Why I Think Danica Does Not Belong in NASCAR

    

     Danica Patrick made NASCAR headlines last year when she made the move to stock cars from Indy. Some NASCAR fans welcomed her to the sport. Others, like myself, think she should have stayed in Indy.

     I think Danica Patrick does not belong in NASCAR. Yes, I know that other drivers have made the move, but how many of them have actually been successful? Also, what is with the “Go Daddy” commercials?!?! The way she acts in those make women look like objects. She makes it seem like you should go to the site to check women out… IT’S SICK!!!!! I also think she does not know what she is talking about half the time. Take Saturday for instance when she complained Ryan Truex was racing her too hard. HELLO?!?! IT’S BRISTOL!!!!! All drivers race that way, and he did not do anything to her. I was surprised he took the blame for that. Danica Patrick complains too much. I think she is worse than Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon were said to be.

     The main reason I do not like Danica Patrick is because I feel as if she does not have a passion for NASCAR or stock cars. She came over to NASCAR because Indy was not talking about her. I think she just wanted the attention and her name in the sports headlines again.

     I am also sick of the media always following her around the NASCAR garage like she is the only driver there. They will mention her name or get interviews with her but what about drivers like Ryan Truex or even Mike, Kenny and Stephen Wallace?? You rarely hear about them.

     I would feel differently about her being in NASCAR if she would stop complaining about everything and actually take blame for things. She does. She does not belong in NASCAR in my opinion. She needs to stay in Indy and not be in NASCAR. NASCAR is for drivers who have a passion for it. Not to give yourself or even the Indy Racing Series attention.

Athletes: Are They Really Role Models for Kids?

Everyone has their favorite sports to watch whether it be NASCAR, football or baseball. You probably even have a favorite driver whether it is Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart, or a favorite player like Tom Brady or Shane Victorino. You probably have even thought one time or another about what it would be like to have these people’s jobs. But how much do you actually know about the people you look up to?

Professional Athletes are not perfect. Take Michael Vick for instance. In April 2007 he was associated with an illegal dog fighting ring that ran for five years. In August 2007 he pleaded guilty to the charges and was suspended from the NFL indefinitely. He served eighteen months in federal prison and now is playing with the Philadelphia Eagles.

NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield is indefinitely suspended from NASCAR in May with a slim chance of ever coming back to the popular racing sport. On July 1, 2009 a federal judge lifted the suspension temporarily. Then on July 15, 2009, Mayfield failed yet another drug test suspending him again.

Baseball players Manny Ramirez (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees) both admitted to using performance enhancing drugs. They are both still playing baseball.

NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon is one of the best NASCAR drivers in history but he did not finish high school. He is still able to win and earn a living though.

So, athletes are not perfect, but what are they teaching their young fans? That it’s ok to break the law and do drugs or its ok to do stuff you know is not right, or not to stay in school. The fans watch them and think they are the greatest people in the world. Still, they do appearances and tell students they shouldn’t do what they did because they know first-hand what the consequences are, and that takes a lot of courage and strength to do that. So in some aspect, they are role models and are teaching kids to do the right things. Yes athletes are good role models, but at times they get too much credit because of the illusion that they have to be part of a perfect image.

Not All Hiccups in NASCAR Are Bad

I have been a die-hard Jeff Gordon fan my entire life. He was the first and only NASCAR driver I have ever cheered for. When I was younger, every time I saw something with a yellow number 24 on it, I would ask my mom or dad to buy it for me. My collection started when I was about six and I got my first Jeff Gordon shirt. Then came a Jeff Gordon stuffed doll and a pack of trading cards. Now, thirteen years later, I own over 100 Jeff Gordon collectibles. I even got a lug-nut off his #24 DuPont Chevrolet in 2003 when it was at local Wal-Mart. That was the closest I thought I would ever be to Jeff Gordon.

As odd as this sounds, I had my world changed on February 27th, 2011. For the first time in almost two years, I woke up with hiccups. At first, I did not think about it. Then I remember it was Raceday and what happened last time I had them. Honestly, I had to look in my diary to remember for sure, but then I decided I would let the NASCAR fans, especially the Jeff Gordon fans, on Twitter know I had hiccups and what happened last time I did.

I tweeted that morning “Good Morning race fans, I have the hiccups. Jeff Gordon is going to win today. Last time I woke up with the hiccups, Jeff Gordon won at Texas (April 2009) and the four times before that, he won those four races.”

I honestly did not think that Jeff Gordon would even see this tweet. I also did not expect him to win because I figured by saying that I had hiccups, I jinxed them. However, he did saw it and he did win. I was going crazy when he won. I was jumping up and down telling my sisters that I was right. I told them he would win. They thought I was insane actually. Then I went on my Twitter and saw at least twenty-five tweets about Jeff Gordon mentioning my hiccups to someone and saw that Drive to End Hunger tweeted that Jeff said “Someone on twitter-don’t know who- said she had the hiccups, first time since tx win-so she knew itd happen. Wow!” I was just shocked to learn he read my tweet. Out of everyone who tweets him, he saw mine. It was a dream come true for me.

The dream did not end there. He mentioned me on numerous interviews he did such as, Sirius NASCAR Radio after the race, PRN’s Fast Talk, even Jay Leno!!!!! I seriously want numb after that mention on Leno. I could not believe he mention my “Lucky Hiccups” on Leno! I am still shocked about it. I even got to do interviews with Sirius NASCAR Radio and NASCAR Now on ESPN. Who would have thought a girl from a small town in Pennsylvania would have this happen to them.

I appreciate all the support from Jeff Gordon fans I have been getting. I even have fans asking me on racedays if I have any hiccups. I tell them the truth which has been a no, but I do not want to lie to them. If I have them, great, but if I don’t I do not want to lie and say I do. I also have told fans that I will not force them. They need to come on their own. If I force them, they will not be lucky… not to me at least.

I have started a “Must Meet Jeff” campaign on Twitter and Facebook. The twitter campaign is using the hash tag #MustMeetJeff and you can find the Facebook page “Hiccup Girl’ Must Meet Jeff.” I have been trying to meet Jeff Gordon for seventeen years, and I am only nineteen. I am hoping that I get to meet him someday. I have had a number of chances to meet him, but I have had to give them up, including twice last year for deaths in my family. I even entered the National Guard’s Facebook contest last year 1700 times to win a chance of a life time. I’ll admit I cried for a couple of days when I did not win that contest.

I am hoping to get the hiccups a lot this year, but for now, I am just enjoying this dream that God is allowing me to live. I have faith that this may be the year I meet my hero. I will not stop trying to meet him until I do. One thing Jeff Gordon has taught me is to chase my dreams and follow my heart. That is what I am going to do. I will Refuse to Lose!!!!