My analysis of this entire issue comes in this huge post which includes analysis and an angry rant. Behold:
In Perspective: Danica Patrick vs. Milka Duno
Let it be known that I enjoy watching Danica Patrick and that I want Milka Duno to succeed in the IndyCar Series. This, however, was a rough moment. I've referred to Patrick and Duno (and even Sarah Fisher) as the "speed sisterhood of the IndyCar Series." In this sisterhood, there was an... internal struggle
per se. Personally, the 36-year old former model and former naval engineer turned racer, Milka Duno, was clearly in the wrong with this mix-up in practice. Danica Patrick is clearly a more talented racer than Milka Duno. The usual aspect is that a more talented racer doesn't like being upstaged by a less-talented racer. Milka Duno is learning her way through the IndyCar Series apart from her experience in other open-wheel racing series as well as sportscar racing. So the mindset I have is that as a veteran racer, this is really a blemish on her racing ability. Milka is really a better racer than what she did to Danica this past weekend.
If the IndyCar series had that "Go or Go Home" qualifying aspect that NASCAR has (thank God the ICS doesn't), Milka would consistently be one of those "Go or Go Home" drivers. I don't hate Milka Duno. I've had respect for her in racing outside of being a beautiful Venezuelan (see for yourself at:
http://www.milkaduno.com ). But this was really not a good move by Milka. I'm not going to lash out on her like a snake attacking a rabbit. All I'm going to say is that she needs to step up and exhibit better racing ability on the track. I think she's going to find her way on the track eventually. Don't want to say she's an absolute bust and a black eye for the IndyCar Series. All I'm saying is that she's got to demonstrate better racing ability than what she's shown so far. I don't think there's been a single race where I've seen Milka Duno either spin or crash. She's got talent. Milka just needs to use it better in this new challenge for her. If she can race a World Series car and two types of sportscar racing prototypes, then she can pilot an IndyCar quite well.
Milka was in the wrong in her mix-up with Danica Patrick. Danica wanted to pass Milka on the track, and she kept blocking her. I can think of two causes for this: (1) one racer isn't very talented, so one driver tries to prevent other racers from making clean passes; or (2) the driver in question doesn't want to admit being slow and off-pace, so that driver prevents others from making passes. A key statement made by Milka talked about Danica being called slow because she's not passing. Well, Danica WON'T be fast if she's not allowed open opportunity to pass. You have to learn track discipline. Let others pass. You have a very limited threshold with these cars. You can't "love tap" anyone in IndyCar like you can in NASCAR. If you're off-pace, let other cars pass you. I would be upset if I were off-pace in a VIDEO GAME, but NOT reality. Don't make up being off-pace by ruining others' days. You're only going to shine in a sport if you work to improve your abilities. Milka needs some vast improvement if she's to avoid lame duck status in this series. It would be being a bad sport to wish someone never succeeds in a sport. That's not me. I'm just saying that if she's going to prosper in this series, she'll need to do what Sarah Fisher done in her first tour of duty in the IndyCar Series, and especially what Danica Patrick has done.
ESPNEWS had a new segment called "Pregame Aircheck." It was basically an "Around the Horn"-style show where three different commentators are called up to offer opinions on sporting events. The final question involved if Danica Patrick is out of control with some of her mix-ups. Here were the responses by three different people:
Is Danica out of control?
Beto Duran:
who is she to give anyone advice on racing?
Andrew ???:
remarkable restraint from incident as towel thrown in her face; fair game as it's between two women and not a guy vs. a girl.
Kevin Sheehan:
not manufactured drama; will save the IndyCar Series with a new rivalry each month; understands marketing and merchanding
Ready for a Texas-style sound off? I know you are. So here you go, piping hot from Houston's own
JohnBM01:
John Sounds Off! - Missing the Point
Danica Patrick can care less about marketing as her and Milka have had confrontation. This is really the damndest shame because some people see this more as marketing hype than actually pinpointing the situation. I'm personally disappointed about what this situation has become as opposed to what this is really and truly about. I'll find a few key point to use in my angry rant.
Marketing Device?
You can't just follow one story and make it out to be a pitch to get the IndyCar Series more exposure. You know what this reminds me of? It reminds me of Jackass "fanboys" on YouTube making asses out of themselves just to be noticed by people who lower themselves to watch these idiots and like what they do. It's like, "do we have to see a little kid get owned by an animal or accidentally hit by an older person? Do we have to keep seeing college frat boys damn near kill themselves pulling off stupid stunts?" Since when did the IndyCar Series need something like this to boost ratings and get attention? This is just a cheap and stupid way to get attention if you see this as an attention-getter. Sure, it was an attention-getter to see Danica and Milka have some disagreements. But I don't think people are going to stop watching NASCAR just to see these two go at it. If both Danica Patrick and Milka Duno both can consistently place in the Top 5, THEN it would be a bigger deal than it already is. An analogy to this issue would be like a Miss Universe winner being heckled by someone who placed dead last or near the bottom. No jealousy or anything was involved. It was simply one driver not driving too professionally and getting underneath the skin of a more talented racer.
That's what's wrong with the media in general (I should know this because I want to be my own motorsports journalist and announcer). We overlook actual facts and only focus on "marketable" elements. You can't keep relying on things like this to offer such opinions on racing series. This is a great series that doesn't need
Danica Out of Control?
Damn it to hell, I'm sick of this bulls:censored: thinking of Danica as a ticking timebomb. We're totally neglecting that Danica Patrick is an immensely talented racer. We're forgetting that Danica Patrick won more races than Milka Duno. We're thinking of Danica as a firecracker, but we're forgetting that she's a very good racer. Not great, but very good. We only focus on half of what Danica really is. Is she Tony Stewart? Is she Kyle Busch? No and no. But still, people make her out and note her as being a hothead. Images of her making that angry stomp on the track as well as Danica having a word with Ryan Briscoe at Indy this year. Like every other racer has a ho-hum attitude about being blocked or out of a race. If that's true, then Paul Tracy and Alex Tagliani at San José climbed out of the car to go drink some Labatt Blue and put aside their differences. If Danica were REALLY a hothead, then she would have went after Milka Duno like Ron Artest in the Pistons/Pacers brawl back in 2004. But Danica's not like that. She has class even when she's not having a good day.
Danica isn't out of control; she's just trying to be competitive. This ties into something Danica said once. Because Danica is a female racer, she tends to get a little extra attention because she's a femme. Some people just look at her like she's the "Rowdy Busch" of the IndyCar Series. I hate this to be honest. Danica Patrick is just trying to show Milka Duno the error of her ways, and the media portrays her as this feisty hellcat. I just don't like this, damn it.
And who's this Beto Duran dope talking about who Danica is to give racing advice? She won a race and usually finishes in the Top 10. So who the hell are YOU questioning Danica's racing ability? If she was truly the hothead, she would just be spinning out other racers, right? Ask for her opinion on this incident. She'll probably say that she just wanted to chat with Milka Duno about her racing. Let's not make this just a way for guys in my age range (18-25) to want to watch the IndyCar Series. I NEVER let rivalries get me into racing. I've liked the IndyCar Series well before this incident.
In Closing
This may get casual fans into the IndyCar Series, but don't rely on this to bring in more fans. Danica is only a terrible racer if you keep seeing her as a firecracker. It's the media's fault that she keeps being portrayed as this time bomb. Only caring about moments like these rather than some of the close finishes and intense racing. Is the American economy that bad that we have to market uninteresting aspects to get more viewers? Doesn't that sound familiar? If you're not going to care more about racing as opposed to crashes and incidents like this, get the hell out of motorsports journalism and don't come back unless you actually figure out what's more important.
I just wish more naysayers just shut the f:censored: up. Have your say. Edmonton is next.