There is a time in an athlete’s career where they reach a particular pinnacle of popularity. As fans we honor them by dropping their last name. Lets take a look and see who could be the next to receive that awe$ome honor.
It would strike me as odd that every time I looked at the PGA page on any major sports website I found a featured article about Nationwide Tour golfer Luke List. I know, who is that? Sounds like a fratty name though.
It would also strike me as odd if every time I went to the Major League Baseball page, there was an article about the same guy struggling to make it in the minor leagues.
Therefore, I also find it peculiar that every time I see anything about NASCAR I inevitably hear the name, or see an article about the 34th ranked racer in the second tier Nationwide Series. What name is that? You guessed it Danica Patrick.
Now everyone has their own opinion of Danica, and why she is as famous as she is. How popular is she? Her merchandise sales are greater than the four-peat and reigning Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. Her sales rank up there with the biggest names in Nascar like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart. If you think that merchandise sales are not a good measure of popularity, then you have obviously never been to Talladega (or any other NASCAR race for that matter). NASCAR fans would gladly play chicken with the 200 mile per hour race cars if it meant they could get their coveted Dale Jr. thong or wife beater signed. NASCAR fans are like the Beatles groupies of old, except less hot, less mannered, less showered, but way more fun.
The question remains, why is such a second rate driver receiving all this attention. The obvious and most common answer is because she is a woman. Is it fair? Maybe, maybe not, but let’s take a closer look at Danica.
Why does that matter that she is a woman? For Danica, it is the only thing that matters. She is well aware of the exceptionality of what she is doing in an entirely male dominated sport. Importantly, one paradigm that is rarely discussed when talking about NASCAR is the tremendous number and percentage of female fans. I bet you did not know that 42% of NASCAR fans are women. Unlike other male dominated sports, NASCAR attracts female fans. These millions of women are craving for a star of their gender to come along. Can you imagine the merchandise sales she will achieve if she actually breaks the top 30 in the Nationwide. Furthermore, what if she makes it into the Sprint Cup? CTS 
will be in business of selling Danica wife beaters, hats, coffee mugs, bumper stickers, car magnets, antenna whips, head bands, coolers, grill kits, tailgate toilets, shoe laces, shoes, socks, pajamas, wallets, chap stick, sunglasses, cereal, and anything else I can put a Danica picture on.
Does it help that Danica is easy on the eyes? Of course it does. Now, I say easy on the eyes because I am not 100% sold that she is the knockout GoDaddy wishes she was. She surely markets herself in a way that plays up her looks, and there are undoubtedly men who really have a thing for Danica. However, I think there are many people out there who think the jury is still out. It is difficult for some to think that a woman in a racing outfit can be attractive. Much like a woman in a catcher’s equipment or a football pads is a bit off-putting. Ponder this. Take Danica and Maria Sharapova and put Maria in the racing outfit, Danica in the tennis outfit, then ask 100 men who is hotter, and I bet 80% or more would choose Danica. As things are now, Maria as a tennis player and Danica as a driver, how many men do you think prefer Danica over Maria? I bet it is not 80%.
In closing, I would like to take a look into the future. Not just the future of Danica, but the future of women in the sport of NASCAR. The profit margins obviously love having Danica in the sport, and, in our great capitalist nation, profit always leads the way. But we have seen women like this before right? There were women who played football, and basketball right? Not really. Unlike previous women who have competed in male dominated sports, I feel that NASCAR is the first place where we will truly see men and women competing against each other (Poker, intramurals, bowling, and kickball don’t count).
Whether I am right or wrong about my thoughts, there are undoubtedly voluminous and varied opinions on Danica. She is still up and coming and just about received the honor of just going by one name. Danica. Get used to it. Email coverinthespread@gmail.com or comment above with yours.
-REB