Lotsa NASCAR fan heads exploding tonight... DANICA was spun with 4 laps to go; finished 10th.

[cherokeeprogressive]

She started fucking LAST out of 25. Drove through the field. Got spun with 4 laps to go by another driver... started LAST with 2 laps to go (what NASCAR CALLS A GREEN-WHITE-CHECKER end to the race) and drove to 10th place. From LAST.

You Go Girl.

If I could take a moment to talk about "racing in circles" that people seem to think NASCAR is...

It's not about going in circles. It's about covering a set distance (in the case of Daytona; FIVE HUNDRED MILES) before any one else does. I'm guessing that if they could find a straight five hundred mile strip of asphalt, they'd use it. It's about GETTING THERE before anyone else does. Getting there FIRST.

After all... isn't that the whole philosophy of "racing"? Getting there first?

[House of Roberts]

1. Spoiler.

I'm watching on the DVR as Duel 2 is starting.

If they went 500 miles in a straight line, It would be boring. I always say I watch any kind of racing on pavement that turns corners.

Eases my mind that Danica makes the 500 despite being in a backup car. She needed to finish 15th or better. Since she wrecked her primary car, her qualifying time was canceled, and she wasn't very high in owner points, so racing her way in was her only option.

[Brother Buzz]

2. Luck, skill, and teamwork earned her spot in the big race on Sunday

Patrick was in the second race and needed to finish 15th or better to guarantee a spot Sunday. She was sitting pretty, too, until her second incident with Hamlin in two days damaged her car and put her in danger of missing the field.

Her Stewart-Haas Racing team worked frantically on rapid repairs and she restarted 18th with two laps to go. She was pushed all the way around Daytona International Speedway by teammate Kurt Busch to finish 10th and make the 500.

I say she will win a cup race this year, maybe two; she and her team have finally gotten the whole package dialed in.

[cherokeeprogressive]

3. I'd give my right pinky finger to see her win a NASCAR race.

When you say she was pushed into her 10th place finish by Kurt, you're doing her a disservice. I watched the race... on the final restart she went to the wall on the outside and started passing cars all on her own. A fine piece of driving. She had to drive past Kurt before he could push her, because she started behind him TWO laps from the checkered flag.

Any objective observer knows the 11 car's driver didn't spin her intentionally... EITHER time... in practice or in the 125. Any fan of racing also knows she overcame those mishaps on sheer skill.

[Brother Buzz]

4. That's not what Danica Patrick, honors graduate from Tony Stewart's School of Charm thinks

What Danica Patrick said to Denny Hamlin after the two wrecked, again


Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin had a heated exchange following the second Budweiser Duel Thursday at Daytona International Speedway.

Patrick was running eighth and in position to qualify for the Daytona 500 when her car broke loose and spun around. Hamlin was directly behind Patrick and video replays showed he never contacted the rear of Patrick's Chevrolet. But Patrick was upset with Hamlin, feeling he took the air off her No. 10 machine.

The conversation on pit row was recorded by SB Nation as it happened:

Patrick: "You did the same f***ing thing in practice and this happened. You did the same thing."

Hamlin: "I didn't hit you. Honey, I did not touch you."

Patrick: "You did the same thing."

Hamlin: "I did not touch you."

Patrick: "You get on my left-rear and it spins me out. You did the same thing."

Hamlin: "You gotta tighten it up, Danica. Listen. Listen to me."

Patrick: "Tighten what up? No one else do I have a problem with out there."

Hamlin: "No one has your back like I have. Stop! Listen to me. I gave you an extra two feet..."

Patrick: "You gave me nothing. It spun my backend around."

Hamlin: "I understand, but it's because you're loose. It's not my fault if you're loose, Danica."

Patrick: "No one else did it to me."

Hamlin: "No one else is getting close to you. But, we have to get close to you to get you going forward. To get you going forward, I have to get close to you. I know it got you loose, but I didn't hit you."

Patrick: "You spun me out just like in practice."

Hamlin: "I understand."

Patrick: "When I looked in my rearview mirror and you were right here (gesturing with hands where Hamlin was positioned). You weren't here, you were here."

Hamlin: "Absolutely. You were loose entering the corner so you went up the race track..."

Patrick: "Denny. ... It happened twice. The same person, the same way."

Hamlin: "Guess what? I didn't hit you either time."

Patrick: "Well then you apparently don't have to actually hit me. I like you Denny, you're my friend. I don't understand."

Hamlin: "I know. I get it. But does that mean, ‘Oh my god, she's loose I can't run next to her?' What should I do?"

Patrick: "It just means don't be up my ass on my left corner in (a corner)."

Hamlin: "So don't get close to you with three laps to go?"

Patrick: "You did it on the straightaway (during Wednesday practice) and you did it in a corner that time. Both times and the exact same result."

Hamlin: "I just won't get close to you. I understand now."

Patrick: "You can get close. I'm sure everybody gets close. But you don't need to turn me. That's what it did."

Hamlin (heavy sigh): "I know it did."

Patrick: "All it did was get my backend tight and then it went around."

Hamlin: "I totally get it, but it's something you'll have to work on."

Patrick: "Are you doing it with every other car?"

Hamlin: "I pushed the 78 (Martin Truex Jr.) through the corner."

Stewart (interjecting): "That's two this week, bud."

Hamlin: "Tony, I never touched her. I never touched her. What do you want me to do, not run close?"

Stewart: "You need to watch the video of it."

Hamlin: "Do you not want me to run close? I mean come on, man."

Patrick: "You don't need to get so close it turns me."

Hamlin: "I'm friends with you and her. Stop this shit, man."

Patrick: "I like you, I just don't understand."

Stewart: "That ain't going to fly when you're crashing."

[KamaAina]

5. Maybe they could have a race on the Bonneville salt flats.

Home of many world land speed records.



Of course, they'd probably end up using restrictor plates.