I have already seen one Yahoo sports columnist diss Danica Patrick's IndyCar win at Motegi. Because she won a fuel milage race.
Funny; I didn't see a similar column from this yahoo last week when Jimmie Johnson won a fuel milage race.
Will women always face a double-standard in racing? With attitudes like that of writers like Bob Margolis, I guess so. His article at Yahoo was condescending and a backhanded insult to women in racing. Never mind the driver paying her dues, racing full-time, and still being a comparative newcomer. Teaming up with Team Andretti was a terrific move on Danica's part. I dare say if Marco Andretti had won a race on fuel milage, that writer would have been singing a different tune.
How many drivers have scored in a major victory in a major racing league in 50 starts? A lot of NASCAR's 'superstars' are still waiting for that moment in time.
Frankly, however, Margolis' opinion means little -- if anything -- to real race fans who are glad to welcome a new race winner into Victory Lane. I didn't see an article by him condemning the Rick Hendrick Racing Money Machine's win by virtue of 'fuel mileage' at Phoenix.
Congrats, Danica!! I'm glad you haven't let critics like that stand in the way of your racing. The confidence from the first win is something that carries over and helps in future racing. And, they can't take that away from ANY first time race winner.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
NASCAR Refuses to Act for Safety
NASCAR's President, Mike Helton, says it's not a problem. Brian France, whose family owns NASCAR and who wrecked his Lexus on the way home one night in Florida last year without even getting so much as tested for DUI for formality's sake says it's not a problem. Well, the lack of drug testing in racing IS a problem.
The drivers want it, a large majority of fans and sportswriters want it, but NASCAR -- operating on a 'wait until someone gets killed or injured, then we'll react' policy, has dug its collective heels in and is refusing to consider testing drivers and team members for drugs. Like I said in my last blog, it's more about not wanting to put up the money to set up a testing system. Why else? What's it going to take for NASCAR to admit they need to have routine drug testing in this sport? I daresay none of the older, established drivers would be stupid enough to race while on heroin or speed or marijuana, but what about some of the unknowns? Like say, Aaron Fike -- who stated in an ESPN The Magazine interview that he used heroin on race day more than one time. There is not one, single solitary reason for the biggest racing circuit in the USA not to drug test the drivers.
NASCAR claims they're all about safety. That's why the big push for the COT. Well, if they're really concerned about safety, the driver testing should be their paramount concern. One wonders what the multi-billionaires running NASCAR are thinking by refusing to safeguard the drivers via drug testing. Isn't about time they dug their heads out of the sand and used some intelligence in this matter?
The drivers want it, a large majority of fans and sportswriters want it, but NASCAR -- operating on a 'wait until someone gets killed or injured, then we'll react' policy, has dug its collective heels in and is refusing to consider testing drivers and team members for drugs. Like I said in my last blog, it's more about not wanting to put up the money to set up a testing system. Why else? What's it going to take for NASCAR to admit they need to have routine drug testing in this sport? I daresay none of the older, established drivers would be stupid enough to race while on heroin or speed or marijuana, but what about some of the unknowns? Like say, Aaron Fike -- who stated in an ESPN The Magazine interview that he used heroin on race day more than one time. There is not one, single solitary reason for the biggest racing circuit in the USA not to drug test the drivers.
NASCAR claims they're all about safety. That's why the big push for the COT. Well, if they're really concerned about safety, the driver testing should be their paramount concern. One wonders what the multi-billionaires running NASCAR are thinking by refusing to safeguard the drivers via drug testing. Isn't about time they dug their heads out of the sand and used some intelligence in this matter?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)