Racing Petty says Danica is NOT a race car driver

[ranbethscards]

USA Today / SPEED's NASCAR RaceHub:

Danica Patrick is "not a race car driver," TV analyst Kyle Petty said Thursday.

Appearing on SPEED's NASCAR RaceHub program, the FOX Sports/TNT analyst and former NASCAR driver said Patrick is a "marketing machine" but not a racer.

"Danica has been the perfect example of somebody who can qualify better than what she runs," said Petty, the son of NASCAR's "King" Richard Petty. "She can go fast, but she can't race. I think she's come a long way, but she's still not a race car driver. And I don't think she's ever going to be a race car driver."

Asked by interviewer Matt Clark why Patrick wouldn't ever be a race car driver in Petty's eyes, the eight-time race winner said it was "too late to learn."

Petty, who began his NASCAR driving career in 1979, said he couldn't tell what makes the difference between a good driver and a great driver, because he never figured it out for himself.

"If I knew, I'd be a great driver," he said. "I was not a great driver, and I'll be the first to admit it. I was a journeyman driver. Just like in the NFL or any sport, there are journeyman players."

Petty won eight times and compiled 173 top-10 finishes in 829 races during his thirty-year stint in NASCAR's premier series. He won his first race in 1986 during his sixth year as a full-time Cup driver.

NOW...IN MY HUMBLE OPINION:

This is coming from a guy that road on his daddy's coattails for years. He admits he was NOT a great driver (not sure why he didn't say he was not a good driver). He had a winning percentage of .00965 (okay, let's round it up to .010). That means in 30 years of racing, he won ONE percent of the races he ran.

This is one of those cases of the Kettle calling the Pot black.

 

[Leafsfan1967]

He did win 8 cup races, which is approximately 8 more than Danica will win in her cup career.

 

[ranbethscards]

He did win 8 cup races, which is approximately 8 more than Danica will win in her cup career.

Touche' ... however I don't see Danica hanging around for THIRTY (30) Years as a driver if she isn't winning... her daddy doesn't own a team. lol.. (how's that for a comeback?)

 

[Leafsfan1967]

Touche' ... however I don't see Danica hanging around for THIRTY (30) Years as a driver if she isn't winning... her daddy doesn't own a team. lol.. (how's that for a comeback?)

Plus, she won't be that hot in 30 years.