Danica Patrick and Daytona
Danica Patrick is heading to the play with the big boys this weekend, joining the likes of Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnheardt jr, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and the other well known racers at the Daytona 500. The granddaddy of all racing venues is a tough place to get her feet wet in Nascar but the driver simply referred to as Danica is looking to increase her brand.
Danica the driver is not nearly as powerful as Danica the brand as a combination of decent driving ability, good looks and outstanding marketing has turned this 105 pound woman into a cash cow. While many people in Nascar welcome her arrival there are detractors as well. Those that are not thrilled to see Danica Patrick at Daytona are less than impressed with her ability behind the wheel of a stock car and those that are glad to see Danica Patrick at Daytona welcome the new and increased interest in the waning sport.
Several drivers have come right out and stated that Danica is too green in Nascar to be driving at Daytona while others have indicated that she has to start somewhere and it might as well be starting in Daytona.
The plus is that Nascar is getting some new publicity at it’s largest venue and draw a new group of viewers simply because the brand that is Danica Patrick is there. These new viewers will increase TV ratings as well as spend money to sit in the stands at Daytona and may very well get turned on by the sport and become regulars. Danica’s presence at Daytona, as well as in all of Nascar, should generate new sponsorships for a sport that badly needs the influx of capital.
Granted, Danica is driving in the Nationwide series, the junior circuit if you will, but the attention will flow over to the Sprint series with the media swarming the track. Danica might be just 105 pounds of feisty but as a brand she rocks the corporate world and one thing Nascar needs right now is a rock star.