Danica Patrick wins first race

If you mean in the historical context, yes, a female was going to win race.

If you mean Danica herself, it was no lead-pipe cinch. The rumblings had been getting louder by the year that she was a gimmick who didn't have the chops to win.

Even I called her out for her road course acumen on the open wheel thread as recently as the last race. So this win is not only historic, it shuts a lot of people up who didn't see that she had the talent to win on an oval, and who can no longer accuse her of being a gimmick. The list of active open-wheel winners is not very long, and she just joined the club.

And for those in the open-wheel know, she did it WITH weight added to her car, a significant topic of grousing from fellow drivers since she entered the series.

 

In a way, it might be better because this story will get an extra day of legs in many newspapers. I already told our deskers to make it our Monday package.

I'm very happy I made the call to stop the press and get it in ... unless I get fired of course. :-\

 

I hate to be this way, since it's not really my area of expertise, but haven't all the really good open-wheel drivers died or left for NASCAR or retired?

I'm delighted for her and the sport, but isn't her winning at this point like a guy winning the major league batting title while all the good players were gone to fight in World War II?

 

No. There were three Indianapolis 500 winners in the field, she beat a legit field. The only knock I can see, and it would be unfortunate because she has no control over it, is that the Champ Car drivers weren't in the race.

For those who don't know, one by-product of the IRL-Champ Car reunification is that it came so late (February) that they couldn't solve a date conflict with Motegi (an important race given that Honda supplies the engines) and Champ Car's Long Beach GP (a historic F1 and pre-split CART open-wheel venue).

So there are two races this weekend: Motegi with the old-line IRL cars, and Long Beach with the old-line Champ Car teams. After this weekend, starting with next weekend's race at Kansas City, they are together for good.

 

Give SC credit cause they are doing an extensive live interview with her right now.

 

It would be easy to say "She fucking won?", but the gentleman in me will tip my hat to her in getting off of the "good looking chicks who haven't won a damn thing" list.

Now, Danica, let's use this Japan 300 win and parlay that into a win at Indy, Miami, or one of the big races. ;D

 

I was thinking the same thing, in regard to some folks' reactions to it.

 

Sadly, you're probably right.

Of course they won't know that the list of racers who have fuel-mileage wins is long and prestigious. You have to manage your car to get there, it's not as if it's a fluke.

 

Agreed. No different that saving your tires.

 

We were able to get it in. A refer on the front and a five-inch story (which was all they moved in 40 fucking minutes) inside.