NASCAR: Danica's Silver Spoon Racing Concept

Racin’ with Russ—the latest episode for Danica Patrick’s entry into stock car racing—has me and a lot of other race fans up in arms about how the diminutive princess of racing will gain entry into this year’s Daytona 500 without ever having been in a Sprint Cup race before!

Yes, she’s pretty and yes, she is certainly marketable, whether it be open wheel Indy cars or taxi-cab style stock cars. The sponsors, starting with GoDaddy.com, are forever lining up to back the photogenic 29-year-old driver.

For most aspiring drivers, talent is the barometer among other things to gain backing. That hasn’t necessarily been the case for Patrick.

Before she started her Indy car career with Rahal Racing, her latest win was not in Europe in Formula Ford or America in Formula Atlantic, but rather way back in the days of go-kart racing!

Yes, she led her first laps as a rookie at Indy and yes, she ultimately won an Indy race in Japan, where all the stars and moons lined up correctly with gas economy strategy and a confused Helio Castroneves letting her think she was a lap down!

Enter the stock car scene. She didn’t start with some so-so team with marginal equipment or even have to qualify on her own. No, she had some of the best stuff with JR Motorsports and always a guaranteed starting spot, leaving qualifying just a formality. Even during the weeks she was off, someone else drove the car in order to keep it among the guaranteed starters.

So, with Indy car racing in the rear view mirror, Patrick puts together yet another top shelf situation with Stewart-Haas Racing alongside mentors Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman and GoDaddy.com as backer.

But the corporate wheels have been in overdrive at SHR to figure out how to get Patrick into the big show with marginal worries. At one point, it was said Stewart debated about giving her the points status of his No. 14 and he would qualify on his own each week.

Surely there was a better idea for all concerned, well almost all concerned.

Enter Tommy Baldwin Racing. This relatively new team was certainly in position for a better idea, and this one is a doozy.

TBR driver Dave Blaney managed to stay among the top 35 in points last year with consistent runs. Patrick is slated to run 10 Sprint Cup races this year. New driver David Reutimann was slated for a partial season in the No. 36, so why not combine the two? And that’s just what they did.

Danica will drive 10 races starting with the Daytona 500 and when not in the car for the other 26, Reutimann will pilot the car and more than likely keep the car in the top 35, allowing Patrick to slide in and out of the drivers seat without worrying about qualifying for the shows.

What a deal!

Is this legit? Oh yeah, and while it appears to be a win-win for SHR, TBR and NASCAR in general, the fans are the losers in not being able to see what Patrick can do on her own merits, which includes the unbelievable pressures involved in making each show.

Surely this is points and money at work at the highest level. After all, with the latest record breaking purse for the Great American Race, Patrick will be guaranteed at least $200,000 just for taking the green flag.

I’ve been following racing for a very long time, and I can never remember a driver, male or female, been given so many opportunities financially and otherwise to be successful.

It shouldn’t take very long to see if this silver spoon method of getting into racing works or not. One thing is for sure, with the quality of equipment, personnel and resources (read money), there are no excuses available not to achieve success.

What do you think? Should Patrick be allowed to slip through the cracks and gain entry to the biggest race of the year despite never having taken a Sprint Cup green flag before?

Me? I say no, but I’m also from the old school that feels the fastest 43 cars on any given weekend should start the race regardless of points status or celebrity.