Daytona 500 2012 Predictions: Don't Expect Greatness from Danica Patrick

If you think Linsanity and Tebow Time are over-hyped, just imagine what life will be like if Danica Patrick manages to win the Daytona 500.

And you know what? I have no problem admitting that I want it to happen. The media hype would be unbearable, but it would simply be too cool to see Patrick win NASCAR's most prestigious race. 

The odds are against Patrick, of course. At present, the folks at Bovada have her listed as a 75/1 longshot. There are only a handful of drivers in the field with worse odds.

There are plenty of good reasons why Patrick is such a significant underdog. We may as well run through them one by one.

First, this is Patrick's debut at the Daytona 500. That obviously doesn't mean she is automatically excluded from the possibility of winning, but you have to favor the more experienced drivers who have been there and done that at Daytona International Speedway.

It also should not be overlooked that this isn't just Patrick's Daytona 500 debut. This is her Sprint Cup debut. The competition is going to be much stiffer than she's used to. If she wants to win (and she does), she'll have to beat the absolute best of the best.

We can take it for granted that the best of the best would rather not be beaten by Patrick. They know who she is, and they know all about the attention she gets from the national media. Whether she knows it or not (she probably does), Patrick has a target on her back.

But most importantly, it should be noted that winning is not exactly Patrick's specialty. She's been racing professionally for quite a while at this point, and she has won exactly one race. That was back in 2008 in the IndyCar Series. 

To her credit, Patrick has shown an ability to compete in the Nationwide Series, but competing and winning are two very different things. She'll hold her own at the Daytona 500, but that won't be good enough.

So you can see why Patrick is such a longshot. Virtually nothing in her track record suggests she should be counted as a favorite to actually win the Daytona 500.

Sure, the unexpected can happen. In fact, it happened last year when Trevor Bayne won the whole thing. Few people had any clue who he was, but there he was. It was a damn good story.

But all damn good stories should only be hoped for. They should never be planned for. 

Don't plan on seeing Danica Patrick winning the Daytona 500.

Predicted Finish: 26th