Danica Patrick: 'NASCAR makes a really big mistake of fining for some stuff'

Nick Bromberg,From The Marbles Sat Mar 25 2017
Danica Patrick was fined for her actions at Fontana last year. (Getty) After NASCAR decided not to punish Austin Dillon for his actions in the Xfinity Series race at Phoenix, Danica Patrick wishes NASCAR had previously used that monetary discretion when it comes to giving drivers consequences.
Dillon used his wrecked car to pinch Cole Custer into the wall during last week’s race after contact with Custer led to Dillon’s initial incident. NASCAR parked Dillon for the rest of the race after his actions but didn’t take any further disciplinary action when announcing penalties in the middle of the week.
“Give me my money back,” Patrick said. “I also got fined here [in 2016] for Kasey Kahne right-rearing me on the front straightaway at 215 miles an hour and I gave him this sign, and I got fined for that, too.
“I think NASCAR makes a really big mistake of fining for some stuff, especially something that happens in the car because it makes for good TV – just like fights and all that stuff. We can handle it. I think it’s a mistake. I might be speaking too much, but I’ve been fined a few times and I think that it makes for good TV and I think that we handle it out on the track ourselves.”
Patrick was fined $20,000 for gesturing towards Kahne after she crashed at Auto Club Speedway the site of Sunday’s race. She got the fine because she broke a NASCAR rule that prohibits drivers from walking on or towards the racing surface. The rule was implemented after Tony Stewart struck and killed sprint car driver Kevin Ward in a dirt track race.
Dillon’s incident with Custer came just after NASCAR officials brought up the use of cars as weapons when discussing the ramifications from Kyle Busch’s attempted punch of Joey Logano at Las Vegas. While not penalizing Busch for what he tried to do to Logano, NASCAR said it would draw the line when drivers used their cars for vengeance.

While Dillon was appearing to do that, his contact with Custer wasn’t with the gusto that Busch used against Ron Hornaday in the Truck Series in 2011 or Matt Kenseth used towards Logano at Martinsville in 2015. Both Busch and Kenseth got suspended for their actions.
Patrick said she preferred NASCAR’s non-punishment of Dillon be the precedent going forward or, at the least, some transparency of where fine money was going. All fines paid to NASCAR go to the NASCAR Foundation.
“Yeah, I’d rather that be the standard,” Patrick said. “I mean, what does that really do? I’m not gonna not go on vacation. I would actually rather know what it did. I would actually love to see like the playground that got built for it, or homeless people that got food. I would like to see actually what the money does for fines because it’s supposed to go to charity, right? So what does it really do? I would like to see that.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a novel idea of how Dillon should have been punished for his actions.
“I am serious, I would have sent him on a Winner’s Circle appearance somewhere,” Junior said. Those appearances are when drivers travel to the market where an upcoming race is being held and do interviews and promotional appearances. “None of the drivers like doing those. And we complain about it to NASCAR all the time having to go to these tracks out of market and do these appearances. Now, when we go do them we do have fun, but drivers are spoiled and we don’t like to do that stuff, so I would sign him up for an out of market appearance to promote the next Phoenix race in the fall. And I would get him — the NASCAR children’s charity can never have enough donations, so he could write a small check to them and be done with it. It doesn’t really have to be anything that is harmful really to Austin.
“It’s that — what message do you send to all these guys that are racing at all the local tracks around the country? Are you sending the message that it is okay for them to drive into each other’s door after the race is over with? So, that is all I worry about. I know Austin knows right from wrong. It’s not about trying to teach him a lesson. It’s really what are we trying to tell everyone else all the other drivers?”

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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo

 

"What does that (being fined) really do?" Patrick asked. "I'm not going to not go on vacation. I would actually rather know what (the fine money) did."
For many years, money collected through fines was placed into the driver points fund that was awarded at the end of the season. But starting in 2008, NASCAR mandated all fines would be put toward the NASCAR Foundation, which in turn is donated to charity.
"I would actually love to see the playground that got built for it or homeless people that got food," Patrick continued. "So, what does it really do? I'd like to see that."

 

[h=1]Kasey Kahne Wrecks Danica Patrick - Fontana - 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup[/h]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uexhSBOtuSE

 

Danika Patrick half way through

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB-OJU_qkGE

 

[h=2]RACER@25: Issue No. 160 - Danica Mania[/h] Wednesday, 19 April 2017



By RACER staff

This might have been the most controversial cover of RACER, as much for who wasn't on it as for who was. Issue No. 160 covered the events of the 89th Indianapolis 500 but the winner of that race, Dan Wheldon, was eclipsed on the cover by Danica Patrick, who finished fourth. But by demonstrating front-running pace all month – and leading the race until Wheldon claimed the lead for the final time with seven laps to go – Patrick had created a sensation at Indy like no other female racer since Janet Guthrie and caused a massive boost in mainstream media attention at the 500, which had suffered from a lack of it since the IRL/CART split of 1996. And the attention paid off in TV ratings which, at 6.5, were the highest seen since '96.
In response to it all, Jeff Olson's cover story chronicled Patrick's Month of May in the context of asking whether "Danica Mania" was the long-term answer to open-wheel racing's promotional prayers. While this choice of cover subject rankled some readers (not to mention Wheldon himself!), we noted that RACER articles aren't intended to be "race reports" in the traditional sense but features aimed at providing insights into the key issues of the day.

 

 

(Photo: John David Mercer, USA TODAY Sports)






Code 3 Associates, a non-profit specializing in animal rescue and recovery in disaster areas, announced Wednesday it will sponsor three more Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races with Danica Patrick in conjunction with the One Cure project and a fourth race alone.
One Cure, according to a release, is an initiative at “Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center (FACC) where innovative cancer treatments for pets are being researched in clinical trials to benefit people.”
Code 3 Associates and One Cure will sponsor Patrick’s No. 10 Ford on May 13 at Kansas Speedway, in the Open all-star preliminary race on May 20 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Aug. 19 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Kansas and Charlotte cars will have a Wonder Woman movie paint scheme promoting the June 2 release.


Code 3 Associates will be primary sponsor alone on June 25 at Sonoma Raceway.
With expected primary sponsor Nature’s Bakery awaiting mediation in a breach of contract suit and countersuit with Stewart-Haas Racing, existing Patrick sponsors have gradually expanded commitments. Aspen Dental announced in February it had agreed to increase its participation to “double-digit” races but the exact amount of unsponsored races remains unclear.
Patrick is currently 30th in driver points after eight races with a best finish of 17th at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

 

and women do more than race cars....
Happy Halloween -Jessica Hook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9EJKxlQgOw

Calendar of local shooting events
https://www.wyomingantelopeclub.org/?page_id=1528

 

Stewart: 'My support for Danica is unwavering'

Wednesday, 13 September 2017


By Kelly Crandall / Image by Rusty Jarrett/LAT



562 Shares
The day after Danica Patrick announced she would not be returning to Stewart-Haas Racing, Tony Stewart voiced his support for her, saying she is "one of the most fearless people I've ever met."
"I've always been a believer in Danica's ability as a racecar driver and that continues to be the case," he said in a statement. "She's one of the most fearless people I've ever met. She has never backed down from a challenge. In fact, she's sought out new challenges throughout her career, and that's what brought her to NASCAR and Stewart-Haas Racing.


"Making the jump from INDYCAR to NASCAR is not easy, yet she had the courage to do so and put up better numbers than a lot of other drivers who have tried to make that same transition. I'm proud of how hard Danica has worked during her time at Stewart-Haas Racing, and she continues to work hard.
"My support for Danica is unwavering. We're going to end this season strong and make the most of these last 10 races."
Patrick announced on social media Tuesday that her time at SHR "has come to an end due to a new sponsorship arrangement in 2018." Earlier Tuesday it was announced that Smithfield Foods was moving its sponsorship to Stewart-Haas from Richard Petty Motorsports. The details of the agreement and a driver "who will be added" to the organization will be announced at a later date.
"It has been my honor to drive for Tony Stewart, Gene Haas and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing for the past six seasons," she wrote. "Together we earned a Daytona 500 pole, seven top-10 finishes and we also had some exciting racing along the way.
"I wish SHR the best of luck with their new sponsorship and driver. Thanks for the memories. Right now, my focus is on the remainder of the 2017 season and finishing the year strong. I have the utmost faith in myself and those around me, and feel confident about my future."

 

2018 Cup ride 'yet to come to fruition' - Patrick

Friday, 22 September 2017


By Kelly Crandall / Image by Brett Moist/LAT


1.2k Shares Danica Patrick still does not have her next job lined up but she reiterated her interest in competing only in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

"If I don't do Cup, I don't think I will do anything," Patrick told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. "My only goal is to win in Cup. My only goal is to be one of the few drivers who have won in IndyCar and NASCAR [and] that's attained through winning in the Cup Series."


Patrick suffered a setback this season with the unexpected departure of primary sponsor Nature's Bakery from the No. 10 Ford. Knowing her future with Stewart-Haas Racing was contingent on funding, Patrick announced earlier this month that her time driving for three-time champion Tony Stewart will end with the season finale in Miami.
But whether she is behind the wheel next year is still to be determined. And Patrick, now 35, knows there is a short list of quality rides available.
"That's the challenge," she admitted. "So, if I don't think that there's a really solid potential for that [winning] to happen, then I'm just spinning my wheels."
When asked if she had a list of potential landing spots, Patrick said she did. But as to whether she's had any discussions, Patrick said she leaves that up to her management.
"I let them do the work. There's not really anything I can do," Patrick said. "It comes down to money, and it also comes down to what I want to do. Moving parts and answers that have yet to come to fruition."
What she wants to do might very well be away from racing. Patrick keeps plenty busy in other ventures, such as yoga, a wine vineyard and most recently the launch of a clothing line. Admittedly, racing 38 weekends a year is a grind and Patrick knows she has decide if she wants to continue doing as much beyond this year.
In 181 Cup starts to date, Patrick has seven top-10 finishes. She became the first woman to win a pole in the premier series when she claimed the top spot for the 2013 Daytona 500. Patrick's career-best finish in points is 24th the last two seasons.