One of these days, someone is going to forget that Danica Patrick is a "lady" and haul off and ...
Well, you know.
And she'll have no one to blame but herself.
How many times has she put her hands on another driver in a fit of pique after a wreck? Ask Jaques Lazier (Fontana, 2005). Ask Dan Wheldon (Milwaukee, 2007).
She hides behind her gender, knowing no one dares get physical with a female (except another female, like, say, Milka Duno at Mid-Ohio in 2008).
The latest incident happened Sunday in the Indy Racing League's 2009 opener at St. Petersburg, Fla. Patrick and Raphael Matos (an IndyCar Series rookie, but at 27, the same age as Patrick, not an inexperienced driver) collided in a turn and wrecked.
Video replays seemed to support Patrick's later contention that Matos, who was trying to pass in tight quarters, was to blame for the crash.
What wasn't clear from the video was how, exactly, she dealt with him immediately after exiting her car. According to The Associated Press report, Patrick "patted Matos on the helmet as if to say 'Use your head.' " Then the two had "a lively discussion" while they waited for a ride back to pit lane.
"A lively discussion." I'm sure it was.
Again, only Patrick and Matos really know what the nature of her helmet-pat was, but do you think he might have taken exception had anyone else in the field (read, any male driver) done the same thing? "Put your hand there again, pal, and you might not get it back" would have been a perfectly understandable response.
The funny thing is, as exasperating as Patrick's "tough guy" routine is, it's also refreshing. I mean, I'm writing about the IRL and you're reading about it. If you're an open-wheel junkie and will read anything on the subject, fine, but there are a lot more people who wouldn't know Tony Kanaan from Tony the Tiger who are here just because the headline said something about "Danica."
Of course, a lot of you are merely looking for the link to her photo gallery. Can't say that I blame you.
But Danica would be good for racing even if she looked like A.J. Foyt. Not because she's such a great driver (although she's better than a lot of people are willing to give her credit for), but because she's passionate and feisty and fiery. She lets her real emotions show, even if they sometimes reveal her inner 2-year-old.
She's wasting a huge opportunity by staying in the IRL, though. To most of America, it begins and ends with the Indy 500. Otherwise it might as well have gone out of business once they stopped running those Andy Granatelli STP commercials.
Imagine what Danica could do for NASCAR. The stock car circuit could use a guy with a little fire, even if he's a girl. It'd be better than the ultra-careful, never-say-anything-bad-about-the-other-guy, corporate-spokesman-types they have behind the wheel right now.
Take away the one guy who can stir most fans' emotions (but only because of his last name), and what have you got? You've got the PGA Tour without Tiger Woods, that's what you've
