# Indy drivers whine about Danica Patrick because of her weight **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 29, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947 "2005-05-29T02:14:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/41 "2005-05-29T13:15:39Z")
According to the story, the car has to weigh at least 1525 pounds before driver & fuel. I wonder how many actually weigh exactly 1525 pounds at that point? They could make things more difficult: 1. weigh the cars before fueling 2. add weights where necessary to make them all even 3. fuel the cars 4. repeat step #2 5. add fully dressed driver 6. repeat step #2 7. when a car loses a part in the race, all cars must be stopped to have the same parts removed. To keep everything even, of course. I’m not buying Gordon’s assertion about the weight advantage 100%. I think he’s being a dick about the whole issue. If Patrick wins, it’ll be clouded by this asshole’s lame assertions. I wouldn’t be surprised to see legal action. ---
**Author:** ![Petey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@Petey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petey)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/42 "2005-05-29T13:16:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Robby Gordon never had any intention of racing in this year’s 500 anyways That’s only because Indy moved their start time back an hour, so it’s impossible for Gordon to make the start of the Coca-Cola 600. He’s raced both races in the past. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/43 "2005-05-29T13:27:05Z")
> [@](#): > > and said Saturday he will not compete in the race again unless the field is equalized. :rolleyes: As if he would have qualified in the first place… Perhaps if he focused more on his own stuff and less on other people, he might have a little bit more success. As it stands now, he’s a good road racer in NASCAR, but other than that, he sure knows how to trim the field. This is among the reasons he is not racing regularly in NASCAR. As for his open wheel record, I don’t know what his stats are, but I will speculate that he assumes some sort of birthright (for whatever reason) there, too. To Danica Patrick being a hottie, true enough. [Manon Rheaume](http://www.cs.toronto.edu/~andria/card/gifs/1993/classic_rheaume_150.jpg) was (probably still is) a hottie, too. But once she’s her [protective equipment](http://www.canoe.ca/SlamNaganoGalleryImages/feb5_4.jpg), she looks just like anyone else in the sport. DP’s starting 4th today. I’d tend to think there’s some talent there, too, not just looks and “advantage”. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/44 "2005-05-29T13:49:38Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > Obviously not, since the 100-pound woman seems to be doing just fine. If she can hack it, fine, Doc. I was just saying _why_ most drivers might weigh more. Or it could just be tradition. I wonder how a jockey would do in car racing… ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/45 "2005-05-29T13:54:26Z")
I don’t understand why they would have such a problem with her weight, they never say anything about anyone else. I went to high school with Sarah Fisher, who’s also racing, and she’s not much over 120-130 lbs. - if even that. She’s not as teeny as 100 lbs. but she’s still smaller than the guys for the most part. I think people are just bitching to be bitching because Danica is really talented. I hope she does well just to show them, but if she wins I’m sure there will be some complainers. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/46 "2005-05-29T14:29:59Z")
I guess that Danica didn’t get the memo. She is supposed to be on the sidelines, holding his beer. \ (I don’t even like car racing and I hope she shows 'em all) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/47 "2005-05-29T15:16:27Z")
> [@Martin Hyde](#): > > If NASCAR actually takes driver’s weight into consideration for the official weight of the car then I think it gives Robby’s idea that Indy should do the same a little bit more legitimacy. The problem isn’t the notion that driver weight makes a difference. Of course it does. 50-100 pounds makes a difference. The problem is that Gordon pulled this complaint out of his ass the day before a woman was to start in the fourth position at the Indy 500. I know other women have driven in the Indy before, but Patrick is the first who’s ever had a pretty good chance if being the first one to drive by a checkered flag. He’s NEVER complained before about drivers weighing different amounts, despite the fact that some male drivers are 60 pounds lighter than others. Why is Patrick’s performance being questioned, but light male drivers’ performance wasn’t? Well, it’s because Gordon is a snivelling little nancy-boy. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/48 "2005-05-29T15:29:52Z")
> [@movingfinger](#): > > neeeegroes [Wendell Scott](http://www.thunderplex.com/project34/history.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/49 "2005-05-29T18:20:48Z")
Just wanna thank the OP for using the word “whining” in the thread title, because when I mentioned this story to the Better Half this morning, he protested vehemently that what Gordon was doing did not qualify as “whining”. And **I** said, “If all he wanted to do was point out that there was a weight difference between her and all the 200 lb. drivers out there, there were other ways to phrase it that didn’t involve rather shrilly demanding that we all ‘do the math’, and threatening to never, ever race her unless her weight was handicapped. Sure sounds like ‘whining’ to me…” And now, apparently, to other people, too. Thanks, y’all. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/50 "2005-05-29T18:30:46Z")
It’s not whining. it’s engine noise…rrrrrrrrrrowwww ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/51 "2005-05-29T18:45:22Z")
AFAIK the reason F1 drivers drink so much fluid before a race begins is simply that they lose so much during the race. I’ve heard many times that a driver loses around half a stone from sweating during a race so they make sure they drink a few litres before getting into the car. As for the issue of needing to pee, they just go when they need to, better out than in. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/52 "2005-05-29T19:46:12Z")
Complaints like this are so lame. Women have been involved in racing for a while now. How about Shirley Muldowney? A four time world champ running top fuel dragsters-machines that have more horsepower than the front line of a Nascar event-and she got into it over 30 years ago. To Danica Patrick-you go, girl! ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/53 "2005-05-29T19:58:28Z")
Anyone watching this race? Patrick moved up from 12th to first. Now we’re under a yellow flag, and it’s not clear whether she’ll come out in first again. Ten laps to go. Man, she can drive. She’s back in first now. Awesome. This would be great for the sport if she won. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/54 "2005-05-29T20:06:50Z")
Well, she won’t win, but she’ll get 4th. A damned fine job. Fuck you, Robby Gordon. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/55 "2005-05-29T20:10:54Z")
I’m impressed. She was sideways, then backwards, then back in control and moves into the lead, even if it was because she skipped a pit stop. And she’d bounced off another car back on lap 121 or so, too, without losing it. She just didn’t have enough gas left to keep it cranked right up to the end, or that race was hers. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/56 "2005-05-29T20:56:14Z")
Great race. After the second to last caution cleared, I found myself screaming and cheering for her to “GO GO GO GO GO”, but sadly she didn’t have it. Wheldon looked to be just too damn good. Way to shoot the messenger with this thread, btw. Regardless of how whiney you read his comments to be, his point is a legitimate one. Also, as to the sentiment: “Why no complaints about a 50 pound difference, but now all of a sudden 100 pounds is too much?” Um, yeah, that’s double the advantage. Let her be a lesson to all the make-up wearing women in the world…she stilled looked hot when she climbed out of her car after driving 500 miles and having an accident. No matter what you do, if you’re hot, you’re hot. And the fact that her initials are DP? In the words of Paris Hilton: “That’s hot.” ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/57 "2005-05-29T21:02:44Z")
Remember, she’s still a rookie. I can’t wait to see how she will do the rest of the year and next year @ Indy. Her couple of rookie mistakes this year may have cost her, but she will learn from them and be that much better for it. And better than 4th place means either win, place or show. I would love to see her drive a couple of NASCAR events when they IRL schedule allows. That would be sure to drive those rednecks nuts. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/58 "2005-05-29T21:04:52Z")
That was cool! Just wondering - can anyone recall the men complaining about the weight advantage held by other women drivers? Patrick is nowhere near the first, but apparently she’s the first real contender. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/59 "2005-05-29T21:04:56Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > Way to shoot the messenger with this thread, btw. Regardless of how whiney you read his comments to be, his point is a legitimate one. Also, as to the sentiment: “Why no complaints about a 50 pound difference, but now all of a sudden 100 pounds is too much?” Um, yeah, that’s double the advantage. It’s the way he deilvered his message. That whole “I’m not gonna race her until something is done” is total bullshit. He sees her as a threat. By whining about the weight issue, it gives him a reason not to face the fact that a woman can enter his domain and show she has what it takes to succeed. He’s still a pussy regardless of the issue. [IRL says “meh” to Gordon](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/racing/more/05/29/bc.car.irl.indy500noteb.ap/index.html) > [@CNNSI](#): > > “It’s no issue at all, as it pertains to the Indianapolis 500 and oval-track racing,” league spokesman John Griffin said. Perhaps this will be an issue in the future, but I doubt it will be any time soon. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947/60 "2005-05-29T21:06:42Z")
> [@fessie](#): > > That was cool! > > Just wondering - can anyone recall the men complaining about the weight advantage held by other women drivers? Patrick is nowhere near the first, but apparently she’s the first real contender. I don’t think the other women who have raced have qualified in the top ten. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indy-drivers-whine-about-danica-patrick-because-of-her-weight/305947.md?page=4)