The Official Danica Patrick Fan Site

Daytona - 2013

Discuss the COPD 300 and the Daytona 500 here.

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Permalink Reply by Daniel on February 24, 2013 at 9:00am

Heading out to the track soon; good luck D! I'll be using the force for you to go faster! :-)

If the block did get away from the car a solution would be those tethers that absorb the energy 'slowly' over 3 feet or so. That way it would be less likely to shear away from whatever attachment points.

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Permalink Reply by Becky on February 24, 2013 at 9:35am

Honestly, as much as Jeff Gluck bugs me at least you feel like he really likes and has a passion for the sport he covers but Utter just seems miserable and hates everything about Nascar (with the exception of a few drivers).

Damon said:

I wish they take the man's credentials away, he's a punk on every level and doesn't deserve to have a job that pays him.

Becky said:

Our buddy Jim Utter is crying about NASCAR taking down YouTube videos of the accident... Shouldn't Utter be out reporting instead of worrying about people viewing YouTube?

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Permalink Reply by Becky on February 24, 2013 at 9:38am

As a follow-up to Danica's effort in the Nationwide race yesterday. I thought Brandon her new spotter did a really good job...he had a very calm, patient, tone in the midst of some of that chaos.

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Permalink Reply by Damon on February 24, 2013 at 9:56am

On the start, I'm hoping she gets a good jump and Kyle Busch sticks with her, pushes her to the lead and allows her to clear the inside line before he makes his run to the lead, but I'm not betting on it. C'mon Kyle.....do the right thing :) .

Outside of that, I'd love to see her lead multiple times today just to shut up that annoying Kyle Petty who thinks she'll only lead lap 1 and that'll be it.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Huntington on February 24, 2013 at 4:42pm

Great race girl. Steady all day. I think she got a litte rookie flummoxed a bit on the last lap and gave up too many places but all in all, fantastic.

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Permalink Reply by Becky on February 24, 2013 at 5:02pm

Solid run today by Danica Patrick... Way to back-up all the media attention this week. A little bit more experience and she wins this thing. :)

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Permalink Reply by Damon on February 24, 2013 at 5:11pm

Gotta have some help though and hopefully at Talladega she gets that and we all know the 88 won't help anybody but the 88.

Becky said:

Solid run today by Danica Patrick... Way to back-up all the media attention this week. A little bit more experience and she wins this thing. :)

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Permalink Reply by PhilipJames on February 24, 2013 at 5:14pm

First of all, I am glad she made it to the end of this wreck race. Secondly, I think she got stuck with Biffle and he was not going anywhere. If she had dropped to bottom I think Dale would have just gone past her anyway and she would have ended up further back.

Its too bad that Newman could not have hooked up with her but they just did not have a chance to do that.

I think that based on the way the cars were, she really could not have done better.... other than getting some sort of commitment from Dale to get behind her but he has never been that kind of guy... he drives for himself and I have no doubt he would have jumped around her leaving her hanging out there.

Now she has some points in first race and how about lets get some more in the next one.

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Permalink Reply by Damon on February 24, 2013 at 5:43pm

Yes, currently 7th in Cup points :)

BTW- She had the second best driver rating of anybody in today's race, behind only Jimmie Johnson.......that's huge.

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Permalink Reply by Roni Johnson on February 24, 2013 at 5:47pm

Danica is disappointed obviously with her finish considering she was in 3rd with less than a lap to go. I understand that certainly. But she is a rookie really at Daytona in a Cup car. Everyone should remember she didn't really race last year since she was taken out on lap 1. So, it is totally understandable that she didn't know what move to make on the final lap. Shoot she took the safe bet and rode where she was in 3rd. What other rookie would have done differently and when you factor in who she is and the unlikelihood that anyone would have dropped done with her if she had made a move. She learned that lesson in her Arca race when she dropped out of 4th or 5th and dropped back.

So, she needs to focus on how great she really did and all she accomplished in the last week, the history she made and the fact she is in the top 10 in points! :) She beat her boyfriend and has a leg up on Rookie of the Year. She did NOT let her fans, teams or sponsors down. She kept her composure when she found her self in the middle, she made solid pit stops without ruining tires etc.

Yes, she has high expectations for her self and wants to win. That is why we love to follow her. But for now, she needs to enjoy the moment and the positives. Listen to Mark Martin, be happy for the moment and not dwell on what hasn't been accomplished.

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Permalink Reply by Roni Johnson on February 24, 2013 at 5:52pm

Another interesting perspective is that she's only the 13th person to lead both the indy 500 and Daytona 500. How many other open wheelers have done better in their 11 Cup start? Hornish, Dario, Juan, AJ? Tony maybe?

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Permalink Reply by Scott on February 24, 2013 at 5:54pm

I feel the same way about Gluck. I can at least dismiss some of his bias and snark to his love for the under-funded guys like Landon Cassill. Utter and some other guy's issues are a whole different deal.

Becky said:

Honestly, as much as Jeff Gluck bugs me at least you feel like he really likes and has a passion for the sport he covers but Utter just seems miserable and hates everything about Nascar (with the exception of a few drivers).