Checkered Past

Which Patrick persona will win?

What’s the bigger draw, Danica Patrick fans, what she does behind the wheel or in front of the lens?

Patrick, the IndyCar Series most popular driver and one-race winner, may be far more widely known through her two appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and as a spokesmodel for GoDaddy.com and Tissot watches, among other ventures. Such is her star power that she is joined by NASCAR’s runaway most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., in the bullpen for the Internet outfit.

And now, even her tattoo may be pulling away from Patrick’s driving in attention span land.

“Dude, SI is Lame!,” L.A. Snark proclaims on TheWeek.com. Quoting heavily from TheScore.com,  Sir Snark reports that Sports Illustrated’s photo editors digitally removed Patrick’s American Flag tattoo.

“What is the deal with that, they show nipples through shear bikini tops and painted-on bikinis, but NOT an American Flag tattoo? Plus here is the kicker, Danica was in last year’s swimsuit issue and the tat wasn’t airbrushed out.”

And, both sites say, SI offered little in the way of explanation.

Said TheScore.com:  “Officials for Sports Illustrated acknowledged digitally removing Patrick’s tattoo. Patrick’s handlers said she was aware of the touch-up before the photos were published and was fine with the adjustments.”

Also noted was a photo editor’s controversial and digital removal of a neck tattoo and earrings from a cover photo of NBA player Allen Iverson. Patriotism aside – if that’s also in play – such treatment of photographic images has prompted the writing of policies and even scarred the permanent records of practitioners in publishing houses both large and small.

But back to Patrick.

She’s won once in the IndyCar Series, the top American open-wheel racing outfit. And that was on a fuel-mileage gamble her team took during a race in Japan last season. NASCAR crew chief extraordinaire Chad Knaus has been hailed for his genius whenever that roll of the dice helps three-time champion Jimmie Johnson immediately pass “go” and proceed directly to victory lane, too. So, yes, a win is a win.

But now Patrick is being mentioned as a potential candidate by the Formula One start-up team to be based in Charlotte. U.S. involvement in the world’s biggest and richest auto racing series has diminished is recent decades, to put it charitably. There are only two men with U.S. citizenship listed among world driving champions, Phil Hill and Mario Andretti.

There is no U.S. Grand Prix on the current schedule and even Canada has lost its place on the F1 calendar. But the fact that Patrick would be the only woman on the grid has certainly not been lost on those in the elite paddock, on the yachts moored nearby or anyone involved with the fledgling U.S.-based team.

Only Patrick, her agent and the new team’s principals know if she has gotten the call – she hadn’t earlier this week, she said - even while her name is being bandied about with those of other drivers, none of who are models in their second jobs.

In scoring for this week’s open testing for IndyCar teams at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway, Patrick was listed 14th fastest at 209.333 mph.

That was somewhat off the pace set by Ryan Briscoe 212.156, but was faster than Milka Duno, Patrick’s sometimes rival. (But who isn’t?) Duno, who put up 208.984 mph, is the Venezuelan model-turned-driver with the distinction of having the best finish of any woman in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The IndyCar Series teams go to a road course near Birmingham, Ala., for more testing in late March. Then they’ll open their season with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg the first weekend of April.

It will remain until then to be seen if Patrick’s on-track persona or that of America’s fastest model will be The Story. Same for how any news about the driver and team that actually win the race will be played and remembered.

But to quote the great poet-philosopher Tony Soprano: “Whatta ya gonna do?”

Write the Caption - What a blast ...

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McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain, right, sprays champagne to team boss Norbert Haug, left, after winning the German Grand Prix at the Hockenheim Formula One racetrack in Hockenheim, Germany, Sunday, July 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Write the Caption - So, boss man ...

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NASCAR driver Kyle Busch chats with NASCAR President Mike Helton before the start of practice laps for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway on June 20. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/McClatchy-Tribune photo).

Write the caption - Oohhh, I'm so-o-o-o-o mad!

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Danica Patrick walks back to her pit stall after a collision with Ryan Briscoe knocked her out of the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Tom Strickland)

Write the Caption - How many ...?

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NASCAR crew chief Chad Knaus gives instructions to crewmen as they work on driver Jimmie Johnson's Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet Friday afternoon during a break in practice at Lowe's Motor Speedway. JEFF SINER -- jsiner@charlotteobserver.com

Write the Caption - What's that you say, Junior?

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Cup driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) and team owner Rick Hendrick talk before Sunday's Aarons 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. (Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE)

A penny or two or three for more thoughts on NASCAR drug policy

Charlotte Observer colleague David Poole's wording on NASCAR's drug policy, in the "My 2 Cents" section of his column on ThatsRacin.com, is about as close to an indictment as I've seen on this touchy subject - so far at least.

Here's a little of what he said:

"It's clear NASCAR doesn't want the responsibility for establishing and enforcing a fair testing policy.

"It also is clear NASCAR officials really don't want to know some of the answers a real drug-testing policy might give them."

Here's that link again to more of it. And following is a modest sampling of what other writers are saying this week about the stock car racing and promotion company's drug policy, which currently relies on "reasonable suspicion," as opposed to random testing:

"... With over a 100,000 fans packed into the stands, and with many of those people sitting mere feet away from the racing surface, NASCAR officials just trust that none of these millionaire athletes have made bad decisions that day or the night before. And they base all that trust on the fact that not one of the drivers' employees - an employee who is relying on that driver to earn a living - has come forward.

"That's either the craziest thing I've ever heard or an unbelievable amount of respect for chain-link fencing."

- Josh Moon in the Montgomery Advertiser

Continue reading "A penny or two or three for more thoughts on NASCAR drug policy"

Write the Caption - Drug Test

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A NASCAR fan wears a shirt focusing on a recent drug story involving Aaron Fike (not pictured) during the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. (Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE)

What a race and what a disgrace

Bob Henry

a.k.a. TR.com guy

I don’t find myself agreeing with people on television too often. It’s a very seldom thing actually.

Yelling at the TV during any 6 o’clock “newscast” has been banned at our place for years, and by mutual consent. Not that either of us formally acknowledge or always remain in compliance with any such ban, of course.

“This just in ... Jerks without jobs, or any wish or hope of such engagement with responsible society, have stalked, robbed and killed an elderly east Charlotte woman. ... Film at 11.”

"Public official who was elected to spend our tax dollars wisely is arrested in prostitution sting ... Here's Mandy with details! ... Right after this word from our sponsor."

That’s what we hear sometimes, whether that's what the news readers actually say or not, of course.

I’ve never tried to encourage or observe any such ban on yelling while watching sports on the tube either. Sports might even be fairer and easier game. And, yeah, I might actually mute the whole system whenever anyone tries to say anything like cootchity-cootchity-cootchity-coo when a race starts.

But that’s not just so I can save the wear and tear on my throat while yelling at our TV set.

Continue reading "What a race and what a disgrace"

Write the Caption - Tool Time

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Dennis Setzer climbs out of his truck after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Kroger 250 in Martinsville, Va., Saturday, March 29. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)