DAYTONA, ARCA, DANICA and NELSINHO

by charlesolaleye | February 8, 2010 at 04:57 am

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By Charles Oladeji.

Next Sunday being St Valentine’s Day, another commercially driven ‘day of observance’ (or subservience if you see it thus) recreated by a well known greeting-card manufacturing company will be upon us once more. But, my excitement leading on to the 14th of February will have nothing to do with buying flowers, chocolate confectionary or the agonising ritual of purchasing sexy ladies lingerie. But rather, I’m keenly awaiting the arrival of that “Great American Race” known as the Daytona 500, which represents the real competitive beginning of the 2010 NASCAR season.

The Budweiser Shootout functioning as an exhibition race with ‘no points’ accrued in the Sprint Cup Series took place at Daytona Beach this past Sunday with a slightly unwell Kevin Harvick taking the ‘green and white’ chequered flag in his no 29 Chevrolet; thus, winning the Budweiser Shootout race for the second time in a row. The Budweiser shootout is a celebration of NASCAR. It’s a warming up/opening act for the Daytona 500, which is then followed by the gruelling extensive NASCAR season in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup series.

The extensive and gruelling nature of NASCAR competition, and the commitment it demands of Drivers and Teams alike, formed a substantial part of the numerous concerns put forward by those who questioned IZOD IndyCar Driver Danica Patrick’s Part-time involvement NASCAR, even though her participation in Nationwide Series in 2010 will be limited and overwhelming commercially driven (please pardon the pun).

Danica, took part in the scheduled Automobile Racing Club of America race (ARCA Slick Mist 200) at Daytona this past weekend amongst six other lesser known female Drivers including fellow Venezuelan IZOD IndyCar Driver Mika Duno. Unfortunately, Mika Duno did not finish the race while it’s reported that Danica put on a good showing coming in 6th overall having to fight her way back to the top 10 after being bumped off the track on the 54th lap by none other than Nelsinho Piquet.

The Brazilian former Formula One Driver Nelson (Nelsinho) Piquet Jr, who tested in the Truck Series at Rockingham last year for Red Horse Racing (RHR), and has debuted in ARCA racing this year, has also declared his intentions to stay with NASCAR for the foreseeable future. However, he finished in 27th position after being caught up in a pile up later in the 80 lap during the ARCA race on Saturday.

With Danica’s #7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet finishing top 10 in what can be considered her first real Stock Car test in full glare of the media, Hendrick /JR Motorsport can feel a ‘wee’ bit vindicated for pursuing her driving services so aggressively last year, whilst commentators (myself included) questioned her driving ability in both IndyCar and Stock Car racing, where seasoned and aggressive Drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya have struggled to gain a steady foothold.

Yet, Danica Patrick is having a phenomenal effect on NASCAR at present, and I’ll readily admit to being a Danica Patrick fan. However, I’m no fan of Danica Patrick’s actual racing. Such is the media pull of Danica Patrick that the historic nature of the ARCA race winner Bobby Gerhard this saturday, winning the Slick Mist 200 for the 6th time was reduced to a footnote. How long Danica fans of my particular ilk remain intrigued by the Danica brand as the NASCAR season gets more competitive is unknown to us. What we do know is that beautiful people like Danica Patrick are good commercial business; and much needed business at that.

The difficulties race teams will face in months to come is epitomised by the news that the Kyle Busch, now a Team Owner (KBM) has run into some sponsorship difficulties of late losing a key sponsor, the Native American Resort (Miccosukee Tribe Florida). Hence, his desire to run two competitive trucks in the New Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) with young Driver Brian Ickler has becoming ever more stressful than it need be.

As the Daytona 500 rapidly approaches, Danica Patrick’s popularity has even managed to eclipse NASCAR new-age hero. Aged Mark Martin, who, building on last season’s success as part of Hendrick Motorsport with Jimmie Johnson has qualified in pole position for the forthcoming February 14th race. Current Sprint Cup Champion Johnson is positioned 7th on the grid while Martin will share the front grid with Dale Earnhardt Jr come the green flag at 1pm EST on Sunday. One thing is becoming certain; St Valentine’s Day at Daytona will not be a romantic date with the beautiful people, Danica and Nelsinho.