NASCAR D4D Program

[Fundytrail]

Is the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program doing enough to get a number of minority and/or female drivers groomed to move to the top level of their series?

Will we see a Danica Patrick or Ashley Force in the Cup Series within the next 2 to 5 years?

[madfinnhockey]

I read an interesting article yesterday about getting women into the Sprint series. They talked a bit with Mike Wallace, who has a daughter who wants to break into the series, and he said money was a huge problem for women drivers, and he mentioned that no matter how much talent you have, you need the money to back you, and those without as much talent, but who have the money, can get in.

He also said that some potential sponsors shy away from women drivers only because there isn't much history of women drivers being successful in the series.

Who knows.

[Nascar#3]

I don't get it....sponsor shying away is a stupid excuse if you ask me.

Plenty of women watch Nascar and god know they are as loyal if not more loyal to their driver and sponsors....so why not put a Crissy Wallace in a great ride...give her a chance....Sponsor can't back away from a great combination.

[us2bfast]

I believe as far as women in the sport go we probably have done a decent job. I feel that some have gotten opportunities that men wouldn't have gotten. Just because of their gender. As far as Danica goes she's probably beyond the age to get a great ride. I believe she has 2 years left on her current contract. That would I believe put her in her early 30's Not much time to do the ABC thing, look at all the open wheelers before her, with the possible exception of Tony It has taken all of them quite a while to get the feel so don't expect Danica. Ashley
just doesn't have the background (Daddy knows the straight line stuff and it will stay that way). Michelle Thirault (I Kow I butchered that last name) Gabby Decarlo, Erin Crocker maybe have a opportunity, we'll see

[Atl_tim]

It's sort of like "what comes first - the chicken or the egg?". Until we see more women racing, little girls either get the impression they can't or just feel like they don't want to grow up to be racers. But until kids get an interest at an early enough age to develop the needed talent and connections in the sport, we won't see many more women/minorities in racing than we do now.

I think it's going to take having a woman/minority driver become moderately successful to really spark an interest (i.e. what Tiger Woods has done to golf), and even then I don't think we'd see the results for a few years.

Just like other sports, and tougher than most, you can't just decide today you want to be a racer and go out tomorrow and be running in the Cup series. Most of the drivers in the top 3 series started racing at an early age, and it took complete individual, family, financial dedication for several years to get to where they are.

Crissy came along at a great time and in a great situation. She has the "pedigree" of a racing father and uncles, she has solid financial backing, she is getting a chance in decent equipment provided by the same team her father drives for, and it appears they are not going to rush the process. I've heard the Jr's sister could have been a good one, but she chose (or it was decided for her) to go down a different path.

Enough rambling for today .. just trying to avoid cleaning the house before we have our church group to the house later this week. ;)

[takeabreath3]

tim hit the nail on the head. you can not just wake up this morning and decide you want to be a racer, whether it be dirt track, open wheel, iroc, arca, busch( i know), truck or the elite cup. if you could, heck i would be a driver!!! if you look back at most of our drivers now they got the itch when they were like 4 or 5 and started with go carts and moved thier way up the ranks to become what they are today!!

most girls at 4 and 5 are more interested in dolls!! lol remember i said most.

little boys dads love the racing and encourage them to race any and everything and don't mind putting every hard earned dollar they can scrape together to get thier kid to the track!!! any track any where any time!

so then here comes chrissy wallace, who throws a huge kink in my whole theroy! she was born with the racing gene, her dad is hugely popular, whatelse could you ask for!!! i would love to see chrissy make it thru the ranks and up to cup. i think if anyone will break the chains to encourage girls to race it will be her.

i like erin also, just wish she could get better publicty and then that goes back to the money thing!!!

oh well, that's just my opinion!!

[Fundytrail]

I agree good drivers male or female are hard to find but there are a number of talented female racers out there, maybe not cup material but here are a few, can you add to the list?:) And will we see any of them in Cup series in 2 to 5 years?

The affair between Erin Crocker and Ray E. has hurt the ability of female drivers in obtaining sponsorship, in my opinion. :(

Kristin Bumbera (Sealy, Texas)
http://www.kristinbumbera.com/

Tiffany Daniels (Smithfield, Va.)
http://www.tiffdaniels.com/

Jill George (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
http://www.jillgeorgeracing.com/

Katie Hagar (Nobleboro, Maine)
http://www.katiehagar.com/

Jessica Helberg (Rohnert Park, Calif.)
http://www.helbergmotorsports.com/jessica.html

Lindsey King (Cherry Valley, Calif.)
http://www.drivefordiversity.com/drivers/driver.asp?DRIVER_ID=19

Marisa Niederauer (Plainedge, N.Y.)
http://www.mountainspeedway.com/drivers/mod/mniederauer.htm

Alli Owens (South Daytona, Fla.)
http://www.alliowens.com/

Alison Quick (Redding, Iowa)
http://www.alisonquick.com/

Molly Rhoads (Hastings, Minn.)
http://www.mollyrhoads.com/

Trista Stevenson (Pocahontas, Ill.)
http://www.tristastevenson45.com/index.html

Michelle Theriault (Bristol, Conn.)
http://www.michelletheriault.com/

[madfinnhockey]

http://www.comcast.net/articles/sports-motorsports/20080520/NASCAR-In.The.Pits/

Heres the link to the story I was referring to.

[Fundytrail]

http://www.comcast.net/articles/sports-motorsports/20080520/NASCAR-In.The.Pits/

Heres the link to the story I was referring to.

Interesting to see that Tony Stewart is helping Chrissy Wallace with $ and advice.
:)

[us2bfast]

Funndy Nice job on the links that was great. As far as Smoke goes he's just got that racer mentallity. Just help people out along the way as people did for him. I know he's helping out Morgan Sheppard with some tires.

[Buddlite]

Alli Owens from South Daytona drives for these folks I think. Nice to hear
D’Hondt Motorsports, LLC (DMS) announced today that their primary car , the #19 ElectrifyingCareers.com Toyota in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, will have two new sponsors at the Ansell Cut Protection 150 at Chicagoland Speedway on August 29th.

GrandmaRubys.com (http://www.GrandmaRubys.com) is a family-oriented confection company run from the Midwest by two enterprising granddaughters of “Ruby” herself. Genuine Ranch Brand is a unique Western apparel brand, run by determined horsewomen. Both companies proudly support the effort of women in stock car motorsports.