Bravo, Danica, Bravo!

By Trey Cosby

Now it’s true that I don’t know much about auto racing because I am not a fan, but I do pay attention from time to time.  I know that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a fan favorite because of his dad and some races that he has won.  Jr., I am told, is a no nonsense guy who is easy to market because of his personality, and I understand that the ladies like him because he is notably single.  Dale Earnhardt Sr. was a superstar in the sport, very well liked and popular among all racing fans, so the chip off the old block is a nice continuation of Dale Sr. And, Jr. is someone who we can all relate to if we have lost loved ones.  Dale Jr. is all that fans of Dale Sr. have to hold onto now that he is gone, so it’s great for so many racing fans to love Dale Jr. like they did Dale Sr.

Auto racing is a sport that I wish I knew more about, but I just haven’t taken the time to watch it or go to any events.  My step dad has been going to the Indy 500 for many years, so I listen to bits and pieces of what he knows about the sport.  I realize that racing is beloved by so many people from the South, and that they watch it religiously every single Sunday.  Then I have knowledge of some races that Jeff Gordon has won over the years, and I know he is one of the most popular drivers on the planet.  I grew up watching Richard Petty and A. J. Foyt and Mario Andretti on occasion so it would be pretty easy to point out their cars if I was gazing at someone’s lineup. Awesome Bill from Dawsonville (Bill Elliott) is a familiar name because he is from a town that is very close in proximity to the neighborhood that I grew up in.

I do not have much of an auto racing vocabulary, and I certainly cannot tell you who is winning races from week to week.  There is one thing that I do know, and that is the fact the Danica Patrick is the only woman racer.  I know this because she is a very beautiful woman who I have seen on the pages of a few fashion modeling magazines.  Patrick is known as a fierce competitor with a very strong following in the sport of auto racing, from both men and women.  I have read a few articles about her, and I am intrigued by the fact that she would choose such a unique sport as it pertains to women.  In 2005, she graced the cover of Sports Illustrated for a powerful finish in one of her races, so I have witnessed her there as well.  I have a great admiration for anyone who would choose to make a living against what looks like such insurmountable odds, so I am ecstatic to be able to report that the young Miss Patrick has won her first Indy Car Race.

It took her 50 starts to do it, but Danica Patrick finally got off the losing column when she won the Japan 300 on Saturday night.  A legitimate win versus legitimate competition—very impressive indeed.

Critics will point out that there were some special circumstances, where not all the competitors showed up for the race.  For some reason, only 18 cars were involved in the race, which I am told is about six or seven cars short compared to most Indy Car races.  Apparently, there were quite a few champion-style racers who did not show up for the race because another race of higher caliber was going on in the United States.  Some will say that the victory is cheapened because of this, but I disagree.

It was not Danica Patrick’s fault that the race did not deliver the proper competition, and it does not make a difference that those rare circumstances occurred.  She put on her uniform just like she always does and got behind the wheel of her car.  Then she used some very savvy tactics to be able to keep gas in her car after her last pit stop on lap 148.  This was brilliant driving.  When she passed Helio Castroneves on one of the final laps of the 200 lap race, Danica Patrick made history!  She is now the very first female racer to win an Indy Car Race.  Bravo, Danica, Bravo!

Now the very popular marketing cover-girl can finally shed the image that was so much like Anna Kournikova.  In an instant she has gone from “Danica Patrick, Indy Car Racer” to “Danica Patrick, Indy Car Race Winner.”

It is a breakthrough for young women everywhere.  This is more than just a victory on a racetrack, it is a victory in determination and work ethic.  Now that Patrick has finally won a race after starting 50 races, she has proven that there can be a level playing field when women and men are competing against each other.  It is a story of precious inspiration that will empower women all over the world.  As a man who knows that women are treated unfairly in many situations like this, I am happy to see where a woman has torn down the walls of competitive racing and proven that anyone can do what they want to do as long as they put their best foot forward.  I will say it again and mean it: BRAVO, DANICA, BRAVO!