Kyle Petty: Danica "not a race driver"

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Appearing on SPEED's RaceHub, Petty was on with host Matt Clark. When the discussion shifted to Patrick, Petty called her a marketing machine, a phrase he's used to describe the 30-year-old driver many times before. Then Clark asked Petty where Patrick was as a driver.

"That’s where I have a problem. Where fans have bought into the hype of the marketing, to think she’s a race car driver," Petty said. "She can go fast, and I’ve seen her go fast. She drives the wheels off it when she goes fast."

Petty, who is also an analyst on TNT's Sprint Cup coverage continued after he was asked if she's learned to race.

"She’s not a race car driver.There’s a difference. The King (Richard Petty, Kyle's father) always had that stupid saying, but it’s true, ‘Lots of drivers can drive fast, but very few drivers can race.’ Danica has been the perfect example of somebody who can qualify better than what she runs. She can go fast, but she can’t race. I think she’s come a long way, but she’s still not a race car driver. And I don’t think she’s ever going to be a race car driver."

"Because I think it’s too late to learn."


Danica comes back

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2013/06/28/danica-patrick-responds-kyle-petty-criticism/2473719/


SPARTA, Ky. — Responding Friday to criticism of her NASCAR career by former driver and television analyst Kyle Petty, Danica Patrick said the comments had no impact on her.

"I really don't care," she said. "I don't. It's true there are plenty of people who say really bad things about me. I hear about them or I read them or I read them on Twitter. People want me to die. At the end of the day, you just get over that kind of stuff. All you can do is trust that you're doing a good job and that's all that matters and the people around you believe in you."

Others defend Danica

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/motor/2013/06/28/danica-patrick-dale-earnhardt-jr-kyle-petty-comments/2472307/

"I have to disagree with Kyle," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Friday at Kentucky Speedway. "I think she's a tough competitor. She works really hard at what she does and she has run some really good races. On every occasion, she's outrunning several guys on the circuit.

"If she was not able to compete or not able to run minimum speed or finishing in last place every week, I think you might be able to say Kyle has an argument. But she's out there running competitively and running strong on several accounts."

 

And the soap opera sub-plot begins...

BHW

 

At least someone finally said it.

 

Kyle was washed up ages ago. He never amounted to much. Always in the shadows of his dad, but never on the same level as hid dad.

 

EXACTLY!!!

He always has and always will be riding the coat tails of his last name and a name does not make a race driver. Maybe Kyle is just mad because her 'pony tail' will always look better than his!

 

30 years from now people will still remember Danica Patrick, few will ever think of Kyle Petty again.

Patrick has a decent chance of winning Indy later in her career if she chooses to go back to that series.

 

Here's my definition of Race Car Driver.

If you put " Race Car Driver " as your occupation on your income tax form, you are a race car driver.

How good you are at what you do is reflected by your results.

If you are a Race Car Driver that.....

Competes in the top series

Has sat on the pole of a race in the top series

Has led laps

Has passed cars

If you place 8th in the sports most important race

Is currently 27th in points out of 47 that are eligible for points, while doing it as a rookie in the top series

Hasn't finished last in every race

Hasn't been a hazard to other drivers on the track

.....you have adequately demonstrated that you can race.

Dale Jr. got it right because he is a no BS kinda guy. KP is a commentator that really knows better but is just trying to stir the pot because that is part of his job.

In other news, Danica Patrick was just ranked 91st in the FORBES top 100 most powerful celebrities list. They listed her occupation as Race Car Driver and no other driver, of any series, made the list.

I believe, off the top of my head, Danica ranked 9th in earnings out of all the NASCAR drivers for 2012 and is expected to place much higher this year as she only ran a partial schedule in 2012.

Failure to acknowledge her achievements is just petty ( pun intended )

 

for her bodacious bod......

 

What a sexist prick he is...

Kai

 

If Danica was a man her career would have ended a dozen years ago.
Thats not sexist thats reality.

I think shes great for auto racing in general but to think of her as a top tier driver is wishful thinking.

 

+1 Based on the equipment given to her, the replacement driver in Indy Car seems to be performing considerably better in a shorter period of time. Same team, same equipment, new driver, better results. Do the math.

 

That was nice of Dale Jr. to say.......seriously.

Good on him......

 

In the pits doesn't count.

But a driver who finishes around 8th in every race, perpetually, just isn't developing.

The thing I noticed about DP in Indycar was that her team would get her near the front, but she just couldn't get the rest of the way.

At some point, a driver has to tell himself (or herself), "I can beat these guys".
Danica never seemed to believe that.
The best I ever saw her do in an Indycar race was during the pit rotations when she didn't realize that she was running effectively third, because she was sixth on track.
When the other three cars went for their pit stops, she started to fall back again.

Danica was such a media event that she never seemed to think of herself as "one of the racers".
And the whining she used to do about the car. TK ran the last race with the weight jacker jammed. He still raced.

Yes, Danica drove better than Milka Duno. That's not saying much.

But consider the career of Michelle Mouton in rallye, back before women's lib had caught on.
Nobody had to give her any special dispensations.

 

In relation to what? This is a race car driver also. Not a good one, but none the less a race car driver and she definitely has better "assets" than DP
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They need that lifted suspension, I guess....

 

Think.........(airbags)

 

I think Kyle Petty would be the first to admit that he never approached his father's greatness. That doesn't make his opinion less valid. DP has a ride because of sponsorship, as do many drivers, but her sponsorship is because of the press attention she gets and her effectiveness as a spokesperson , not because the cameras are on her car leading the race.

 

plain stupid. kyle could neither go fast nor race. he was ALL about marketing and would NEVER have gotten a ride w/o the petty name. in fact, he sucked as a business operator also. how's that race team working out ?

i guess Juan pablo isnt a race driver also....................

 

Funny you should mention Michelle Mouton.

Last night I watched " Rally: The Killer Years " that I had recorded off Velocity.

While I know what rally is I've never watched it closely and only seen it in highlight clips and stuff. I couldn't name any drivers. I watched that show in awe as those Group B cars drove like they were on rails. What I couldn't believe was how the spectators stood on the side of the road 10 deep and the cars raced right past them on the winding roads. I was shocked anyone would put themselves in that position. They showed an Audi Quattro fly past the crowd at about 80 mph on the dirt on a turn!

Michelle Mouton was featured on the show and gave commentary.

This clip isn't from that show but shows how skilled / crazy those driver were

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDRkHXMHqFo]INSANE Audi Quattro Sport S1 1000 Lakes Group B Rally (Pure Engine Sound) - YouTube[/ame]

 

Montoya has certainly proven his ability to a far greater extent than Patrick, although not so much in NASCAR as he did in other series. Still, Petty has as much right to his opinion of Patrick as you or I do about him. I agree with your assessment of him, and I agree with his assessment of Patrick. She still has a chance to live up to the expectations. We shall see.

 

The "Killer Bs." Probably the best, bravest, drivers ever.

 

True....but based on past performance and a career that will be coming to a close shortly.....doubtful. Once the die is cast it is hard to change it.

 

Paul Menard will race tonight in the Sprint Cup race at Kentucky.

Lets look at his stats

He is in his tenth, non consecutive season in Sprint Cup starting in 2003.

He has 240 starts in Sprint Cup not including tonight.

In those 240 starts he has....

1 win
1 pole
7 top five finishes
29 top ten finishes

For most if not all of his Sprint Cup races he has been sponsored by Menard which is owned by his Father.
Menard has signed to sponsor the team through the 2016 season.

If he was held to the same standard as Danica he should've retired from racing after the 2007 season

He is also having a great season this year and is currently only 8 pts. out of the top ten making him eligible for the Chase.

One's racing career isn't made in their rookie year.

 

Ok......now.....This is all of his accomplishments with the financial resources made available to him by his father? Not too hot. Lets try this for a comparison....Buddy Baker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Far more accomplished without Daddy's money. Talent is that....talent. In which case neither party has. A real driver gets it done regardless of finances. Mr Baker was limited in his, yet has a remarkable record. Same for others. Bottom line.....dog & pony shows don't work and they don't get wins in racing.

 

Just remember that racing in the greater sense is all about entertainment and marketing. If you can bring those aspects to the track you will be around for a long time and make tons of money regardless if you finish up front. Danica Patrick will be around for a long time regardless of how well she does.