Danica Patrick’s NASCAR career has not been one to write home about, but she’s had her fair share of achievements, which cannot be brushed out. She has a pole in Daytona, and even logged seven top 10 appearances in the sport, including one in the iconic circuit. Still, Patrick has always been a criticized figure, and Kyle Petty, one of NASCAR’s greats, took swipes at her even before she entered the racing fraternity.
Kyle Petty stated in 2010 that while Patrickpossessed talent and commanded considerable marketing power, she hadn’t replicated the race-winning achievements of counterparts like Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, or Tony Stewart. He argued she would generate instant buzz for NASCAR, but only sustained success would validate her long-term presence in the sport.
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Petty expanded on his assessment during Speed Channel’s NASCAR RaceHub program. “They (open-wheel) took her, and the marketing machine that she is, and they went there… She’s just a marketing machine, so when you look at it like that, from what she does on the racetrack… She’s going to help the sport, she’s going to help the publicity of the sport, she’s going to help a lot of that stuff.”
Of course, Patrick wasn’t a fan of what said. But instead of firing back at the icon, she decided to shrug it off.
She addressed criticism of her NASCAR career from the former driver turned television analyst, insisting his commentary carried no weight with her. She declared,“I really don’t care. I don’t. It’s true there are plenty of people who say really bad things about me. I hear about them, or I read them, or I read them on Twitter. People want me to die. At the end of the day, you just get over that kind of stuff.”
Patrick emphasized trusting in her work and the faith of those around her. “All you can do is trust that you’re doing a good job, and that’s all that matters, and the people around you believe in you.” Patrick actually found fun in Petty’s assertion that she could qualify but couldn’t race. Keeping her team satisfied mattered most to her, and they were progressing in the right direction.
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And instead of addressing such criticisms, Patrick decided to focus entirely on improving her feel with the car, developing a better feel behind the wheel, and acclimating to the machinery to produce stronger finishes.
That’s because she understood that the scrutiny came with the territory, particularly given the attention surrounding her transition from open-wheel competition to stock cars and probably being a woman. The spotlight magnified every misstep while minimizing incremental progress.
The marketing machine label, while reductive, did indicate the commercial reality of her presence in NASCAR. It is certain that sponsors gravitated toward Patrick because she delivered eyeballs and generated conversation, assets that translated into tangible value regardless of win totals. Her ability to attract attention created opportunities that might not have materialized for drivers with comparable on-track results but lower profiles.
Still, being in a male-dominated sport and that too at the highest level, and securing top 10 results multiple times, was not a small feat at all.
The post ‘Not A Driver, Just A Marketing Machine’: When Danica Patrick Shrugged Off Kyle Petty’s Harsh Criticism appeared first on The SportsRush.
