Considering she was weaned on road racing, caught Rahal's eye by finishing second in the British Formula Ford Festival and did a good job in the Atlantic Series, it was a bit of a shock to find that, in an IndyCar, she was much more competitive on ovals. And, in the end, that's what has driven her to stock cars.
“I only drove an oval once in Atlantics at Milwaukee but I liked it immediately,” she recalls. “And that's what I like about NASCAR: it's all ovals except for two races. IndyCar is getting more and more top heavy with road and street courses and this figured into my decision. I also like stock cars because they're not so fragile; you can be more aggressive in them.”
Her average finish on an oval has been 10th and, since the merger of IRL/Champ Car to form the IZOD IndyCar Series, she's struggled mightily in qualifying on road courses and usually starts way back.
George Klotz, her chief mechanic at Andretti Autosport, comments: “She's got it up here and here,” pointing to his head and heart, “and that's why she made it this far. But physically it's very tough and that's the one thing she can't control.”
Before IndyCar instituted the weight rule, Patrick started on the front row at Mid-Ohio and Sonoma. “I think the weight rule offset her lack of strength,” says Paul “Ziggy” Harcus, team manager for Andretti.
Rahal, who campaigned her in the IRL in 2005-'06 at Rahal Letterman Racing, says that goes against her style. “To be fast on a road or street course, you must manhandle the car, and that's not her,” observes the three-time CART/IndyCar champ. “She's a smooth driver who's done reasonably well on ovals but you've got to stand up in the seat to road race an IndyCar.”
Sure enough, the disparity is glaring. Her average start on a road course is 17.5, compared to 8.4 on ovals.
Whatever, her results didn't justify the massive media coverage she received compared with a lot of her competitors. While it wasn't her fault that cameras were always on her or that sportswriters hung on her words, it nonetheless rubbed many IndyCar people the wrong way.
“I know I'm from another generation but racing's all about winning,” says Kanaan, one of the most popular and successful IndyCar drivers of the past decade. “That's how you get your job, how you move up and how you get recognized. I'm not saying it's right or wrong but Danica made it because she did OK. She's the best woman I've ever seen. But now they need her because she's famous.”
When Motorola, Peak Performance and Go Daddy began peppering the airwaves with her commercials, the haters said Patrick was more concerned with her profile than her performance.
“I don't think so,” Klotz responds. “I didn't see that. She handles the distractions well. It must be hard to run two series at once yet I don't see that her performance dropped. I don't think it affects her that much. Her whole life is committed to this. She doesn't want kids – she's completely into racing.”
But Goodyear wonders what might have been if Danica Mania hadn't broken out. “Would she have become a stronger driver on road courses a la Will Power if she had just been 100 percent absorbed by racing and not had to do all the marketing and PR?” muses the former CART/IRL regular. “I don't know. I wonder if she'd have developed more, considering her background.”
Of course, what everyone wonders is who takes her place, how does TV view her departure and how much will it hurt IndyCar?
“Simona de Silvestro has done a great job,” replies Goodyear, commenting on the only other woman who runs IndyCar full time. “Simona is quick, she gets it, she speaks well and she's made a lot of fans the past two years so she's probably the best opportunity. She just needs a new car.”
Rich O'Connor who, along with Terry Lingner, produces the IndyCar programs for Versus, understands that replacing Danica won't be easy. “If somebody out there can put together some decent races, maybe that becomes a story but Danica is a very strong marketing presence and reaches across several platforms,” he comments. “She gets a lot of exposure and she's seen outside the IndyCar world. With regard to ratings, I think the impact is still to be seen.”
ABC/ESPN goes out of its way to hype Patrick during its NASCAR telecasts but will no longer have that storyline for IndyCar.
“I think everyone at ABC knew Danica wasn't staying before they agreed to sign up through 2018,” reasons Goodyear, referring to the IndyCar Series' new contract, “but were they concerned? I don't think so.”
“Danica has a lot of fans but it's ridiculous to believe IndyCar won't survive because of one person,” adds Kanaan, who hasn't spoken to Patrick in a couple years. “Sarah [Fisher] was the most popular before Danica and things went on after she lost her ride. I'm not saying we'll be better without Danica; I'm just saying it's not going to bankrupt the company and other people will make news. Danica's gone but Go Daddy is staying in IndyCar. That tells me a lot.”
She didn't bring back the fans at Milwaukee and Loudon, TV ratings remain stagnant and the media circus around her has moved south. But Danica still sold more merchandise than the rest of the IndyCar lineup combined and fans flocked around her pit and transporter to get a photo or a glimpse.
Love Danica or loathe her, there's no denying that IndyCar will miss her. However, her departure won't be fatal and there's a good chance that, after about 200 laps around Bristol, The Princess might be pining for the old neighborhood.