He rates the different circuits on the degree that technology plays; Formula One is the most technologically involved, he had said if that's about a 10, NASCAR is somewhere down around a 7.

    But he also said that Michael Schumacher is the highest paid 'athlete' in 'sports'(*), even more than Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan before he retired. How? Well, they didn't get paid all that well - but they made millions on endorsements. Ferrari has said Michael Schumacher is worth every penny, because they can't engineer for any amount of money the unworldly response and handling he accomplishes.

    (*)I think the words "athlete" and "sports" gives everyone the wrong idea. Sports is not about the athleticism. It's about the competition. And when you have the best competitors, it doesn't matter if their "vehicle" is poker or bicycles or baseball or car racing, a better person will always get the most out of what they have available.

    by Lurtz on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 11:13:18 PM PDT

•  In spite of her carbon footprint...

  I really like this girl. I always find myself quietly cheering for her. Competent, works hard, great attitude.

  Thanks for the heads up.

  by rb137 on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:02:16 PM PDT

  •  IndyCars run on 100% ethanol now...

    Granted, it's corn-based right now, but they and Formula 1 will be nice showcases for green technologies in the next few years.

    The pace car for the race tonight ran on hydrogen fuel cells.

    by Fro on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:18:23 PM PDT

    •  Right, it's corn based

      So, in spite of her carbon footprint...

      by oldjohnbrown on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:26:35 PM PDT

    •  interesting idea...

      Ethanol surely doesn't get us out of carbon footprint trouble, and it might get us into other problems.

      It would be cool, though, if we could make fuel efficient cars cool. So, while I don't entirely agree with the corn part of your point -- I do think it would be a great place to showcase green technology.

      You can get a lot of torque out of an electric motor. Now, if we could just build batteries that could last long enough to support a reasonable distance in an Indy race...

      :)

      by rb137 on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 04:30:18 PM PDT

•  While

  I prefer F1 - if they're going to race supercars, may as well be in scenic locations with European style - I commend her on her win.

  by Scipio on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:08:01 PM PDT

•  Congratulations to Danica

  An aside, though: Does anyone ever read "A blow for X" and think X got hurt?

  by Michael D on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:14:24 PM PDT

•  Congrats to

  Danica Patrick

  http://www.youtube.com/...

  by Pam from Calif on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:15:40 PM PDT

•  Well that IS nice news!!

  Of course...I'm not a big fan of racing anyway...sice it wastes gas and destroys the environment...

  but I'm all for cheering whenever women break down yet another barrier!

  by Elise on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:18:31 PM PDT

  •  President of the United States?

    just sayin'... :)

    by Lurtz on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 11:19:11 PM PDT

•  Great news

  I always thought it was silly that a new subtype of athlete has to win to establish whatever random category they belong to as valid, rather than simply turning in a respectable professional career.

  Sure, Anna Kournikova is not going to topple the very best, but how many of the people who mock her could ever hope to return one of her serves?

  by oldjohnbrown on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:28:34 PM PDT

•  Not to be a pig, but Danica

  is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY hot.

  Back to the original topic, I never understood the focus on her not winning races.  It's not as if she was out there embarassing herself.  She's finished Top 10 in nearly half her career races.  However, it's nice to see her finally reach the pinacle.

  by NYClib on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:30:06 PM PDT

•  In an age when global warming

  is about to kill millions I guess its a good thing that women are free to participate in something as stupid as men are. Driving a car is such an important and unique skill after all.

  by radmul on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 10:48:23 PM PDT

•  Not long after she ran in her first Indy 500 ...

  I was talking to a guy who was SERIOUSLY into amateur sports car racing, and kmew some professional race drivers who had raced against her either in Europe, or when she (and they) were getting started as kids in the top levels of Go-Kart and similar racing (which is apparently where virtually all of the top open wheel drivers in this country get their start).  

  He had absolutely no doubt that she was the real deal, and said the guys he knew who had raced against her had the highest degree of respect for her as a professional race driver.  He flatly predicted not only that she WOULD win a race in the Indy Car series, but said she had as good a chance as anybody of winning the Indy 500 if she had a car that was competitive.

  I also asked him about the theory of the NASCAR (and former Indy car) driver, whose name I have forgotten, that she had an advantage because of weighing less than most (or maybe all) of the male drivers, and he basically said it was laughable BS.  He was a pretty big guy, and said that while there weren't any Indy Car drivers who were his size (which would be a disadvantage), they also weren't built like jockies, which they all would be if it was really a significant advantage to be the lightest possible weight.  He figured that whatever advantage Danica got by weighing somewhat less than her male competitors, was probably counterbalanced by the fact that guys' generally stronger big muscles make it easier to drive a race car for hundreds of miles at high speeds.

  by leevank on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 11:05:10 PM PDT

•  Yay, Danica!

  I've been rooting for her and could see it was only a matter of time until she won.

  by TracieLynn on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 11:17:45 PM PDT

•  Love Danica...

  hate the "War of the Sexes" framing, ie: strikes a blow for women".

  She did no such thing. She proved she's an awesome driver. She also showed grace in giving credit for the fuel strategy where it belongs, to Mario Andretti and his crew. She's a class act all around.

  As far as AK goes, she was an elite player in her sport who never won the big game. But then neither did Dan Marino. All the people who dissed her were mostly jealous/bitter because she got loads of attention for her looks. But she was an elite athlete by any reasonable measure.

  Still, AK wasn't competing against men. Patrick does. Her success is remarkable, and I wouldn't be shocked if she wins the Indy 500 one day. It's a shame people have to drag issues of sexual bigotry into this, I don't get the sense that's what she's about.

  by Dr Funkenstein on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 12:01:34 AM PDT

•  Great news...

  and it's about time, too. She always seems to be in the hunt, but hadn't been able to win the big one.

  Now it's on to Indy...you go, Danica!

  by Spiffarino on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 12:25:57 AM PDT