Danica Patrick NASCAR: Pros and Cons of Patrick Exclusively Racing for NASCAR
From the first moment it was announced that Danica Patrick would be coming to NASCAR, talk started about when she'd step into a stock car full-time. Recent rumors have slated her to come to NASCAR full-time next season, but what would the pros and cons of this move be for both NASCAR and Patrick? Let's find out.
Pro No. 1: More Seat Time
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Danica Patrick has hopped back and forth between the Indy and stock cars for the last few years, and it hasn't given her the feel she needs when it comes to NASCAR. Drivers have said it is hard to adjust from open wheel to stock cars so this may give her a chance to actually learn the feel.
Con No. 1: Her IndyCar Excuse Is Gone
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When Danica Patrick runs badly in a race, the excuse can't be used that bouncing between cars is hurting her. While there will be a learning curve, Patrick fans have to admit that she is just learning the car and have to stop blaming her double ride.
Pro No. 2: She Can Finally Really Learn the Language
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Last season, Danica Patrick made the comment that the language between the two cars was so different that she was struggling to understand what was being said on the radio. She can now focus on really learning the language and not have to worry about using the wrong words in the wrong cars.
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Con No. 2: The Other Girls in NASCAR Lose Attention When She's in the Race
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While this may seem to be a bit of a funny con, it is true. When Danica Patrick is in a Nationwide race, all other females in the race are forgotten about. This could be turned into a pro if the commentators and other media pointed out how many females were in the race and focused on all of them instead of just Patrick.
Pro No. 3: It Brings More Attention to NASCAR
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When Danica Patrick is running, more people tune in, even if it's just for a minute to see what she's doing. If she's in the series full-time, NASCAR benefits with more Danica fans coming in full-time. This should sell more of her merchandise and possibly even lift ratings, especially if she runs in the Cup.
Con No. 3: More Hype Will Appear
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This is probably a bigger con for Danica Patrick than for NASCAR. While she is well aware of the hype feeling, if she fails, the falling out for her will be bigger.
The question is, how long will people give her to really get her feet wet before they write her off?
Conclusion
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Overall, Danica Patrick moving to NASCAR full-time could turn into NASCAR's dream public relations situation.
While Patrick takes on more of a risk of failure if she doesn't figure out the cars and set up, NASCAR can advertise her more heavily as a full-time driver than they can when she is only driving part-time. However, get ready for the conspiracies to appear if Patrick makes a championship run in her first few full-time seasons.
A full-time moves seems as though it would be a win-win for NASCAR, but can the same be said for Patrick?
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