Indy 500 Report: Danica is HOT

[Brac]

Boy this thread started out well, and kept on the subject (HOTNESS), however it quickly devolved into debate about driving ability. Very sad.

[Hifi jim]

Drift "racing" is to real racing as free-style ski competition is to downhill racing.  Sure, it's competitive and requires skill, but style comes before speed, so can it really be called "racing"?

Don't you get F1 on TV anymore?  All the races are covered here, on Speed Channel or The Sports Network (TSN).  We get all the MotoGP races, too.

I agree that NASCAR machines perform really well with their limitations, as you put it, but it's also fun to see what kind of  racing less restrictive rules can provide.

I agree that drift racing is more about style and it's probably why it doesn't interest me. I see F1 occasionally pop up on Speed, I'll have to check out TSN, not sure if I even get that. Thanks for the tip. I wish more F1 races would take place in North America, as I think that would greatly renew interest over here. I love the street circuits most of all. The whole Indy/IRL debacle has left many Americans with a bad taste in their mouth for open wheel, but now thats past and perhaps with time more interest will be paid to Indy as well. I'm certainly a fan of racing that uses less restrictions such as F1, and I wish they'd go back to allowing turbochargers and traction control again. Imagine something like BMWs old turbo engine with 1,300hp coupled with modern traction and launch control... Houston, we have lift off!

[stormin]

Wheres Jeff Foxworthy when you need him?[:#]

[IB Slammin]

Not sure what you mean by the "real thing" though?

I just said that to tease you a bit if you are a NASCAR fan. NASCAR does provide very tight racing, as opposed to the parades that sometimes occur in F1, very high speed parades though they might be. However, F1 has the most advanced cars and possibly the best drivers, while the NASCAR machines are basically identical in terms of chassis and running gear (in the interest of safety, with the very high average speeds and frequent crashes), with only the engines and body styles varying between cars.

NASCAR uses street-based 5.9 litre V-8 engines, while F1 engines are 2.4 litre V-8s that produce about the same power, but spin up to around 18,000rpm and are built from scratch as racing engines. A number of the F1 features actually find their way to production cars, like engine management systems, but not much NASCAR tech makes it to the street.

Formula 1 sees far more innovations than probably any other type of car racing, has really big money in play, has world-class drivers and is popular all over the world, making it truly international, rather than a class that's very popular in one country.

"the real thing" ........ IMHO is a car that can turn in Both directions and runs from 30mph to 200+mph in the same race. (city streets at times) In F1, they even have to shift gears! Yes, NASCAR turns both left and right a few times a year........BUT it is slow and ugly. Has the looks of a demolition derby.

[Brac]

Having been to F1 street races, F1 track races and Nascar races.

F1 street racing is AWSOME however you don't get to see much of it, it seems like it takes forever for the cars to come around again. Great on TV .

On the track the F1 cars just don't show off what they can do, they add turns but it's just not the same. The sound is AWSOME.

Nascar is alot of fun partially because of the fans, but drive fast turn left is just that. However if you can get in the Pitts nothing beats Nascar.

Just my 2 cents

[Amy]

Looks and luck only get you so far, the rest is talent. She can do whatever photos she needs to do to afford to get in the game, but her ability is keeping her there. She's been impressive to me from the start. And yeah, she's whiny, but no more so than say, Tony Stewart. Besides, men use money the same way women use looks. Same game, different tools. Have you ever really looked at the race wives? Those guys certainly didn't win them on their good looks. Everyone uses what they've got. Simple. She shouldn't be villified for doing the same.

[Hifi jim]

And yeah, she's whiny, but no more so than say, Tony Stewart.

I'll agree with that, and add to the list, both Gordons, Robby and Jeff.

Have you ever really looked at the race wives? Those guys certainly didn't win them on their good looks.

That is for certain.

She shouldn't be villified for doing the same.

Not that she's doing it, that she is doing it and denying it. She can't have it both ways. Either she poses and accepts the scrutiny and questions about her sex appeal, or don't do it at all as other female drivers have done.

[Amy]

So it's merely the hypocracy that bothers you and not the fact that she uses her looks at all? I can agree with that. But she certainly not the only hypocrite (or narcissist) in the world of professional sports. I'd say she's in good company

[Hifi jim]

So it's merely the hypocracy that bothers you and not the fact that she uses her looks at all?

Yes.

But she certainly not the only hypocrite (or narcissist) in the world of professional sports. I'd say she's in good company

For sure, with a list too long to show here. At the top, with his recent magazine photo shoot of him adoring himself in the mirror is A-Rod.

[Hifi jim]

A-Rod in Details magazine.

[Hifi jim]

One more before I vomit... Maybe now I'll cut Danica some slack Amy []

[JerolW]

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?series=irl&id=2092194

From 2005. Just to stir the pot.

jerol

[Islander]

Looks and luck only get you so far, the rest is talent. She can do whatever photos she needs to do to afford to get in the game, but her ability is keeping her there. She's been impressive to me from the start.

Finally, a woman's point of view. If Danica is okay with Amy, she's okay with me! Amy, you see what the culture is, not what it maybe should be.

[Hifi jim]

Finally, a woman's point of view.  If Danica is okay with Amy, she's okay with me!  Amy, you see what the culture is, not what it maybe should be.

Well, if it's worth anything, my girlfriend who is a big racing fan despises Danica more than I. []

[Islander]

One more before I vomit... Maybe now I'll cut Danica some slack Amy

To quote myself: "If male drivers could make money by taking their shirts off, don't you think they'd do it in an instant? Male drivers aren't standing on some kind of moral higher ground, they just know they'd look foolish."

A-Rod looks like Exhibit A of looking foolish (and "foolish" is being kind). Hope he made a few bucks embarrassing himself like that.

A few years back, a photographer did a series of nudes with a few different models, then duplicated the poses himself. I'll spare your sensibilities and not provide any link, but suffice it to say that his hairy body and pot belly didn't help any. Even if he had been well-built, it would not have worked. Some things work for women and should not even be attempted by men.

Interestingly, there are few things that men do that women really should not do in public, other than maybe falling down drunk, swearing, farting and growing facial hair.

[Hifi jim]

To quote myself:  "If male drivers could make money by taking their shirts off, don't you think they'd do it in an instant?  Male drivers aren't standing on some kind of moral higher ground, they just know they'd look foolish."

A-Rod looks like Exhibit A of looking foolish (and "foolish" is being kind).  Hope he made a few bucks embarrassing himself like that.

Still, it's the hypocrisy that Danica shows by refusing to accept what her actions have done, which is to garner her attention not for her success as a driver but rather for her sex appeal. Your point is more of a question of what is art, and what is sexy. Those A-Rod pictures do not appeal to me, but there maybe some who find them appealing. I think it's possible for males to look attractive, just as it is for women. Maybe it's just not your opinion. Danica differs form Anna Kournikova and Maria Sharapova, by refusing to accept that her gender and good looks have broadened her appeal and recognition.

[Amy]

I typically try not to judge women too harshly, especially those trying to carve out a living in a profession dominated by men. Like mine. . It's not easy to get respect or be taken seriously. Sometimes, we take the wrong approach, which maybe she has, but at least she's not afraid to take chances. And those A Rod pics are RIDICULOUS.

[Hifi jim]

I typically try not to judge women too harshly, especially those trying to carve out a living in a profession dominated by men. Like mine. . It's not easy to get respect or be taken seriously. Sometimes, we take the wrong approach, which maybe she has, but at least she's not afraid to take chances. And those A Rod pics are RIDICULOUS.

So then Amy, this begs the question: Would you pose in a swimsuit for a Klipsch calander? And if so, would you expect to get more respect in your field as a result of it? That's the point I've been trying to make, along with her hypocritical attitude after having done just that. But still, I think the Klipsch swimsuit calander might be a good idea []

[Islander]

Certainly, men can look good, but certain poses work and can be called credible, while some other poses really don't work. You're right, that's just my opinion. I've photographed many women, but one time at a studio session with other photographers we had a male body builder available to pose for us. For me, it was like a foreign language. While I could confidently direct female models, I could only tell the guy, "Er, uh, look strong!"

As for Danica, I haven't seen any of her interviews, so I can't really comment on her attitude about her self-promotion methods. Could it be that she sees it as a necessary evil and is a little embarrassed about it all? Some sportswomen take naturally to being pinup queens, while some would prefer to concentrate on their sport, and would prefer to let their sports abilities speak for them.

[Amy]

No, I would not pose for a klipsch calendar. But only because I most certainly do NOT have the body for it, and it would serve only to destroy my career. . But like I said, perhaps what she's done is a mistake, and certainly her hypocracy is a mistake, but I don't believe it detracts from her talents as a driver, nor what she has accomplished as a woman -- not just a sex symbol.