Danica Mania!
Danica Patrick was getting so much attention since he Indianapolis 500 not without a cost. There have been grumblings that the hard work of other teams and drivers in the series are being unfairly overshadowed.
At the IRL race in Milwaukee, one of the series leading teams decided they had had enough. Drivers for Andretti Green Racing - Dan Wheldon, Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti and Bryan Herta - boycotted an official IRL autograph session after learning that a separate line had been set up for fans to get autographs from Danica Patrick.
It’s the second time this season a separate autograph line has been set up for Danica Patrick with the same thing happening in Texas.
AGR co-owner Kevin Savoree said “It’s a serious issue and we need to talk (with league officials) about it,”.
IRL officials say they want to talk to AGR team members as well, but not so much about Danica Patrick as the fact they missed a mandatory autograph session which they say is “vitally important” in helping the series reach out to fans.
“The attention Danica Patrick has drawn to this series - none of which she asked for - has risen the tide for all of our ships, and everyone needs to understand that,” said IRL president Brian Barnhart.
Frustrations within the AGR camp over the spotlight which has shone on Danica Patrick have been building since the Indy 500. It started with the fact that Dan Wheldon, who won the Indy 500, was left off the cover of Sports Illustrated in favour of Patrick, who finished fourth. Then, at a race soon after Indy, Wheldon sported a t-shirt which read “Actually won the 500″ while Patrick’s Rahal-Letterman teammates - Vitor Meira and Buddy Rice - sported t-shirts which read “Danica’s Teammate” and “Danica’s Other Teammate”.
All three said the move was a good natured poke at all the media attention Danica Patrick has received and not aimed directly at her.
AGR teammates Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti have been vocal of late when it comes to the attention Danica Patrick has recieved, going so far as to question her ability. Even Wheldon said IRL officials should concentrate more on promoting other drivers rather than riding the coat tails of Danica Mania.
Since Danica Patrick’s fourth place finish at Indianapolis, Danica Patrick has yet to reach the podium - as many predicted. Danica Patrick’s best finish in the last five races was seventh at Nashville and she has come under fire from other drivers for making “rookie” mistakes on the track which cost her - and others - better results.