The Danica Patrick effect is taking hold of NASCAR.
The Feb. 13 Nationwide Series race in Daytona—Patrick’s first—saw a 33 percent ratings increase from last year.
The race, which started at 1 p.m. Saturday, earned a 2.8 national rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That means 3.1 million U.S. households tuned in.
That makes it the most viewed Nationwide race ever to air on the ESPN network.
Locally, the race scored much higher. In the Indianapolis market, the race earned a 6.9 rating (74,000 TV households). That’s more than double the local rating of the same race a year ago.
Apparently, more than a few IndyCar fans are tuning in. It also shows how strong a NASCAR market Indianapolis is. It’s often the No. 2 market behind Charlotte, NC, for NASCAR races.
Sports marketers at the race said people were lined up 10 deep before and after the race at the Danica Patrick merchandise trailer. No other Nationwide driver was even close to that kind of draw. Not even those that also compete in the Sprint Cup Series.
It remains to be seen if Patrick is a one-hit wonder and ratings will fade as the novelty of her driving a stock car passes, of if the legions of fans will continue to follow her throughout this stock-car season.
One thing is clear, there is much anticipation for her next NASCAR race, Saturday's Stater Brothers 300 in Fontana, Calif. There she’ll line up on the two-mile speedway for her second race driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports.
The run-up to the race has kept Patrick mighty busy. This week, she has appeared on “The Ellen Show”, “On Air with Ryan Seacrest”, “Good Day LA”, “CBS Evening News”, “The Bonnie Hunt Show”, “Chelsea Lately” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
But in NASCAR, like most big-time sports, there are no shortage of big egos. And a handful of drivers have already started to spew venom against Danica-mania.
Most notably, Michael Waltrip, Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch have made biting comments about the exposure the NASCAR rookie is gaining.
Her following was most evident in the press room at Daytona. After Patrick crashed, 90 percent of the media there to cover the race, barreled out of the media center in pursuit of a sound bite from Patrick. The crash itself was nothing spectacular. By NASCAR standards, it was pretty boring.
A short time later, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. flipped his car and slid down the front straight on his roof, nary a single media member left to immediately check on his condition or get a quote.
“The only thing I will say is that TV has been doing a horrible job because they’ve been covering her way too much …,” Kyle Busch told SpeedTV. “You’ve got all these people watching TV and they want to hear about Danica. Well then take advantage of that and show the less-funded team, the underprivileged people that want to have funding so they can race the rest of the year. Danica is only going to be here for 12 races or whatever it is this year. It would help the rest of those teams that want to try to make a full run at it get the coverage that they need and the exposure that they deserve to try to race the full season. Just my opinion.”
I wonder if the grapes will be as sour in California as they were in Florida.
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So what is the difference? I know...DANICA has SEX APPEAL. Since 2005 it's what has fueled the IRL's "buzz".
I'm excited to see IF the IRL can capitalize on Danica's success in NASCAR. So far the IRL let her get away....now they don't even spend $$$ to promote IRL races during Danica's NASCAR races. Sweet marketing tactic by the Speedway.
Isn't it unfortunate the IRL, born on the VISION of providing opportunities (that CART didn't) to young American's like Jeff Gordon, has allowed TONY STEWART, RYAN NEWMAN, and countless others INCLUDING DANICA to flee the IRL series? See, that is how far the IRL has fallen...and it drags Indy with it. Like the moth to flame....NICE, another STUNNING success story from the IRL!
shows just how fragile their self-esteem is if they can't let someone else get a lot of press, bring millions more in sponsorship dollars and add the viewership and attendance at races.... waaaa waaaaa
BABIES
How did Kyle Busch do in his first Nationwide series race?
I look at it this way: I don't see her stripping to a g-string and prancing in front of the cameras. Publicity is happening because people are following it, regardless if it's in line for autographs or the media are covering some aspect of the race. If someone tunes in to watch her, they might find aspects of NASCAR which they might not have done before. Just because people tune in for her doesn't mean they can't switch to another racer.
It's Free. Free publicity. Why they whine because the race doesn't focus on one of them is rather selfish. And jealous.
If a male driver finishes 2nd, 3rd, or 4th in every race they are in, there's going to be a *lot* of publicity. Would everyone (else) whine like they are doing with Danica?
What would make me enjoy races a bit more than I do? Punch it up a bit. 500: Let everyone run their trials, and on Carburation Day, allow changes to be made for the race, but no track time to test it. Sacrifice speed in the trials for a setup which would be conducive to aspects. There's more strategy there. Run fast in the trials for a better position, but take a chance on changes for the race. Too much preparation for the race, you risk not being able to get into the race.
And: every race involving laps, whether it's cars, track & field, speed skating at the Olympics, anything: flip a coin immediately before the race: heads it's clockwise. Tails it's counter-clockwise.
Lots of equipment in all sports is rigged to go one direction (only). Ice skates in the speed skating are designed to go counter-clockwise (only).
Football allows for it - toss the coin - you choose to kick/receive & position on the field.
Think about being prepared for either.
Chief, let us know when Ryan raced in the IRL. While losing good American drivers is unfortunate, at least the IRL gave them the chance. Unlike cart which is one of the ingrained problems that caused their downfall.
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C'mon, Anthony! Everyone knows there aren't more than a very few fans of the 'league'. Heh.
That 2.8 rating isn't all that far off from the 497. Yet the few will keep insisting that IMS shouldn't be turned into a strip mall, which is completely ludicrous.
I really hope she keeps getting better at running those Nascar sleds, that will only accelerate her departure from Anton's folly.
Then there's earlman, still making up his own version of history, aka a revisionist load of babbling nonsense. Comedy gold! :rimshot:
code = fmwhe
Regarding some of the other jealous comments from other NASCAR racers; on the one hand they admit that she is good for the sport & good for NASCAR and then go right on complaining that they don't get the same coverage. That is like an average looking girl complaining that she doesn't get noticed by men say like Kathy Ireland or Jane Seymour does...of course she doesn't. I mean Kyle Busch has the personality of a SNAIL!
Stan, you may be right in the end, but until that happens (if it ever does), can you just knock off the name calling and innuendo that you make up with your not so clever comments every time someone doesn't bow down to you?
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Wayne W. Dryer
And she's the biggest star in the IRL too. What the heck have any of them other IRL stiffs ever accomplished? Indy MADE Danica....bwahahahhahahhaa!
Did you see how Dale Jarrett and Marty Reid proudly exclaimed how much tougher it is to drive a stock car than an IRL car? They said IRL is nothing but a flat footed, turn left and hold it there series while NASCAR you have to brake..steer...and accelerate with skinnier tires and much heavier car.
Creating the IRL and fostering it to this point has essentially removed any mystique to driving an open wheel race car. Being exposed for the crap the IRL is in front of 4.0 rating audiences (equal to 2009 Indy tv ratings) and NOT promoting the IRL brand is a FAILURE of IRL management. Thanks to the SPEEDWAY for making the sport a FAILURE under it's control.
I blame the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for allowing it to all get to this point. Sickening.
Why, those girls would make Danica look like a little boy, and thusly, get more media attention, which would lead to more sponsorship and be better for all racing in general.
Strippers would have no problem getting naked in Playboy rather than just a swimsuit in SI.
I'm telling you, there's a ton of money to be made here boys. It's the future of the sport... :rolleyes:
Another interesting thing is has Dale or Marty ever raced an Indycar? Has Marty ever raced anything? It reminds me of when people rip on NHRA by saying all you have to do is to push down the pedal and drive straight. Then put them in a similator and they show they have reflexes of a grandmother. Each series has its own special set of skills. I mean running an overweight taxing cab 50 mph slower than an IRL car can't be that hard. Hell, if you screw up, just bounce off the other cars and keep on going.
Why don't you ask Danica Patrick and Dario Franchitti.
Or I will ask Tony Stewart or Juan Pablo.
I always found it intersting that the OW boys like AJ Jr. or Mario could cross over to NASCAR and win with ease, but the cab drivers never could.
Again, how many Indycars and how many NASCARS has Marty driven? Anybody can say whatever they want, I would rather talk to the drivers who have done both. They are the only true subject matter experts.
I've always found it interesting that Indy Car fans always cling to something that happened 40 years ago. I guess they have to, that was the last time Indy really meant anything.
If you have been paying attention, I tought things from all of Indy history.
So where are the boys from NASCAR who have tried to run Indy? They quickly turned tail and ran. Too tough for them and too scary.
Makes your point moot. Nascar drivers aint stupid.
By the way, NASCAR has run at Indy since 1994.
Foyt, Unser, Mears...Gordon, Johnson, Stewart? I ask you....are all EQUAL? All that get the press these days is NASCAR. And Danica....IMS destroyed everything with the IRL. NOW they are paying the price.
When Jeff won his fourth Brickyard and people started comparing him to Foyt and Unser, he quickly stated that his accomplishment was not on that high of a level. He stated that winning the Brickyard is not at the same stature as winning the 500.
You really should read more of your history since it sounds like you did not live through it.