re: #16 ObserverArt

What breaks a minority into a sport big time famous? Winners and champions. Rarely, a big name. So far nobody fitting that description has emerged. Danica is just not a winning/champion driver. This guy at least has a national win.

I think that’s the reality. So many drivers come and go without notice simply because they don’t win. Willy Ribbs fits that description as does Danica. Willy retired after being in a crash that killed an official. Can’t blame him for losing heart. Drivers like to think they risk their own lives not others.

Remember Shirley Muldowney?
Dark points out NASCAR is originally based on criminal activities. Bootlegging. Then on being able to flee the police. Struck a chord in southern culture obviously and reflects the south in too many ways. But then In 2015, so what? NASCAR has an international audience. A national track and event presence. A far more diversified audience than in the past, (ever been to a race in California?!)

These things don’t happen as fast or as early as we wish. But lets not forget the resistance NASCAR faces outside the south. I wish I could count the times we have seen what amounts to anti southern attitudes based on certain politicians, slavery, and some “we know better” arrogance.

Say you are a female or African American driver of profound competitive skills. A winner in waiting. So, who will welcome you first? Formula 1? Indy car? Or maybe dirt track racing and on up?

Is pro auto racing even very popular among women or minorities? If not how many up and comers can we even fairly expect to show up? Admiration is a great recruiter, expressed contempt as anti southern or anti NASCAR sentiment would then be a significant drag on that, no?

The new Danica? Ex-IndyCar driver joining Nationwide Series
foxsports.com

When she won the Rolex Series Grand Prix of Miami, she became the first woman in history to win a major international race in the United States.
In 2007, Duno became the first Hispanic female driver in the now 103-year history of the Indianapolis 500 to qualify for and compete in the world-famous race. Duno competed in the Indianapolis 500 three consecutive seasons and in the IndyCar Series for four consecutive seasons, running partial schedules in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and a full schedule in 2010.