Meeting Heroes

by Tammy

I've had a lot of opportunity to meet some amazing people in the world of motorsport, but what's interesting is that I didn't always realize how famous or important they were when I met them.

Like Denise McCluggage, an automotive journalist who won her class at Sebring one year. Or Ron Fellows. Or saying hello to Alan McNish and Dindo Capello in a Starbucks. Sharing an elevator with Tony Kanaan (the other TK!) and Marco Andretti (both shorter than you'd think). Or even my pal Doug Fehan.

But there are still people in the racing world I'd really love to have a conversation with. Or a photo with. People who, if they were to read my book, I would be floating for days.

My friends Barb and Mary got to meet one of my heroes the other weekend at the Circuit of the Americas. Yep, that's right, Leena Gade, race engineer. The first to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans (and she's done it twice). (Note that #TeamKate met Leena!)

So Leena tops my list. Danica's probably next. The other other TK is on it, Tom Kristensen (Mr. Le Mans, the 9-time winner). And Janet Guthrie—who I'd simply like to thank for persevering and breaking down some walls. Lastly, I'd really, really, really like to get my book into Jay Leno's hands!

That's my dream-meet list. What's yours? What racing heroes do you want to meet or talk to?

The Price of Fame

by Tammy

In this day and age, if you're famous—or even remotely known—everyone's going to comment on you. To a large extent, this is the product of our digital age, where everyone has a forum for commenting (thank you, Twitter and Facebook) and where media outlets by the hundreds look to fill their pages. We have commentators, pundits, and opinion-writers. And bloggers. And tweeters. Everyone has a microphone and we all think someone out there wants to hear what we have to say.

I covered this issue in Braking Points with Racing's Ringer, an anonymous racing blogger who likes to sling a lot of mud and who took a severe disliking to Kate Reilly. The Ringer spent a lot of time in the book trying to damage Kate's reputation and tear her down emotionally. Truly, it wasn't hard to create that character, with all the examples around us.

Kate works hard to take the Ringer's beating in stride, reminding herself that she's got a job and a paycheck and supportive sponsors, friends, and family. Because those are what count. Those are what tell Kate—or any real driver—that he or she is doing a good job. Not the bloggers, fans, or even pundits.

I bring this up because it's come up, again, for Danica. Kyle Petty, current NASCAR commentator for SPEED, former pro driver, son of The King (Richard Petty), called Danica "a marketing machine," but "not a racecar driver." (Read more about it.)

Some of you are going to be cheering at the thought of Danica being taken down a peg (you know who you are). My response ranges between "And you were better than that, Kyle?" and "Scoreboard, doubters"—meaning, look whose name is on the marquee or driver roster.

Jalopnik summed up my first response spectacularly well, suggesting, "Let's make a deal here: If it takes more than 173 races for her to win a Sprint Cup race, which is how long it took you, then you can joke with your buddies about how you're a real race car driver and she's just some girl with a steering wheel." But I realize that response, while satisfying and entertaining is, pun intended, petty.

I side with Danica, who marvels that people tweet her wishing her ill (or even outright harm) ... yet they still follow her. In response to the furor over Petty's words, Danica spoke with the media on Friday. The bottom line for her is this: "It's a little bit funny, but the most important thing to me is that I can keep my team happy, we're moving in the right direction, that Go Daddy is happy and that when you walk out of the garage or walk around the track and meet a little girl that wants to grow up to be like you then you're doing something right -- those are the things that feel right." (Read more of her comments.)

In other words, focus on what you can control, worry about being employed, take your satisfaction from seeing proof that little girls are inspired by you. Ignore the talking heads.

And here's my punditry: She may not be the best that ever was, and she may or may not be worth all the hype. But she's making the most of an opportunity. Don't we all? You go, girl.

(photo from danicapatrick.com)

Danica Does It

by Tammy (who's going to get all feminist on you)

I know, I know. You're going to tell me that pole position for a race as nutso and long as the Daytona 500 doesn't really matter. (Same as it didn't for the 24 Hours of Daytona.) I know. And you're going to tell me that being fast on the track alone doesn't much matter when it comes to driving with the pack in the race.

I know. And I DON'T CARE.

Because love her or hate her, respect her or not ... call it a fluke or a lucky collection of coincidences. There's still going to be a woman leading the field to the green flag next Sunday for the Daytona 500. For the first time ever in a NASCAR race.

Hip-hoo-freaking-ray!

I've been ambivalent over Danica's choices for a while (as if it's my right?), because plenty of them are ones I wouldn't make. That's fine; it's a fair country. I wondered, when some of my (male and female) friends asked, is she doing more harm to her cause than good by posing in bikinis and such. Should she not be doing that until she's, yanno, won more than one major race?

But something the excellent racing blogger Pressdog (he mostly likes open-wheel, but we're trying to convert him) said struck a chord with me: "she's playing by the rules of sponsorship/racing...." (Read his full post.)

Because that's the bottom line. As a racecar driver, you have to be good on the track and better off of it. And you use what you've got. Are we denigrating Dale Earnhardt Jr. for getting more attention because of his name? (I might sometimes, but by and large the fan base doesn't.) How about Carl Edwards for letting himself be used as a character in some NASCAR Harlequin novels? Then why denigrate Danica for trading on being female?

Use whatcha got.

Honestly, I want a female on pole in any racing series not to be an issue (hello, I'd like to see a female racing full-time in a sportscar series!) All I know is that I imagine this kind of conversation going on ...

Little girl racer: "I want to win pole for the Daytona 500."
Parent: "I don't know, no girl has ever done that."
Parent: "Why not? I've seen it done by another girl."

Even better would be, simply, "Why not? Of course you can." With no reference to gender at all.

Oh, The Emotion

by Tammy

Saturday was a particularly interesting day around racing for the emotion stirred up in a bunch of directions.

First, I felt shock and concern hearing about and then watching the violent accident Tim Bergmeister had at Fuji Speedway in a Porsche he was sharing with his brother Joerg (who I know slightly). He basically smacked a metal guardrail with the driver's door of his car at very, very high speed (link here if you want to see it, I'm not going to embed the video). The impact tore the door off the car, leaving the viewer able to see the driver with legs and arms at rest, not on pedals or the wheel. Tim is apparently all right, though there's some concern over the state of one lobe of his lung (fractured rib punctures, I believe).

Then the racing world held its breath watching Eric McClure go hard into the inside wall at Talladega. I can't be the only person who had flashbacks to Las Vegas in October. In this instance, the first scary moment was not seeing his window net come down. Then there were the swarms of workers around the car, and the cutting of the windscreen and peeling back of the roof. Finally the careful extraction of the driver onto a back-board and the rushing him to the life-flight helicopter.

McClure seems to be fine. There's been no real word on injuries, but there's been plenty of assurance the he was alert and talking to workers at every step along the way.

The universal reaction after the sigh of relief upon learning he'd be OK, was to say "thank goodness for HANS devices (above), SAFER barriers (at right, at Daytona), the Car of Tomorrow (NASCAR's redesign in part for safety), and big, protective seats." Agreed. I couldn't help but think that back in Dale Earnhardt's day, this crash would have killed McClure. Or Earnhardt's crash today wouldn't have killed him.

Then there was the melodrama and the petty feuds. In the heat of the last lap (the second two-lap-shootout to try to end the race, after the first one ended with McClure's crash and a lengthy red flag), Hornish pushed Danica into the wall (because of a tire going flat, apparently) and she retaliated by nudging him into the wall after the checkers.

Much was made in the Twitterverse of what a diva she is, that this is why people hate her. Many questions were asked about why she wasn't called to the NASCAR hauler and put on probation like Kyle Busch was for intentionally wrecking someone under yellow last year. (Beaux Barfield, IndyCar director of competition, made a good point in a Tweet: partly the decision whether to penalize or even reprimand is based on a pattern of behavior, or history; to extrapolate further, Danica doesn't have a track record for that, KyBu does.)

There was a lot of emotion swirling around about both events in the Nationwide race, with some people on Twitter making borderline offensive statements, others taking offense, still others defending, and on and on and on. Somewhere in that feed, I saw a quoted tweet in which someone had said to Ryan Truex, a driver in the race, "I hope you get hurt." Fortunately, this was making the rounds with "wtf?" kinds of comments and chastisement. (I'm still not sure why that was directed at Ryan Truex, unless he started one of the accidents?)

Now, I know this stuff happens. Sterling Marlin got death threats after starting the slide that sent Dale Earnhardt into the wall to his death. I'm writing a bit about similar passionate fan reaction in my second manuscript. But honestly ... I didn't expect to actually see it pop up in Twitter! When I write scenarios in my fiction, I figure I'm starting with real events and exaggerating them a WHOLE LOT.

But then, they say, truth is always stranger than fiction.

What did you all think about the accidents, reactions, and emotions this weekend?

What Success Requires

by Tammy

I'm writing, writing, writing these days (as is Simon; both of us are on deadline), so I'm pondering the whys and the how comes of racing more than I'm watching it. (Seriously, there's a moratorium on TV in my house until I finish this second manuscript.) And as I'm creating and exploring a multitude of characters in the racing world, I realized that in racing, as in life, it's not enough to only have talent.

Talent is a baseline, in racing as in any other endeavor. But you've got to have something else that gives you an edge. I heard a story about a guy who almost made it onto The Voice. He's a really good singer, but he had no story to bring tears to the masses. He had no hook. When it comes to selling a mystery, having a hook helps. I pitched myself as "The Dick Francis of auto racing, with a female racecar driver protagonist" (Simon will also claim to be the Dick Francis of auto racing, and I don't disagree. I think we can share the title).

When it comes to racing, you've got to have talent, but you've also got to have (forgive the pun) drive. Motivation, charisma. A story, connections. Something. I remember hearing a not-currently active driver who I'd seen race in years past described as "too nice to make it in racing." That's not to say you have to be a jerk to make it, but, let's be realistic. Willingness to win means a willingness to beat others. At some point, you've got to be willing to step on or bump aside the other guy to take the checkers first.

There's a business axiom that I quote often: Right, fast, or cheap. Pick two. 

Applied to racing, this might turn into something like this: Talent, story, or charisma. Pick two to survive. (By "charisma" I mean both the inner drive to succeed and the ability to communicate that to others.)

Of course, you won't do very well if you only have the story and charisma, but you'll still have opportunities. (Anna Kournikova, anyone? Admittedly, many will claim Danica falls into this category also.)

And if you have all three? Golden. Think Dale Earnhardt. Think Junior, if he can just start winning again (did you see the headlines from this weekend? NASCAR.com didn't feature "Kyle Wins!" No, it featured Stepping Up His Performance because Junior finished second).

Certainly there are different levels of talent among drivers, from so-so, to good, to great, to exceptional. But I also believe that in life many of us have the same talents, but some people will be wildly successful not because of raw talent, but because of undefinable extras. Charisma, hook, lightning strikes. This is true in racing as in publishing as in life.

Racing Interrupted

by Tammy

The big event of the weekend was to have been the Daytona 500. Instead it was rain.

The 500 is being run on Monday, because they were rained out, prompting plenty of sportsracing fans on Facebook to post many variations of the image on the right (I saw prototype and motorcycle pictures also, but of course, this was my favorite). See, sportscars race on road courses and in the rain. That's part of what makes it fun (and I think the drivers would mostly call it that).

I realize that cars can't race in the rain on ovals. I'm not saying they should. It's really just that the issue of being rained out calls ovals into question for me ... again.

We'll have to wait until Monday to see who wins the Daytona 500 this year. I doubt it'll be Danica (but these days, I wouldn't ever bet against Tony Stewart), but it will be interesting to see if she can hold her own with the big boys. She crashed hard in a preliminary race on Thursday, came back to take pole for the Nationwide race on Friday, then was bumped at the wrong spot during that race by her teammate. Someone pointed out that it's a lot easier to go fast alone on the track in a fast car (aka, her pole run) than it is to stay out of trouble in a pack of 43 cars for a full race. That's true. Watching the Nationwide race, I thought she looked like she was learning with every lap.

So we'll just see what she and the rest of the drivers can do. Once it stops raining. Or maybe we won't see, because we'll be at work and unable to watch.

What do you all think? Ovals? Worth it?

Here She Goes

by Tammy

In a wind-up worthy of the Indy 500 (which lasts most of a month), qualifying for next Sunday's Daytona 500 took place yesterday. I'm sure millions of NASCAR fans, desperate for some racing to follow on Sundays, breathed simultaneous sighs of relief. I'll admit, I followed the qualifying online, though I got my start-of-the-season fix a few weeks ago with the 24 Hours of Daytona.

To the media's credit, there have been plenty of story lines followed, including last year's winner, Trevor Bayne, needing to qualify on speed (only 43 cars can start, but 49 attempted to qualify), how last year's championship duelists (Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards) would fare (Edwards took the pole), how the new cars and engines would run, and ... oh yes, how that new girl would do.

Yep, Danica's finally starting her first full year in stock car racing. She'll compete in a few Sprint Cup races (NASCAR's top tier), and compete the full season in the Nationwide (second-tier) series. It's safe to say anticipation is high. It's also safe to say she'll be in the spotlight constantly, since she's driving for reigning champion Tony Stewart in Cup and media and fan darling Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in Nationwide. If you had to pick the three drivers the racing world most wants to drool over, it would be them. Every move will be scrutinized and dissected, all season.

Now, I know Simon's not a big fan of Danica's, but I also know that has mostly to do with Danica being over-hyped compared to her level of performance. I've gone back and forth on how I feel about her. I was a huge fan at the start, and teared up when she led the Indy 500 in 2005. But like Simon, I've waited for her on-track results to match the attention she's received (Dale Junior's another one we're waiting on for the same), and I lost some of my desire to root her on each weekend. But recently, I've read a few articles about her and interviews with her, and I have to say that the more I read (from people who've actually had conversations with her), the more I'm impressed. She seems smart and focused and determined, and that's brought me back to being a Danica fan, as she makes the move from open-wheel to stock cars. Basically, I'm optimistic that she'll live up to the hype this year.

Mind you, that's all going to be predicated on some real performance. But she did qualify 30th for the Daytona 500 (yes, she was locked into the field, but she qualified acceptably anyway). So we'll just see how she does in her first run with the big boys. I'll be rooting for her.

Oh, and Junior qualified third. We'll just see....

Racing's Princess Goes to NASCAR ... Discuss

TAMMY: Well, the news has been confirmed. Racing's reigning princess is headed out to play with the big boys and the big money. Danica is going to NASCAR. On one hand, you could say NASCAR is already about as overhyped as you can get, so how can she add more? But I think she and NASCAR are made for each other. And could it be any more perfect that she'll be driving for Dale Earnhardt, Junior? I don't think so. It'll be more interesting to see her running with Tony Stewart's team for a handful of Sprint Cup races ... that will undoubtedly be less about hype and more about pure racing. Now, I make that sound like I think Danica's in it for the fame and money. I don't, really, but I do think she's capitalizing on it while she's got the opportunity (can I blame her? probably not). But Tony Stewart (Mr. I Hate the Media Game, himself) taking her on? That's kind of impressive. Simon, what do you think about her switch? And what do you think will be the impact on the series she leaves behind?

SIMON: For me, I’m quite happy to see her switch to NASCAR, because I really like the IRL and I think the media machine that surrounds her has gotten in the way of the championship. I don’t say that in a mean way. I think you hit the nail on the head when you say that she's capitalized on her situation and all credit to her. I don’t think any of us would do any different with the media attention if the tables were reversed. However, it did seem like that the TV coverage would focus on her and then the race, which was getting a little annoying. It’ll be interesting to see if she gets the media minutes in NASCAR, which has a lot of characters and legacy figures in its ranks already (something the IRL doesn’t possess—sorry guys). But this is all the gloss and shine. The real question is how well will she adapt to the racing. I can’t think of too many Indycar drivers who’ve adapted well to NASCAR. Dario Franchitti tried his hand a couple of seasons ago and sadly, didn’t do well. NASCAR races seem to possess a different rhythm from IRL races, so it’ll be down to how well she’ll adapt. I think she has left her mark on the IRL. She’ll be remembered as a real competitor. If she does well in NASCAR, she’ll do the same. If she doesn’t do well in NASCAR, she’ll be forgotten in a second. I hate to see anyone not do well, so I hope she gives NASCAR a run for their money as I enjoy the next IRL race.

TAMMY: Tony Stewart? He went from IndyCar to NASCAR, and he's done pretty well for himself, with two championships. And he's the one running her in the Sprint Cup series.... Should be interesting! What do the rest of you think?

What’s With All the Hype?

by Tammy Kaehler

I’m feeling brave, and I’m going to go there. The topic? Two of the most popular drivers in motorsports and why I don’t understand or agree with the reasons for their popularity. I’m talking Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Danica Patrick.

Let me be clear. they are talented drivers. They belong in the racing world and in top teams. They’re both attractive, articulate, polished, and appealing. I get all that.

But I don’t understand all the hype.

I understand more about Danica. A lot of car and racing fans are male, Danica’s hot, and she’s willing to flaunt it. About her endorsement deals and activities outside the racetrack, I mostly think, “You go girl, and work the attention while you’ve got it.” But I find it hard to argue with fans who are disgusted that some IndyCar broadcasts turn into the Danica show, when she qualifies, runs, and finishes in the lower half of the field.

I understand the hype over Dale Earnhardt, Jr.—“Junior”—less. Sure, I think he looks like a good guy and he’s a good driver. But if there’s any driver anywhere in motorsports with what could be considered a rabid fan following, it’s Junior. There’s a fever that grips the stands of a racetrack when Junior gets near the front, and there’s an audible roar generated when he’s actually in the lead. You can feel and hear all that even through the television broadcast.

In addition, Junior or his team wins nearly every fan poll or vote offered. Who do you think will win? Junior. Who’s got the best chance in the Chase for the Championship? Junior. Who’s got the fastest pit crew? Junior (to be fair, I’ve seen another driver win this approximately twice in a couple years of race watching). Junior has won the fan-voted Most Popular Driver award from the National Motorsports Press Association for eight consecutive years.

Really?

Conventional wisdom would suggest that fans like athletes who are winning. From Junior’s popularity, you’d expect him to have dozens of wins in the last few seasons and five consecutive NASCAR championship trophies—but that’s his teammate, Jimmie Johnson. Junior hasn’t won a race in three years.

Again, I just want to know why. I can’t believe his fans are there because fans of his father—Dale Sr., who died in a wreck on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, blocking for Junior—transferred allegiance. I also don’t want to think his fans are fans simply because his father died in that manner. To suggest either of those scenarios is to not give credit to Junior’s own talents and personality. But you have to wonder if that didn’t contribute to the larger-than-life image Junior seems to possess … one seems to sit uncomfortably on his shoulders sometimes.

I have no real answers to the question of their popularity. But it seems to me that it’s about more than who they are as individuals. Somehow they have become mythological heroes, carrying the hopes, dreams, and emotions of legions of fans on their shoulders. Which must be a lonely place to be sometimes.

What do you all think? Are Danica and Junior your favorites? Or do you want to ask, as Janet Jackson would, “What have you done for me lately?”