Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?
Danica Patrick of course. And Pippa Mann too.
The two women open-wheel drivers reign supreme—at least in the eyes of fans who voted for the 2010 Most Popular Driver
awards.
Patrick was voted the Most Popular Driver in the top-tier IndyCar Series and Mann won the honor among drivers in the Firestone
Indy Lights, the IndyCar Series’ primary feeder series. There are no shortage of folks who think the affable Mann could
challenge the GoDaddy Girl for IndyCar's most popular pole position if she makes the leap from Lights.
The awards were determined by the vote of fans at all IndyCar Series events throughout the season and on indycar.com. Indy
DownForce, the open-wheel series’ official fan club, facilitates the balloting.
Patrick continued her unprecedented stronghold on the award, winning her sixth-straight Most Popular Driver Award. She has
won the award every year since joining the series in 2005.
“I’m very flattered that I’ve received this award once, let alone six times,” Patrick said. “Every
person has the ability to pick their favorite driver, and it can change, so it’s a real honor to receive an award from
the fans.”
In a disappointing season on the track, Patrick, an Illinois native now living in Arizona, had just three top five, eight
top 10 finishes and no victories in 17 IRL starts. She didn’t qualify for any pole positions and only led one lap.
Still, her popularity doesn’t seem to be fading much. Her merchandise still easily outsells any other IndyCar driver,
and her most popular status has kept her in good standing with corporate sponsors, an enviable scenario for many open-wheel
racers these days.
Previous IRL most popular award winners include Sam Hornish Jr. (2004), Sarah Fisher (2001-2003), Al Unser Jr. (2000), Scott
Goodyear (1999) and Arie Luyendyk (1997-1998).
Mann was honored by the fans for the first time. Mann has been noted for her fan interaction at races and use of various
social media platforms to gain a growing fan following.
“It’s such an honor and such a flattering and fantastic feeling,” she said. “Indy DownForce does
so much to support the series, to get this award is just incredible.”
The 27-year-old Brit won one race, had four top five and seven top 10 finishes in 12 starts. She also won three pole qualifying
positions and is one of the top Lights candidates to move up to the IndyCar Series next season, though that jump may wait
until 2012. If she makes it, there could be as many as six women drivers in the IndyCar Series next year.
Mann, who now calls Indianapolis home, races for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.
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Welcome to The Score, your place for hard-hitting sports business news, fast-breaking updates and fuel-injected debate. Buckle up. I'm your host, Anthony Schoettle, IBJ sports reporter.
Danica still most popular, but competition fast approaching
October 27, 2010
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So the Mayor adds another non value added layer to having a vehicle towed? Whereby the City Government RECIEVES AN ILLEGAL KICKBACK FROM A LGOISTICS COMPANY THAT SUBS THE WORK TO LOCAL TOW COMPANIES? What is the service the City performs for receiving the "tribute"? This is RICO!!!!! What a corrupt and unnecessary layer. What a dirtbag Mayor and his cronies.
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Owner occupied housing. Clear enough?
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So people think I am paranoid. It's from experience in dealing with puds requested by developers who make major donations themselves to representatives, have nice fund raisers for those running for office and hide through pac's. then there are the public relation firms. You will note some pr comments below. You there Clyde Lee? My opinion. Commercial along 421, great. Multifamily housing, terrible idea that will change the town. Senior condos or zero lot line homes west, great. I suggest keeping all entries to commercial areas at 421. All entries to owner occupied on sycamore. Will keep the traffic on sycamore down some. Two other things. You can't trust what will be there in 10 years. Steve builds quality stuff, but areas change over time. Look at the changes at the wall mart center at 86th and 421 over the last 10 years. Look at the apartments and neighborhoods behind St Vincent's. Raintree properties WILL decrease in value if commercial and multifamily goes in near. It has already been happening around the bridges area. The houses that have been sold recently are way below market. Several deals not closed due to the Illinois construction and the whole unsurety of the bridges. It's pretty simple, Zionsville will approve the whole thing because the city council has been groomed over a LONG period of time for this. I might even suggest some are in their position as a result of this.
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Esta, do you have a dog in this fight? You seem to really want to knock anyone against this project. No, I didn't move to Indiana for the architecture. I moved here for that red barn in the field. The horses and fields of corn. A place that is NOT overdeveloped. There are plenty of nearby places in Indianapolis that could be REDEVELOPED instead.
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RKW - OK, we get it, you're paranoid. The question is, are you paranoid enough? Greg - Yes, Pittman(s) is (are) at it again. They are developers, they build things. It's what they do. So when you go to work tomorrow, Greg, you're at it again too. Cliff - Really? You moved to Indiana for its progressive architecture? That's like moving to England for the cuisine. Zionsvillain - The house you moved to was once a field or woods. I'm willing to bet folks were upset when that ground was plowed under and a house was built. But I guess now that you are in, everything should stop? "My house was OK, but the next one is sprawl." SE Guy - Please don't paint us with such a wide brush. Most reasonable Zionsville residents welcome planned, measured development.
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Been over 4 weeks since the two weeks Terry Angstadt dropped the "double the IZOD activation" bombshell. What's happening?
7-11 and IZOD collectively dropped Tony Kanaan and Ryan Hunter-Reay (IZOD posterboy). Rumors suspect they didn't get ROI by working with the IRL.
TV ratings....horrific. Only 8 more years on VERSUS!
Comcast/NBC Universal not going to touch IRL with a stick....forget about that.
Economy still bad...IRL and IMS feeling effects in "Centennial Era".
Randy Bernard still has to apologize for the ruination of the AOW sport due to the failures of the Hulman-George family, Tony most notably.
Randy Bernard has been untouchable by most media outlets....sophomore jinx will get him as the kid-gloves are coming off as the media types realize the shine has come off the pumpkin. OVERALL 2010 grade = F minus.
Danica is the reason why the world frowns upon the IRL series. She has done nothing to be called 'IRL Elite"....yet Dario regurgitates daily while having to look at the ugliest trophy ever designed. Just another gaffe by the great crew at 16th and Jonestown.
No specs have been announced yet, for chassis or engines....and there is NO support for any of it, the 2012 VAPORWARE car, by manufacturers EXCEPT IRL yen masters HONDA.
2011 looks to be the TRUE 15th breakout year!
Randy Bernard? an F-? are you serious? This guy created a lot of buzz for the series this year. Going back to New Hampshire and Milwaukee. This guy has worked his tail off in the first year and deserves at least a B in my book. He is great with the fans, he has numerous contacts in the entertainment industry. He is perfect for IndyCar right now...an outsider that does not have a vested interest.
And no, NBC will not touch IndyCar....not while they have the contract with ABC/ESPN. When that is up, I think the Indy 500 and several of the other high profile races (Long Beach, Texas, Milwaukee, Vegas if we do end the season there, Sao Paulo). It would be good exposure for NBC Sports which currently really only has Sunday Night Football. It would be good exposure for Versus...and it just all around makes sense for all the parties involved.
And STOP calling it the IRL. Its not. Its "Izod IndyCar Series". Get it right.
And Chief, thank you for pointing out what is IndyCar's biggest issue. Fans like you. People that are negative constantly, dont go to races, dont watch the races, dont buy the merchandise, and bad talk the league. We dont need or want fans like you any longer, so do IndyCar a favor and hit the road.
Bmore GP having issues? Must be your insider info. Bmore Sun has never mentioned about issues.
I am wondering if the announcement is about "cartown" on Facebook. http://www.tracksideonline.com/news/story.php?id=18060
Cartown is a coup for the IRL. With the success of Farmville and Mafia Wars, Cartown could be a ton of exposure for IMS and the IRL.
Exposure to 500 million people cannot hurt. Anthony, any confirmation on the Cartown being the big announcement?
7/11 is still associate sponsor, no one was "dropped". I guess you would say Jeff Gordon was "dropped" by Dupont and Pepsi since they are both now only associate sponsors?
TV ratings need work, no question on that.
NBC will take over coverage when the ABC contract is over. Too much upside for them, especially with the VS contract.
Yes, economy still bad. Everyone is feeling it. NASCAR Exec admitted to it on Undercover Boss. Stated that NASCAR is feeling it across the board.
there is the demand for his apology. Did cart apologize to all the investors they cleaned out when they wasted away their money?
Bernard had a good first year, hope for better next year.
So the world frowns upon the IRL because of Danica? Really? What rock are you living under? Silly boy. Quit sniffing the glue, it is rotting your brain cells.
Isn't 2011 the 6th or 7th anniversary of your first prediction of their failure. Have you moved your failure prediction to 2012 yet?
If anything, voting Danica as the most popular Izod Indy Car Series (IICS)driver is a sign that the general public doesn't know other drivers in the series nor do they really care. It'd be laughable if it weren't so sad that a habitual mid-pack racer continues to get the lions share of public attention while the top runners (Franchitti, Dixon, Power, et al) are ignored.
With Danica flirting more and more with NASCAR infamy, her time in open wheel racing will probably end in a couple of years as she's proven to herself and others she can't win, let alone even compete, with the leading IISC race drivers.
But then, NASCAR fans keep choosing Dale Jr. as their favorite racer when he's not been competitive in that series for years.
How can there ever be peace with that attitude? This very blog has ignored the critical happenings in the IRL since season end...with only 3 blog entries about Danica leading the way? No news must be good news!
And yes, Randy promised an apology....if not, why did Anthony write about one? Credibility is HUGE....and the IRL has none to squander. Randy, I expect that apology on my desk by Monday morning...
Perhaps you'd feel better if Indy Downforce had accepted you as a member.
Boo hoo hoo......
I remember when Danica was an unknown being pushed by Rahal.
Heck, I remember a young, squirrely Jeff Gordon knocking around the pits at Indy looking for a ride.
Short of sons of legends or imports from other series, the vast majority of drivers who have run at Indy were unknowns until they ran at Indy. Hence Foyts quote "AJ did not make Indy, Indy made AJ". True then, true now.
If it weren't for the "haters" posting a bit of reality, all that would follow Anthony's post about Danica would be "She's Hot" and "I would". So enjoy the hate. It's free you see and well deserved. :lol:
What happened? Now you IRL losers are praying for more chicks, just for the attention. Pathetic...it used to be about RACING, now you need be able to be hot. PATHETIC what the sport has become.
"Bmore GP having issues? Must be your insider info. Bmore Sun has never mentioned about issues."
You don't read the Sun much, do you?
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-10-23/news/bs-md-grand-prix-challenges-20101022_1_title-sponsor-baltimore-racing-development-baltimore-grand-prix
"I am wondering if the announcement is about "cartown" on Facebook."
We were promised a big announcement weeks ago. And you think that children drawing on pace cars will turn this all around.
I suppose that it's easier than designig different plastic bits on a spec car.
"Exposure to 500 million people cannot hurt. Anthony, any confirmation on the Cartown being the big announcement?"
Only about 300,000 people watch the IRL. Unless you mean the Indy 500, because to you, only one race matters. Do 500 million people even know what Indy is? How many people watched it this year?
"7/11 is still associate sponsor, no one was "dropped".I guess you would say Jeff Gordon was "dropped" by Dupont and Pepsi since they are both now only associate sponsors? "
I'm speechless. 7/11 dumped the IRL for F1, and Jeff Gordon!!!
"NBC will take over coverage when the ABC contract is over. Too much upside for them, especially with the VS contract."
You're right, there's little downside left. But that doesn't mean that NBC will pay for this dreck. PBA and WNBA cost a lot less to produce, and for better ratings.
"Isn't 2011 the 6th or 7th anniversary of your first prediction of their failure. Have you moved your failure prediction to 2012 yet?"
The IRL never had a profitable year. They've stayed alive at the expense of the Hulman-George trust fund. It will keep going as long as they can stand it. Anton outspent CART/CCWS until they folded. But it took too long, so his mommy fired him from IMS, and then he threw a fit and quit the IRL.
And what did you win? Champ Car + Indy!
What happened to the American oval racers?
You've got 10-year old spec cars, foreign engine leases, foreign chassis, foreign tires, foreign ride buyers street circuits, etc. The only drivers that anyone can name is a mean girl and a dancer.
The race fans are gone. The series is a joke.
But at least you've got contrived qualifying and single file starts in the half-month of May. Enjoy!
I have no idea what the big announcement is, but Cartown is more than children drawing on pace cars. But then I guess you also assume that Mafia Wars and Farmville are just games for kids. Mafia Wars has 45 million active players and Farmville has 62 million. More than just kids games. Are you guys really that helpless you that you cannot follow links or look up what car town is? From my reading you are a car owner and have to manage your team, a crew chief in setting up your car and a driver competing against people including you friends. Sounds interesting, and if it is half the hit the other games are, it will be a major boom for the IRL.
500 million are the number of active Facebook users. Please try to keep up.
Speechless? Try clueless. 7/11 is still a sponsor. Did you understand what I meant about Jeff being dropped by Dupont and Pepsi? Probably not.
NBC will pay for the rights, not like cart which resorted to infomercials. But I guess that is what the haters mean when they say they wish cart was back.
Rather see Hulmans spend their money than cart blowing its investors. I do like how you care about how the Hulmans spend their money. So are you guys penciling in 2013 as the next prediction date?
I can name a whole lot more than that, and so can most race fans. Nice try though.
I do enjoy, and figure you do to since you seem so passionate. I mean I do not spend anytime worrying about things I hate.
I guess you are leaving off Helio, Danica, Dario, Sarah (a real feel good story that many have followed) and Hornish are a good start. All have transcended racing and have become known outside of racing circles. But you knew that, just trying to bury your head a little deeper in the sand, right?
Apparently race organizers MISSED PAYMENT for the IRL Baltimore GP. Back to sand OSTRICHES!
Sarah is as worthless as 8 utters on a bull.
Danica is an ELITE IRL driver, yet never really won a race. She's the best they have to offer and is MOST FAVORITE.
Dario has an ugly trophy, knows the IRL is crap races (but takes the check because it's only game in town), and has essentially run rough-shot over the poor quality of the rest of the IRL bred drivers in the league.
The majority of the prize $$$ of IRL and Indy 500 goes to CART owners anyway....those cart owners weren't stupid, they are taking the IRL for all it's worth!!! And there's nothing Iman or Defender can do about it...there LEeeGuE is gone! Bwahahahaha!
-Danica is still very popular, although I am not sure whether entertaining thoughts of NASCAR full time in 2012 or after is a great idea. The choice may not be heres given those who she surrounds herself with.
-Simona de Silvestro could be the next Danica if Bernie Eccelstone does not find a place for her to become the F-1 version of Danica.
-Pippa Mann has an exuberance that is rarely matched; if she progresses toward Indy Cars in a decent ride she could be a big star.
-Sarah's driving days are probably about over. I sincerely hope she continues to give it a go as an owner, because she could be a star there as well.
Would the obsessed haters please do me a favor? Try to stay on topic without diversion and avoid ruing another stream of comments. Thanks in advance.
It's good that the irl has 500 million fans. It cost the Hulman-George clan $1.50 each to get them. And for the same money, they killed CART - a twofer! It's really a shame that Anton isn't around to enjoy his victory.
I'm looking forward to the street race in Baltimore. I don't get to see many irl races, because I don't get versus.
I've been told that irl street races are much better than CART street races. Is that because a few Americans are able to buy their rides? Or because identical 10-year old cars with de-tuned engines are more exciting to watch? The irl copied option tires and push-to-pass, even though they used to laugh at CCWS for it, so I am confused.
I hope to go up to New Hampshire, too. It will be a real irl race on a real oval - not a rectangle, like Indy. But I'm not driving all that way until I know that the weather will be good. Unless, of course, it's too good. That's why Watkins Glen was empty this year, according to the promoter, who tried real hard to sell the irl.
They only seat about 100,000 in NH, and Indyman says that the irl has hundreds of millions of fans. If it is a sell-out, I'll still go and try to scalp a ticket.
Enzo Ferrari, Frank Williams, Nigel Mansell and Niki Lauda are all great examples of real racers, spending their own money to build a dream in racing.
While Sarah Fisher may (or may not) be a nice person, she has no business being in a top level OWR series as either a driver, or an owner. She's just another reason the .1RL considered the joke that it is.
Just a heads up there, Iman: F1 is in Brazil on November 7th. You'll have the chance to watch at a convenient time.
http://www.formula1.com/races/in_detail/brazil_842/event_timetable.html
Starts at 10am Central, so with the 2 hour time limit you hate so much, it'll end in time to catch the kickoff of the early games.
Would it be nice if most reached a level of maturity that had them at least becoming honest with themselves?
Pathetic mediocrity that IRL fans claim as good as Parnelli or Gurney or the turbine car. Better than Mario or the Unsers or even Mears. Shave them legs boys or get on a dancing show.
Due has won races and a worthless IRL championship...YET DAnika, and Mikey Junior MARCO have jobs? See, in the IRL it's better to be a semi-stripper runway model and dancer and oval only 4x races a year driver than a CHAMPION....to be able to keep you job. And TONY is the spokesman for that BRAZILLIAN IRL sponsor, APEX. Great stuff this IRL, you should check to see if you have anymore room in your feet to accept more bullets.
Why doesn't IRL just get a bevy of HOT RACY WOMEN and set forth with that? Sex sells...IRL smells.
What happened?
Perhaps they should read Schoettle blog commentary to balance the rosy picture. LOL
Why has IZOD cut back sponsorship? Why has 7-11 cut back sponsorship? Why did the 500 get lowest rating EVER? Why does the IRL have the SAME 8 year old car, with the SAME handful of CART owners and drivers WINNING everything?
I thought you IRL types won? What did you win?
Where's the major ACTIVATION Terry Promised us 5 weeks ago (in two weeks)? Where's the VAPORWARE Dallara car that is being financed with INDIANA TAXPAYER DOLLARS? $7 million, wasn't it?
WHAT is ROI for all of that "PROMOTIONAL SPENDING" you are woofing about? With TV ratings hovering in the 0.3 range, I'm sure there isn't any ROI.
Come on tiny, cough up your sources....
'-Interesting...no link. Defender, you are making that stuff up. Why hasn't Anthony Schoettle written about this great news?'
You would have to ask Anthony. My source is the Vice president of Sales for Indy Car, Greg Gruning.
'-Why has IZOD cut back sponsorship?'
They havenâ??t. They simply announced they will no longer sponsor Ryan Hunter-Reayâ??s car, which constituted an additional commitment in 2010 over and above their title sponsorship. Their commitment to the IZOD Indy Car Series is solid, and they have publicly stated they could not be happier with it.
'-Why has 7-11 cut back sponsorship?'
I am not sure. They redeployed many of the dollars to the other cars on the Andretti Autosport team as an associate, and there are some politics involved. As a fan, I am happy they are spreading their dollars around. Perhaps I will phone Michael and ask if I ever deem it important enough. Right now it is not. Those types of hiccups are becoming commonplace. Why, for example, is Dupont preparing to leave Jeff Gordon?
'-Why did the 500 get lowest rating EVER?' Mostly due to the fragmentation of the audience and wide availability of programming content on a variety of delivery platforms. The numbers of the 500 mirror the general trends of sports and entertainment television across the board.
'More Why does the IRL have the SAME 8 year old car, with the SAME handful of CART owners and drivers WINNING everything?' Probably for the same reason everyone drove roadsters with Offies in the early 60s. Itâ??s the package to have and everybody is watching costs in a challenging economy. As you may have read, the framework for change is in place for 2012. I am certain you will be watching as you gnash your precious little teeth with all of the angst you can possibly muster.
'I thought you IRL types won? What did you win?'
The continuing viability of the sport. With cart in charge, the sport would have died an ignominious death just as cart and champcar did. Twice.
'-Where's the major ACTIVATION Terry Promised us 5 weeks ago (in two weeks)?'
Unsure, but unworried. There are a lot of months between now and the start of the 2011 season. Patience is a virtue. Perhaps your obsessed ilk should attempt to employ a little of it.
'-Where's the VAPORWARE Dallara car that is being financed with INDIANA TAXPAYER DOLLARS? $7 million, wasn't it?'
Uh, no. The building being replaced by the Dallara/Sinden plant on Main Street is now vacant. Groundbreaking on the new facility is this month. It will enhance the remarkable transformation that is occurring along Main Street in Speedway. You should visit sometime. As a taxpayer, it is in my best interest to help facilitate a healthy and prosperous Speedway.
'WHAT is ROI for all of that "PROMOTIONAL SPENDING" you are woofing about? With TV ratings hovering in the 0.3 range, I'm sure there isn't any ROI.'
You would have to ask specific series officials and specific sponsors. Normally they do not offer such fodder for contests of Internet woofing, but the numbers are there, and Indy Car mainstream sponsors are mostly happy. Your fixation with television ratings as if you are executives would play well if it were, say, 1987, but it is not. You really should try to orient yourselves in 2010 for once. The world has changed in fundamental ways, particularly the way in which we communicate with one another. Most learned people understand this.
'Come on tiny, cough up your sources....' Tiny? How quaint. For sources, reference each question above.
Anthony: The DEFENDER fella is touting direct information from IRL brass...yet all we hear here is DANICA this, and DANICA that.
IF the business of IRL racing is somehow turning a corner to prosperity, why haven't you written about it? Or, is tiny's blather just that, blather?
The game ends soon, friends. Mari knows the importance of seeing the Centennial through. It is all about ROI and this three-year festival was expensive on top of Tony-like expenses. Lots of wad flushed. Finish it out for pennies on the dollar and call it good.
Masterlock is the next IzodCar "activation".
Why does EVERY single Schoettle blog topic that has to do with Indy Car end up the exact same steaming pile way....diverted away from its actual topic and onto the agenda of a handful of haters? Are you people really that immature?
Anthony, your response was better than expected.
It's the .1RL. How else could it end, but in a "Steaming Pile"??? :-)
If you don't like the .1RL topics in the blog, then why do you read it??? I know I don't obesess over, and post on blogs I don't enjoy. Seems rather strange on your part...
If you want delusional rantings that all has never been better in AOWR, then go read that Defender of the .1RL guy. With you reading, I'm sure he could double his hits per month. ;-b
As usual, everything coming up roses in the IRL.