Jalopnik
We all know what Pedro de la Rosa thinks about women in motorsport. Now, we've got CBS Sports' Gregg Doyel weighing in on Danica Patrick's win, proclaiming the Indy Racing League to be an inferior racing series. Most people will agree the IRL isn't the highest pinnacle of motorsports, but Doyel thinks
"the IRL is not real racing. Not real good racing, anyway. It's not the best car circuit in this country — that would be NASCAR ... what is the IRL? It's a training ground for decent drivers who hope to be good enough to race somewhere important some day ... Winning in the IRL isn't a matter of talent..."" Wait, what? He thinks NASCAR takes more skill? Hmm. Certainly there are some very skilled NASCAR drivers, and sure, there is competition, but it seems to us like Doyel is just shooting his mouth off. Suggesting the IRL isn't real racing, given the timing, comes across like Gregg is trying to deny Danica's skills. Which he then proceeds to do:
"The IRL is the junior varsity of racing, is what I'm saying. Danica Patrick finally won herself a JV race, and that's good for her, and it's a neat story. The first woman to do anything — the first man to do anything, too — is always cool. But let's not take this too far, OK?"Reading the full article, you get the feeling that Doyel doesn't think he's being sexist. Isn't that sort of like how Max Mosley doesn't think of himself as a Nazi? [CBS Sports via VWvortex]
Comments
hey i get to be first saying i think danica is hot
Danica's not going to get her due credit until wins a race backwards, in high heels.
Mmmmmm.... Misogyny-ee.
The difference between driving a closed cockpit car and an open wheeled car is the difference between standing on a penthouse balcony and standing on the other side of the rail.
Junior varsity as compared to what? Formula1, Nascar, DTM, American Le Mans?
Each series requires a different skill set and as has been shown time and time again, drivers from one series that is supposedly superior can't necessarily make the jump and be super competitive in an inferior series.
I think it is popular right now to jump on the "IRL is bush league" bandwagon and that is exactly what this writer did.
Further, I would bet Danica is more talented than F1 drivers who are ONLY there because they bought their way in, a prime example being Pedro de la Rosa himself (or am I the only one that remembers his first few seasons?)
the only thing more boring that irl is napcar
"It's not the best car circuit in this country - that would be NASCAR ... "
as soon as i read that, i didn't need to read any further.
Sour grapes? Sour sexist grapes? Sour sexy grapes? Was he drunk during this interview? Women, having better spatial abilities, and on general, better fine motor control, should technically be superior race car drivers. They usually weigh less than their male counterparts as well... Does the IRL make the cars carry ballast to even out driver weight? Why not get an anorexic midget amputee to drive? Damn I is a genius.
Ah, I see we have our Danica Patrick shot for the day...
Was there an article attached to this?
"Winning in the IRL isn't a matter of talent"
Apparently, neither is writing for CBSSports.com.
Wake me when a driver in either league makes a right turn.
@tr:
Cause you agree?
I am inclined to agree. Although, Danica is so much more effective at advertising the race series than say... Tony Stewart at Subway.
@tr: Yeah, either Herr Doyel is already a paid mouthpiece for NASCAR, or he's auditioning to be one. I mean, how is going through corners at 210+ less than an inch apart JV, especially compared to the taxicabs?
What an ass.
O'DOYEL RULES!! O'DOYEL RULES!!
Actually he sounds like kind of an ass. Nascar? REALLY?
@lascauxcaveman: Now wait a minute...are you saying that Danica hasn't gotten her due credit yet?
"F"...What about Shirley Muldowney?!
Of the recent 'Merican series drivers:
They are talking about Patrick going to a top *funded* F1 team after her first win (out of 50 starts) via *team* strategy in a FTG middling series with crapcars...
...when Seabass dominated ChampCars/CART/whatever three years running and, after many tries, finally got a mid-pack (at best) ride.
WhoTF hasn't gotten their due?
I think it's more the marketers and beancounters that are coming up with this scenario.
Everyone else is laughing their asses off.
Isn't this a little long to be dragging out April Fools Day?
Awesome.
The only thing anyone needs to know about how much in the way of testicular fortitude it takes to drive in either series is to look at the amount of roof on top of the drivers. No roof > roof.
The lovely Ms. Patrick's testicles are, of course, metaphorical.
and now we have the third appearance of that amazingly hot danica photo :D
Logically, the most difficult racing league to compete in would be the one that has the best drivers. Assuming the drivers are rational, the best drivers would gravitate towards the league where they get paid the most. I think that means Nascar is the superior league, although I don't follow either sport enough to care.
heh heh heh...he said "irl is a bush league"..heh heh heh...bet this is news to the dykes in vermont
Watch out, Doyel, the Jalopnik female browsership is going to be up in arms over this...oh wait, as usual the women are in the kitchen and the men are going to have to defend them.
@SeanKHotay: I'm just making a joke on that old joke about Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers. It's a bit obscure for this young crowd, I admit.
If I used the term junior varsity, I would say that adults describing things -- even professional sports -- as JV is totally JV.
I guess I'll respect this fuckwad's opinion when he wins a race....
I don't know who this turd burglar is, but he needs to take a long look in the mirror and reflect on his accomplishment(s) before criticizing another's. This guy screams douche bag, and I'm not just saying that because he's pickin' on my little sweet ass Danica!
Of course, the other thing he's done is generate a bunch of hits for his column.... Maybe that was all he was looking for....
Nascar's the one with the yellow flags linked to the Nielson boxes, right?
In a related story, Danica Patrick was spotted walking away from an injured Gregg Doyel in what was described as a "pit incident" A bloodied Mr. Doyel had "no comment"
@lascauxcaveman:
Oh, , I missed it.
Apologies...flame withdrawn, burn medication offered. Willing to reciprocate in taking equal burnage.
I just get my knickers in a twist over all this boot-licking of Danica. She's admittedly very good at what she does, just not ready for the top rung which is still way out of her reach (no height pun intended).
She's still mid-ladder.
Hey Fuck This Guy.
I humbly request that the powers that be at Jalopnik institute a media blackout in perpetuity of this douchebag's scribblings.
Thanks for your consideration.
The IRL takes skill while the Nascar requires stupidity. Just look at how often some actual program I want to watch is delayed because the Nascar morons keep crashing their plastic cars.
Well, NASCAR drivers have some skill. Not everyone can drive an unaerodynamic brick around at 180 mph. Only drunk rednecks can
@readplays: Posts like this are why I come to Jalopnik.
+ Watch video
NASCAR's the best? My ass.
Doyel : Real Racing Analysis :: Wert : NFL Draft Analysis
Not to poke fun at Wert's analytical skills, but racin' ain't exactly in Mr. Doyel's wheelhouse. Although one of CBS's "Expert Columnists" (whatever that means), he is pretty much like every other sports columnist out there today. He just throws out random ideas and tries to inject as much hyperbole as possible to either make himself look smart or generate page views becuase of a controversial opinion. He's a decent writer, but he is prone to the occassional over-reaction or bout of nonsense. But, since he is an "Expert," I guess he figured he was qualified to throw out broad generalizations about gender and racing...
I suppose it's fitting that El Jalop's only female staffer was supposed to cover racing.
...and had something like 2 posts before disappearing without a trace.
Seriously, you guys need a female staffer who's got the stats to kick some guys in the balls. I'm thinking a sub 10 second GNX or El Camino owner would do the trick.
This kind of rabble-rousing crap is par for the course for Gregg Doyel, and his CBS Sportsline colleage Mike Freeman.
What a jackass. Just another example of some sports "authority" who knows zip about racing spouting off like a shock jock.
When will people stop listening to talking heads and make opinions for themselves? I guess right about the time we stop watching napcar and figure out that American Idol is really StarSearch with no Ed.
Last year at the Indy 500, they had a couple of 2 seat cars (if I remember right, Canadian Club sponsorship was on one). They actually had them downtown, giving rides, the night before the 500. Anyway, on race day they were also giving various high end ticket holders, etc, some laps... I say let's strap Mr Doyel into the back, let him go sailin' into turn 1 at 220 mph, and when he gets out of the car (once he gets the seat cushion out of the crack of his ass), we'll see what this pee stained scribe has to say about racing....
Who the fuck reads anything by those douche bags? Doyel isn't fit to lick Robin Miller's boots.
I think Old Gregg's got a mangina.
@MrSpyder:
Exactly.
I was in Florida one time picking up a Mini Moke a friend bought. I was in a rest stop moving it around on the trailer and got a trucker to help me.
He said he delivered a bought to Ed in Beverly Hills. He said Ed was a nice albeit drunk guy (insert Repo Man John Wayne quote here).
Wow, this guy is a bigger ass than Jeremy Clarkson.
@SeanKHotay: S'Okay. I is thick skinned. I is cotomer sevis representitive.
Also, your avatar tells me that although you're quite pissed off, you're really just a pussy.
@readplays: boat. ha! I'm such a dumbass.
Gregg's still sad about not earning his own JV patch, eh?
@ranger88: "You might could win..." Love it.