What had more suspense Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Jimmie Johnson winning the All Star or Danica Patrick getting in the race by winning the fans popular vote? Jimmie Johnson has dominated the racers held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in recent years and Saturday night was no exception. Once the 48 Lowes Chevrolet got out front in clean air, the party was over. With the victory, Johnson became the first driver to win 4 All Star races.
And in the fan voting, with Dale Jr. already in the All Star race, Danica seemed to be a shoe-in for winning the fan vote. And surprising no one, she was. NASCAR fans have a unyielding love for their favorite drivers and at the same time they love to hate others. One only need to listen to any driver introduction and hear the mix of cheers and boos for drivers like Johnson, Gordon, the Busch brothers, and Danica. My twitter time lines always lights up when there is any mention of Danica on the telecast. The tweets range from undying support to wishing she’d go away. She may be the most polarizing figure in the sport today.
I decided to assemble some opinions from NASCAR fans on twitter. They show, as the fan vote indicated, a strong level of support for the driver of the #10 Go Daddy Go Chevrolet and some very strong opposite feelings as well. The tweet from @Kansas29Fan summed up the responses very well when he tweeted, “This could get interesting. LOL!”
Not surprising was the tweets which pointed out Danica’s good looks. The majority of the fans think that her looks leading to her marketability are the biggest reason for her popularity. Some tweets were more subtle then others. Here’s a sample:
@joshPleasant79 “I think her popularity is based on the fact she’s an attractive women racing on NASCAR’s biggest stage.”
@MattyP5280 “She’s slightly more flash than substance. But she is not without substance. The girl can drive. Oh & she just happens 2 B hot!”
@Tsail24 “In my opinion people are judging her based on gender not ability. Women are either jealous or supporting. Men like her looks or dislike a girl racing.”
Many responses pointed to Danica as being a trail blazer for women. One even compared her to tennis great, Billie Jean King. @cmcmotorsports wrote, “I think this had that Billie Jean King effect. A women competing in a male dominated sport on its highest level.” Here are some other tweets citing the trailblazer impact:
@lucky7_sucka “I think her popularity is up there with a lot of great athletes. I think its well deserved also, how many females drive NASCAR? J”
@rraidr_ “Danica’s popularity has gained her worldwide recognition. Not so much from her racing as we all know is not so great but being female.
@melkylefan “Well I think as a woman myself I’m glad she’s in the sport she’s great for the sport but as any driver in the past she needs to earn it.”
@firedogret “Love what she brings to the sport and she proves women can compete…winning is another thing…so tough in NASCAR.”
@NASCARniecy4852 “My thoughts on Danica and her popularity. I think it’s great. She has accomplished more than any other woman that has been in this sport but most of her popularity is from advertisements from her sponsors which is OK. She is very determined and I feel she will go far in NASCAR. She may not be one of the drivers running up front but with more experience she will go far. First year in NSCS and she has already set a record for being the first women in NASCAR to sit on the pole for the Daytona 500 and lead a few laps there too. I really hope she stays focused and determined she does have talent. Forget the haters they are mad cause she is doing what they can’t.”
There were a few responses which spoke about her lack of success on the track and the lack of publicity other drivers who are more successful receive in comparison to her.
@shelb_Johnson48 “I think her spot is underserved. I don’t think she worked for it like Johanna Long does.”
@ceemzee “I think that if she doesn’t get better as a driver, some of her popularity will fade.”
@bradkfans “Some finish better than she does yet they don’t get as much publicity. I’m not saying she is awful but she will definitely get better.”
@99FanGirl “I find her popularity both annoying and not surprising. As for not surprising, she attracts new people to the sport by 1st being attractive. 2nd great marketing. 3rd associated with Dale Jr. This brought along an already established fan base. As to why it is annoying, 1st she was given a ride based on her looks in a bathing suit. There are several young female drivers that have been getting the proper training through the lower series and gaining experience. 2nd the first woman nonsense is bothersome and downright offensive. The implications that I should be a fan just because I happen to be female is insulting. Sure she can finish a race, but is finishing 4 laps down really an accomplishment and a demonstration of her talent? “
There were surprisingly few negative responses. In fairness, most of the negative responses referred to her being over exposed which is no fault of her own. Mike Joy on the telecast Saturday night referred to the complaints FOX receives about Danica mentions when prior to the announcement of the fan favorite, he noted viewers would soon find out why FOX frequently mentions her. Here is a sample of the overexposure complaints:
@BIG_JSWAGG “Like her just tired of all the coverage week in and week out. Leave her alone she’s just a driver like the rest of them.”
@kay24fan “I admire her for her accomplishment in motor sports & she is a mentor for young girls to look up to, but she is overexposed & overrated!”
@Chris_French_23 “Danica’s popularity is fueled by the media. She has sold herself in commercials and magazines for years and built her reputation off if it.”
Many folks believe NASCAR is behind the Danica frenzy as they try to attract new fans to a sport who’s seen shrinking attendance at its races the last several years. Many responses mentioned the impact that Danica has had on attracting young girls and women into the sport.
@sayers0811 “For me it’s awesome to see a female and I think other NASCAR female fans can relate to it’s refreshing to see.”
@BCF88 “I Think her popularity is good for NASCAR. I think it has gotten more women interested in NASCAR. I had my pic in Bristol wearing a Danica Patrick shirt!”
@Mharms22 “She is very popular with younger girls. They idolize her”.
Some folks admired the courage she’s shown in her short time racing in NASCAR. @NANCYEMILLS tweeted, “#1 Danica Patrick in her Nationwide seasons, she stood up to the other drivers pushing her around – RESPECT! #2 Danica Patrick fell in love with a NASCAR driver <3.”
You’ve just seen a fairly accurate sample of what my twitter timeline looks like during a NASCAR race whenever Danica’s name is mentioned. My thoughts? Danica will need to continue to improve as a driver or many of the cheers will eventually turn into jeers. Once touted as a savior for the Indy Racing Series, Danica left the open wheel circuit to join the world of stock car racing. Unless there is some improvement in her racing finishes, her NASCAR career may very well follow that of her Indy Car racing career. It’s way too early to grade her time in NASCAR, but there is no mistaking the fact that she’s created a well needed buzz in a sport badly in need of one. It will be several years before the jury is out on Danica and we will know if she is successful. I for one am rooting for her success.
I’d like to thank all of my twitter followers who were kind enough to respond to my request. NASCAR nation is indeed very proud and also very full of well thought out and knowledgeable opinions. My race day experience has been enhanced by being able to watch the races with hundreds of fellow NASCAR fans. I find their tweets interesting, educational and sometimes humorous. The Danica debate will continue for many years to come. Perhaps @jfloyd306 summed it up the best, at least for many of the male population, when he tweeted: “My thoughts on Danica are I wonder how many men are closet Danica fans but are afraid to tell their wives and girlfriends? “
I’d love to hear your opinion on Danica. Please feel free to leave a comment below.
My picks for the Coca Cola 600 are:
- Jimmie Johnson
- Kasey Kahne
- Kyle Busch
Feel free to give me a follow on Twitter – @JimLaPlante, as well as the site – @LastWordOnSport.
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Photo Credit: Teamleaks.com, CC
