# Richard Petty: Danica can only win if no one else races **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 11, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058 "2014-02-11T15:40:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/21 "2014-02-12T02:19:14Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Yeah everyone from a small town in North Carolina lives in a trailer > > stop being prejudiced Ah, Mr PSXer, always a joy. I meant the RACING trailer. You know, those things the driver’s stay in at the racetracks? YOU assumed the other kind. Furthermore, I was born in North Carolina, and still go there often to visit family. I assure you the small towns of NC (and much of the NASCAR world) have no shortage of small minded people like Mr Petty. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/22 "2014-02-12T02:47:50Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > …small minded people like Mr Petty. I’m not familiar with Nascar or Petty, but aren’t you leaping to a conclusion here? Particularly given the full quote upthread? ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/23 "2014-02-12T03:02:07Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > I’m not familiar with Nascar or Petty, but aren’t you leaping to a conclusion here? Particularly given the full quote upthread? Maybe so. I’ll readily admit that I don’t personally know Mr Petty, so I can’t absolutely say what he believes. At the same time, I kinda doubt he is the most open minded person in the world. In my experience, an open mind towards women’s equality, gay rights, etc is not often found in septuagenarians from rural parts of the south. Realize that my family is from a small town in the south, and my assumptions are based on my interactions with them. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/24 "2014-02-12T03:18:31Z")
> [@](#): > > “(Only) if everybody else stayed home,” Hey! That was _my_ plan for winning a NASCAR race! Which one of you bastards blabbed this to Petty? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/25 "2014-02-12T03:32:40Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Basically, he’s saying that she’s a mediocre driver that gets attention because she’s female. Correction, because she is a hot female. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/26 "2014-02-12T05:18:06Z")
She has won one, lower league race. Never raced in the pinnacle of the sport of open wheel racing, hell never got close. If the claim is that she is known more for her gender than her skills, then it seems to me to be afair one. ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/27 "2014-02-12T06:03:40Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Maybe so. I’ll readily admit that I don’t personally know Mr Petty, so I can’t absolutely say what he believes. At the same time, I kinda doubt he is the most open minded person in the world. In my experience, an open mind towards women’s equality, gay rights, etc is not often found in septuagenarians from rural parts of the south. > > Realize that my family is from a small town in the south, and my assumptions are based on my interactions with them. So you’re claiming that Petty is guilty of stereotyping, and you’re basing that claim on a stereotype of old southern men? Seriously, though, for those who are just dismissing Petty’s statement as pure sexism, would any of you pick Danica as your first driver on a NASCAR money fantasy league? Second? Maybe somewhere ahead of Casey Mears? ---
**Author:** ![realmarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/90ced4/32.png) [@realmarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/realmarine)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/28 "2014-02-12T07:15:28Z")
Wow , you should be the president ! When you don’t have facts, use the race card [& also the sexism card]. Richard Petty may be an " Ol boy" for sure. but he has the creds to back up his opinion. Do You ? P.S. Do you even know what race this topic is about ? I’ll give ya 2 clues, Indy or Daytona 500 ? Oh crud, you have a computer & can look it up, can’t you ? Chill & enjoy the race. realmarine ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/29 "2014-02-12T08:46:26Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > Demonstrably untrue - Patrick herself has won an Indycar race and Mouton won four WRC rallies. And rallying is more death defying than NASCAR in my opinion. Here’s some [footage of Mouton -](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb4DILvSG9o). Car stuff starts at 1:22. Mouton was a really good driver, not just a really good female driver, I don’t think Patrick has proved herself to be on the same level. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/30 "2014-02-12T09:08:06Z")
Patrick is a pretty face and not much else, like Kournikova. Pity, I really want to see a woman driver succeed. Maybe F-1 would be a bridge too far, with its rather intense physical demands, but IRL or CART?. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/31 "2014-02-12T12:33:59Z")
I’ve admitted upthread that I don’t know Mr Petty personally, so I shouldn’t paint him with a broad brush. Apologies. At the same time, I’ll expand a little on why I made the broad stroke to begin with. I was born in NC, and still have family there. I know many family members and neighbors of same in small town NC, and they are not, as a group, accepting of more modern views on women, minorities, and homosexuals. In addition, and I really don’t want to give too much of my personal history here, but I grew up around the Nascar culture back in the day when Richard Petty was in his prime. I lived near (having moved from NC) a small racetrack in Martinsville VA that hosted two Nascar events each year. My father was a local fireman, and always worked the race. That meant for almost three weeks each year, I lived at the track with the Nascar teams. In addition the track hosted a number of lower level races that were loosely associated with Nascar (Modified & Sportsman). I worked with my Dad covering those as well. From about age 12, I worked at the track as a message runner. When I turned 18, I joined the fire department and worked alongside my Dad. I did meet Petty a few times. Somewhere in my parents house is an autograph from him on the back of a pit pass. But I did meet, and spent much time, talking to other drivers, crew members, and Nascar/track employees. I also remember talking to Kyle Petty (Richard’s son) sitting on a golf cart for about 40 minutes or so. Lets just say he was not the most forward-thinking individual I’ve encountered. In addition two of the Nascar teams from that era were based nearby. The Woods Brothers team and the Arrington family. I went to school with the kids from these two family businesses. Let me assure you that sexism, racism, homophobia, and just plain old good ole boy attitudes were 99% of what was exhibited. If I’m guilty of stereotyping based on forming an opinion based on 10+ years of exposure to the Nascar culture during the 70s and early 80s, then so be it. So, **RealMarine** , I don’t need to google anything. Back on topic, No, I wouldn’t pick Danica as my forst choice to win a race. At the same time, to say that she only wins if no one else shows up could also apply to the majority of other drivers that race each week in Nascar. Most drivers never win, most races are won by one of a fairly predictable small group od drivers. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/32 "2014-02-12T13:21:03Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Or, you know, someone asked him. Anyway, here’s the full quote: > > Basically, he’s saying that she’s a mediocre driver that gets attention because she’s female. Which isn’t really a big deal. There’s a lot of drivers that rarely win but get a lot of attention because of who they are (Dale Jr.) Do you have a link for this quote? Being familiar with King Richard, I’m certain that this isn’t everything that he said. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/33 "2014-02-12T13:36:24Z")
> [@nevadaexile](#): > > Do you have a link for this quote? > Being familiar with King Richard, I’m certain that this isn’t everything that he said. I was curious(and jobless) enough to actually listen to it. Don’t have the link, but it’s easy enough to Google. It’s complete as presented on this specific topic. It’s in response to a specific interview question about her, and on hearing the answer the interviewers(multiple) laugh and one comments that the response is unsurprising. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/34 "2014-02-12T16:30:56Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Patrick is a pretty face and not much else, like Kournikova. Pity, I really want to see a woman driver succeed. Maybe F-1 would be a bridge too far, with its rather intense physical demands, but IRL or CART?. IRL and CART don’t exist anymore. CART/Champ Car went bust in 2008 and the series merged back into the IndyCar Series. Anyway, I don’t think the physical demands of IndyCar racing are that dissimilar from F1. Direction changes are obviously less violent but no F1 track has 190+ mph banked corners like an American oval. Plus, IndyCars race on street circuits. Anyway, it’s important to remember that NASCAR is just a really different animal from open-wheel racing. The cars have minimal downforce, no electronic driver aids, and are totally dependent on slipstreaming. It’s not even comparable to, say, sportscar/endurance racing. Juan Pablo Montoya was good enough to win a championship in CART and a few races in F1, but won only two races in seven NASCAR seasons. Tony Stewart is basically the only driver who has been really successful in both open-wheel racing and NASCAR in modern history. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/35 "2014-02-12T16:59:49Z")
> [@somepumpkin](#): > > I’d have to agree w/ Mr. Petty. My humble opinion is that a woman will not beat a man in this type of contest (motor racing). When the chips are down, and the only way to stay in front is to take a death-defying risk, a woman is probably not going to cross that line. I’m not trying to be a sexist ass, though it probably sounds that way. I feel that women are generally \*smarter \*than men, and therefore will hold back out of a sense of self-preservation. Whereas the guy racer – before making the death-defying risky move - would think something like, “fuck it if I crash; I wanna win”! I don’t think your theory holds much water. The elite of the sport aren’t the elite because they take the most death-defying risks, they are elite because along with their manuevering skills they communicate effectively with their crew chiefs precise adjustments that need to be made via how the car is handling. Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus are successful because they can fine tune a car during a race to get it to do exactly what they want. I doubt JJ would say his success is because he’s more brave than other drivers. Also not to mention Danica destroyed more cars than anyone last year pushing them beyond their limits. That doesn’t happen if your too afraid to take risks. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/36 "2014-02-12T18:01:46Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > IRL and CART don’t exist anymore. CART/Champ Car went bust in 2008 and the series merged back into the IndyCar Series. Anyway, I don’t think the physical demands of IndyCar racing are that dissimilar from F1. Direction changes are obviously less violent but no F1 track has 190+ mph banked corners like an American oval. Plus, IndyCars race on street circuits. I am aware of the merger, just used it out of force of habit.🙂 They not dissimilar. But much greater in F1 and continuous to boot. > [@](#): > > Anyway, it’s important to remember that NASCAR is just a really different animal from open-wheel racing. The cars have minimal downforce, no electronic driver aids, and are totally dependent on slipstreaming. It’s not even comparable to, say, sportscar/endurance racing. They are quite different true. > [@](#): > > Juan Pablo Montoya was good enough to win a championship in CART and a few races in F1, but won only two races in seven NASCAR seasons. Tony Stewart is basically the only driver who has been really successful in both open-wheel racing and NASCAR in modern history. Jeff Gordon was offered a trial by Jackie Stewart back in the early 1990’s before his NASCAR career. He might have been good enough. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/37 "2014-02-12T18:22:27Z")
Maybe. It’s not too late for us to find out. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/38 "2014-02-12T19:46:34Z")
> [@somepumpkin](#): > > I’d have to agree w/ Mr. Petty. My humble opinion is that a woman will not beat a man in this type of contest (motor racing). When the chips are down, and the only way to stay in front is to take a death-defying risk, a woman is probably not going to cross that line. I’m not trying to be a sexist ass, though it probably sounds that way. I feel that women are generally \*smarter \*than men, and therefore will hold back out of a sense of self-preservation. Whereas the guy racer – before making the death-defying risky move - would think something like, “fuck it if I crash; I wanna win”! > > Disclaimer: I think Danica is great for the sport, and I’d love to see more women in motorsports. I am hoping that one day my stupid theory (above) will be proven wrong. :dubious: I think you haven’t really been watching enough racing. [Here’s a list of all the women participating in NASCAR series](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_female_NASCAR_drivers). I looks like the roster isn’t quite complete for Indycar this season (there are no women listed right now, but only about half the usual roster is up on their web site), but last season there were at least four women consistently competing and about 3 or 4 in Indy Lights. I like Ana Beatriz, although Simona de Silvestro did very very well last season. Sarah Fisher is the first woman to own her own race car team. There are three or four in NHRA. I didn’t even look into the feeder circuits, like ARCA, Pro Mazda, GP2, or GP3. I think your “stupid” theory has _already_ been proven wrong, because I think _many_ women have shown that they are willing to take the death-defying risks to win. Danica herself has been known to drive like that; she’s quite aggressive in traffic. So… watch more racing. Not just NASCAR. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/39 "2014-02-12T20:08:46Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > …I was born in NC, and still have family there. I know many family members and neighbors of same in small town NC, and they are not, as a group, accepting of more modern views on women, minorities, and homosexuals… > Let me assure you that sexism, racism, homophobia, and just plain old good ole boy attitudes were 99% of what was exhibited. If I’m guilty of stereotyping based on forming an opinion based on 10+ years of exposure to the Nascar culture during the 70s and early 80s, then so be it. > … So by this thinking, we can assume you are a racist, homophobic, misogynistic redneck? I mean, you grew up in the same environment as Petty. Went to the same schools with the other good ol boys. Other than (I assume) you not being a septuagenarian, what’s the difference between you and Richard? BE the stereotype! Embrace your heritage! Or perhaps consider that Richard Petty might, possibly, be one of the 1%. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058/40 "2014-02-12T20:22:35Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > So by this thinking, we can assume you are a racist, homophobic, misogynistic redneck? I mean, you grew up in the same environment as Petty. Went to the same schools with the other good ol boys. Other than (I assume) you not being a septuagenarian, what’s the difference between you and Richard? > > BE the stereotype! Embrace your heritage! > > Or perhaps consider that Richard Petty might, possibly, be one of the 1%. Well, I know me. And I’m not any of those things. And I’ve already agreed that I don’t know Mr Petty, and shouldn’t assume to know his inner thoughts. I’ve agreed he may be one of the 1%. Multiple times. What I still stand by is that the behaviors/attitudes that I perhaps incorrectly credited to Petty WERE rampant in Nascar in the 70s and 80s when he was the “king” of nascar. So Ive admitted I was wrong to lump him in. Satisfied? Or should we schedule my time in the town square pillory now? Didn’t mean to touch a nerve there with the septuagenarian comment. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-petty-danica-can-only-win-if-no-one-else-races/681058.md?page=3)