Friday at the Daytona International Speedway is going to bring some interesting weather. Scattered thunderstorms are going to be underway in the morning, followed by a likely tornado watch with a 100% chance of heavy thunderstorms. That from the Weather Underground website. Into this scenario walks Danica Patrick and SPEED reporter Robin Miller.
SPEED will carry at least ten ARCA races this season and that lets them get a piece of Danica. So, Friday the idea was to feature updates and information as the first day of ARCA open testing got underway.
Miller is going to do a live interview with Danica at 1PM, probably during the lunch break from testing. That would have given him an angle of being first to ask about her "at speed" laps at Daytona among the ARCA horde. Now, it appears that Danica will have lots of downtime long before the interview.
Let's take a moment and recap Danica and her recent media courtship.
First, we saw Danica make the rounds of the morning talk shows in NYC and unveil her new green IRL Go Daddy car. Even with the new sponsorship, IRL team owner Michael Andretti did not look very happy on camera. Now we know the reason why.
Danica next appeared with Mr. Bob "Go Daddy" Parsons at a hastily called Phoenix, AZ press conference to unveil a new green stock car and confirm her plans to race part-time in both ARCA and the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports. Andretti was suddenly going to have his star sharing time with the stock car set.
Thursday morning, SPEED went live with Patrick as she was the focus of yet another press conference, this time in the Concord, NC area. Patrick was joined by Dale Earnhardt Jr. who spoke about her future in the sport with his team. Kelley Earnhardt spoke about the business decisions and sponsorship that Patrick's name would bring. Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. talked about Patrick's solid learning skills in a recent Orlando area test.
While JR Motorsports driver Kelly Bires was polite with his words, it was the old crafty veteran Tony Eury Sr. who threw down some choice phrases about her potential. Eury said she ran laps in Orlando just as fast as other teams testing there. He said the goal was to go down and have Patrick win the ARCA race in Daytona and then try to win her other races. He was up front with his contention that she is not just a show.
After all of this, Robin Miller steps in for the Friday live interview. There will probably be little or no track time. The afternoon looks like a washout. Patrick was just quizzed on Thursday by the NASCAR media on a variety of topics. So, what's left?
How about helping us out and suggesting some questions that Miller can ask Patrick during his live 1PM Friday interview. Whether or not Miller even looks at this website is unknown, but what is clearly known is that we have some of the most creative and knowledgeable fans out there in racing land.
What would you like to see Miller ask Patrick? To add your question and maybe a good reason or two why he should ask it, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thanks for taking the time to stop by.
40 comments:
Speaking of Kelly Bires, the poor guy saw Danica sign & probably said "Well, there goes any shot I have of sponsorship with JR Motorsports..."
As for questions for Robin Miller:
"Are you REALLY in this for the love of racing, or is it all about dollar signs?"
"Was the 'leaked photo' on your website of you with a Nationwide & Chevy logo on your firesuit accidental, or was that more of an attempt to draw attention to yourself?"
"If you get wrecked by somebody, will you stomp down pit road & tell the driver who did it about it? And if it's Robby Gordon or Kevin Harvick, are you willing to retaliate if they go ape & shove you around a bit in response to your tirade?"
I have 2 questions - (1) What sort of testing, if any, did she do before deciding to try NASCAR and, if none, why? and (2) as an old fan (dinosaur?) how can she walk in those shoes and for how long?
If you see a better opportunity for more celebrity and more money, how long will you stick with NASCAR?
If this is actually preparation for a full time Sprint Cup ride, are you ready for 38 races in 42 weeks? Did the IRL schedule prepare you for that sustained effort?
Something feely :p
Yes how will she deal with her temper now? It'll be interesting for sure!
I'm also interested in her shiny distractions. If as JS and anon 12:51 stated how long will she whine to get out and onto something shiny.
DE Jr has shown limited patience with development drivers and released several before Brad Keselowski came along. Are you confident you can perform as quickly as Brad K? If DE Jr. loses patience, does your contract with him and GoDaddy prevent you from being released?
After losing your temper in the no-contact world of open wheel racing, are you ready for the full contact of Martinsville and Bristol?
I'm a big time supporter of Patrick going to Nascar. She hopefully can add some excitement in what has become a dull sport.
My questions to Patrick.
1) Danica, it's great to see you in stock cars, however Daytona is one of the hardest tracks there is. Drafting, bump drafting, side by side all day long. What made you pick this track to start stock car racing??
2) Danica, there is a license procedure that Nascar manadates to drive any level of Nascar races. Especially Cup. Do you really think that driving IRL cars qualifys you to go around those procedures and run the Daytona 500 as your first Nascar race??
one question, If she is able to be competitive in NASCAR/ARCA, would she fully give up the IRL and move to NASCAR permantly?
Maybe Robin can ask her if she'll be taking communication lessons so she won't be saying "um" a thousand times an interview. I have never met her but from what I've seen and heard on tv she seems like a driver who has gotten an opportunity to do what she wanted. I can't blame her for that it's difficult enough for a woman to work in a male business world. I can't see Pops putting up with a goddess in a racecar either.
"Can you see over the steering wheel?
No, really, my question is about size. She is a very small person and although there are many small drivers out there, she would be one of the smallest.
With her driving part time and not all of the races in the season, someone else may be driving when she is absent from a particular race. Will the team have to modify the car to be able to put in a substitute driver or will her cars be built 'just for her'?
"Can you just shut up and drive?" We want to see results and not propaganda.
I don't know whether I should respond or not. I'll check the blog later to see what happened.
Ask her why she thinks the "sport" is suffering so badly. Danica is the ONLY thing that is interesting about NA$%CRAP currently. The racing is terrible so a good side show can only help the plummeting ratings.
What should he ask? "Danica, if you kept your clothes on would you be where you are today"?
I'm glad to see that Danica is not running the Nationwide Daytona race (that's what I ment earlier by the way-not the 500)
Dankia, are you planning to run Cup full time??
Just watched the interview with Danika, she did just fine during the interview.
For the folks making fun week after week of Patrick's "ums". Well, I am listing to Jr right now on Speed. Talk about "ums".. Need I say more on him??
Overall, Danika is a breath of fresh air into Nascar that I hope will bring to life some of the other women drivers in other Nascar series. The glass cealing needs to be broken sooner or later, she is the cutting edge for todays time period. Not the first, but she's here and now. Lets stop making fun of her "ums". Politicians do that all the time. It's called, gathering there thoughts. Not articulate granted. But very human.
Still getting a handle on things, update shortly.
I should have thought to ask whether she plans to do any stock car practicing on off weeks during IRL season. I believe GM has a test track somewhere in AZ.
Just watched the interview with Danika, she did just fine during the interview.
For the folks making fun week after week of Patrick's "ums". Well, I am listing to Jr right now on Speed. Talk about "ums".. Need I say more on him??
Overall, Danika is a breath of fresh air into Nascar that I hope will bring to life some of the other women drivers in other Nascar series. The glass cealing needs to be broken sooner or later, she is the cutting edge for todays time period. Not the first, but she's here and now. Lets stop making fun of her "ums". Politicians do that all the time. It's called, gathering there thoughts. Not articulate granted. But very human.
missed the first 5 minutes, forgot this was on and woke up very late. I LOVE Robin but Danica needs a SPEAKING coach or must have some um, y'know stutter.
I could not hear difference for uh, or um. But the y'knows were often double spoke (y,know, y,know)
between 1:09 and 1:12 and some odd seconds, I marked Danica said y'know 22 times & many 'ums'.... poured coffee at one point and missed marking a couple.
I know she is not one, but she sounds like a teen age valley girl. Next thing we know,she will finish in up sentences, where everything sounds like a question? Y, know what I mean???
Great to see Robin but sheesh, she's annoying. I can't get past the ums & you knows and after ALL these years, she is still doing it.
Cringe worthy to listen to DP speak with such LIMITED vocabulary. I've decided double negatives in sentences no longer annoy me compared to um, yknow??
If Danica could speak without repetitiveness of ums and you knows, I could take it.
Do not mention Larry Macs butchering of the English language as he is INFORMATIVE & doesn't repeat himself over minutia verbal stammers.
Then they showed a short clip of Jr speaking and he seems to have caught the "you know" virus.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought Robin asked some great questions. I like him a lot when he's on Windtunnel and he knows a lot of people and finds out info before anyone else especially for the racing scene up in Indy. I liked Danica she came through smart and really interested in Nascar and/or stock cars in general. Can't wait for February it will be here before we know it!
Really enjoyed the Robin Miller >>> Danica Patrick interview on SPEED. #NASCAR Looking forward to Robin's next report at 6pm!
Never been this excited for an ARCA test!
Again, doesn't look like I missed a whole lot (according to you guys). Overslept (even later than I usually do).
Let this be the end of all the hype.
It's D-A-N-I-C-A
DANICA!
No "k" in her name
Thanks for the good comments. Taking your opinion on Danica today and her TV appearances.
If you have questions about a deleted comment, please email me directly at editor@thedalyplanet.tv anytime.
Thanks!
JD
i was half joking about the ums and "y know" stuff but it's still pitiful for an adult, years into the public spotlight speaks this way.
I learned nothing new today but DID miss the first 5 minutes. Did enjoy Miller though as usual.
but, indeed, I am weary of the hype machine already.
I think Robin should've asked her if she was going to have dinner with Milka Duna after the towel fight from last year. :-D
well, I missed it but reading this it sounds like it was just business as usual for any racing interview. I like Robin Miller but I'm already tired of Danica and the hype. Geez, just let her race and then I can decide if I am going to pay attention to her. It's a lot like all the hype about Logano -- the media overdid it so much that I felt like I just couldn't stand the kid. Once he got in the car and I got a chance to watch him on the track, I've changed my mind and have started to enjoy watching him race.
The same thing MIGHT happen with Danica, but I doubt it, mostly because she's too interested in selling herself, not her skill set. Pistone is twittering again about all the "hatred" for Danica. sorry man, but NASCAR and the media don't get to tell the fans who they will like or cheer for - we all still get to choose.
@ GinaV24, ditto.
I missed the whole thing today. Thanks for the comments.
I thought it was a riot when Robin asked her about Milk & Donuts! He's a good personality.
Finally got a chance to watch. Robin Miller is great. That was probably one of the best interviews Danica has done. In other interviews her speech comes across as stilted, like at the press conference. Robin seemed to make her feel comfortable and asked great questions. The pace of her speech was much quicker and more natural.
Will never feel good about the Go-Daddy sponsorship. But I wish her well. If you don't take the opportunity you can only have regrets.
I definitely won't blame her for the media frenzy. They are like pack animals. JR is probably loving it...
When the official announcement was made we ordered tickets for the ARCA race (w/Bud Shootout & qual).
An aside...at the hair salon today and overheard another patron saying she had gone to Las Vegas for NHRA drags. Then said "I think I'm going to start watching NASCAR again next year. Danica Patrick is going to race".
an observation: i have come to believe that when patrick is speaking racing, the "ums" and "y'knows" disappear and she presents in a confident, professional well-spoken manner.
for example, i compared her post-arca testing on friday with her JRM press conference. at the track, when being asked about the car, the track, the difference between the 2 cars she's raced, the team: the verbal tics are gone and she is coherent and interesting. perched on that chair in mooresville, not so much.
in addition, at the track, when the question became even remotely personal (which track she thought would be her first n'wide race), the "ums" came back. don't know what, if anything, all this means but it's an observation.
i like patrick and i want her to succeed, for herself, for JRM and for the n'wide series. but if i ruled the world, i'd have the media back it down a ton. some fans are expressing frustration with the "she's being shoved down our throats" and it is effecting how some of them see her as a racer. this "spill-over" effect will be somewhat ameliorated by her connection to JRM (or maybe, it will be negatively enhanced, depending on how those same fans feel about dale!) but either way, it is a distraction from seeing her as a racer and making a decision about her based on that.
i will say, however, that as much as i like patrick as a racer, i dislike danica, the brand. i fail to understand why some female racers go the route of exploiting their physical appearance in a way that i feel diminishes their impact as a racer. for the most part (carl edwards perhaps being the most obvious exception) male racers don't go that route.
while go daddy has value as far as a sponsor with $$$, the way they present the female spokepeople for their brand is significantly different than how they present the male spokesmen -- and not in a way that works for me. every go daddy ad with women is focused on sex and physical appearance. we didn't see that angle with dale or kez.
just sayin: i appreciate the $$ go daddy brings but i dislike the branding. that, however, is their corporate choice and doesn't impact my support of patrick or JRM.
@red...another great post. Good way to put it "like Danica the racer, dislike Danica the brand". My feelings exactly.
Why the difference in pressers vs race talk? IMHO Danica, and others, when asked questions where all the information/decisions are not being made public or unknown, talk that slow stilted speech to make sure they don't let the cat out of the bag or say something wrong.
Should be a slow week for any NASCAR news, so Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all. May 2010 be a much better year in all aspects, from the economy to NASCAR :-)
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