|
Danica
Patrick is the best female driver coming up through the
ranks |
I'm sitting there flipping the pages of the January 28th edition of Autoweek when I came across the
profile penned by Curt Gavin of what I concur could be the 'hottest' American talent to come through open-wheel racing in years. On comes an annoying Mervyn's commercial and I thought, if only they had this young lady, Danica Patrick, pitching the retailer -- I wouldn't be so quick to hit the remote control button.
CART's recent announcement of Chris Kneifel's management reassignment to a more active role in driver development indicates Chris Pook's desire to focus equal attention to strategic and tactical improvement. One has to hope Kneifel reads this article
http://www.motorsportcollector.com/2000FFFestival01.html and looks deeper into Danica Patrick's accomplishments as a young up-and-coming driver.
|
Lot's
of male race fans are going to think she's uh,
um.....pretty 'hot' |
As much as various levels of CART management afford opportunity equally within their ranks, it should be recognized that some drivers possess far more value as a marketing phenomenon for CART and corporate America than others. For this reason, it is extremely important that Danica Patrick, who captured a second place podium in the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch, England, the highest finishing American since Danny Sullivan in 1978, be provided the best resources CART and its corporate sponsors, have to offer.
Target may not want to extend their campaign to Toyota Atlantic's but a sister brand like Mervyn's, could fair just as well by incorporating this young lady into their marketing strategy. This is where I believe marketing executives truly miss the mark and squander opportunity to improve brand recognition among race fans. By the time they realize what's on the table, it's stale or in someone else's camp.
She could be the Mia Hamm of motorsports. One can only envision the value this Roscoe, Illinois, native, an accomplished and attractive19-year-old, can bring to a fledging development series like Toyota Atlantic's within the CART community. This probably explains her confidence in participating in at least a portion of the Atlantic season. Hopefully she will run enough events to allow serious contention for the rookie of the year honors.
Related
article from 2000
Meet Danica Patrick, five foot one inch tall,
19 years old, from Roscoe, Illinois. She now lives near Birmingham, England and is running a
Formula Ford for Haywood Racing Team, the McLaren of Formula Ford teams. She has been racing Go-Karts since she was 10 years old, broke her first track record that year and ultimately became a five-time Grand National Go-Kart Champion by the time she was 16, when she effectively "aged out" and switched from karts to open wheel race cars.
Last year, she ran in Formula Vauxhall in the UK at all the legendary racing circuits in England:
Donington, Silverstone, Thruxton, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and Snetterton. It was an eventful year but not a particularly auspicious one; although she was named Driver of the Race at
Snetterton. Still, her performances had a telling indicator about them
as she was consistently quicker than her teammates. She was also adept at moving up during the races, regularly qualifying 11th or so but finishing higher, as high as 5th and 6th out of a field of 20 competitors.
The Autosport report on her race in Formula Vauxhall at Silverstone on September 19, 1999, sums up her progress:
"Danica Patrick drove her best race of the year and took sixth place, despite it being her first car race in wet conditions."
Through her agents, the John Mecom Group of Houston, Texas, she has met Jackie Stewart - a man known to have a nose for talent - out at the Milton Keynes Stewart-Jaguar factory.
Danica's parents have also received a letter of encouragement from Bernie Ecclestone approving of her competing in Formula Ford this year. Writes Bernie: "This is by far the best way to gain the experience for her future. Tell her not to give up, she will just have to mix with the boys and fight harder for her position. I hope everything works out for her."
Although she has appeared on MTV and ABC shows in the States featuring young women in sports, what she does day in and day out in the North Country of England is far from glamorous. While the Formula One cars abandon England in the winter to test in sunnier
places like Barcelona or Jerez in Spain, Danica and the Formula Ford crowd test in the chill and even in the snow of the West Midlands. She misses her toasty home in Illinois on occasion.
Feedback
can be sent to feedback@autoracing1.com
Go to
our forums
to discuss this article
|
Martin Basso
News and Commentary
