Daytona 500 Qualifying: Danica Patrick's Automatic Bid Unfair to Other Drivers

We’ve all heard of the expression ladies first, but that shouldn’t apply for the Daytona 500.

This past weekend marked some tense moments for drivers looking to make the cut at the Daytona 500 qualifying event. Some were veterans, some were young guns looking for their first crack at “The Great American Race." Then there was Trevor Bayner.

That’s right, the 20-year-old that was the youngest racer to ever win the event just one year ago didn’t get the automatic invite. He only raced a partial schedule, so by NASCAR rules he can’t get the automatic nod.

But Danica Patrick did.

The most famous female driver in the sport is making her transition to NASCAR and will be driving in roughly half of the races this season, just like what Bayner did last year. The difference is that Patrick, who drives for Stewart-Haas Racing, had a deal negotiated with Tommy Baldwin Racing to ensure that she is in Sunday’s race. That’s not right. You have to earn the right to race in the greatest race of the season. Danica gets to go based on star power.

A reporter foolishly asked her if she felt nervous on the track while practicing the course and watching others sweat to the final .5^th of their run. She sounded incredibly relaxed as if she had raced in the even 10 times already (via Fox News):

"

It’s a little less nerve-wracking because there is a little less to worry about as a driver. But to say that I wasn’t nervous at all is a lie. Of course I was, a little bit. I want to do a good job and I want to have a nice pretty smooth line out there and I want to do through the shifts nicely. But anyway, as far as nerves go, it was less nerve-wracking.

"

The top 35 drivers in last year’s Sprint Cup automatically qualify, but the rest of the spots are up for grabs. Bayner ended up making the cut, but he shouldn’t have ever been placed in that situation. He is already a legend at the track. Danica has no connection to the course and is just another newbie looking to make her mark.

Something about the whole process doesn’t make sense and the rules need to change. Ladies first? How about fastest driver first?