Comments on: Robby Gordon: Danica Patrick Has an Unfair Advantage

By: Jeff Murrey

Jeff Murrey — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 15:13:07 +0000

I am convinced Danica's weight DISADVANTAGE was the cause for her spin out under yellow (less weight = less tire friction), and the elimination of 3 drivers from the Indy 500. If Danica had additional weight added to her car she would not have lost control and ruined the day for 3 other drivers.

Question:
Was Danica's spin under yellow in the Indy 500 due to . . .

A. She is a female.
B. She only weighs 100lbs.
C. She is a rookie.
D. She was applying make up while driving.
E. All the above.

Maybe the IRL should reduce the weight in all cars to equal the weight of the car with the lightest driver???

Or maybe they could change the downforce on Danica's car to increase drag/friction, thereby slowing her car down to equal the others with a weight advantage and prevent her from spinning out.

Oh I'm getting confused!

By: Dovetail

Dovetail — Tue, 07 Jun 2005 14:20:23 +0000

Tire adhesion pressure: re: BigBird

I read the comments about tire adhesion pressure and asked a friend of mine... this was his comment:

"While tire adhesion pressures would be slightly less, you have to consider the fact that the total traction needed to keep a lighter car on the track is also less and far out weighs the adhesion pressure factor. This is why lighter cars, all things being equal, translate into better handling."

By: Terces Tpek

Terces Tpek — Mon, 06 Jun 2005 19:17:29 +0000

Robby, Robby, Robby........I can't understand why none of the other drivers were so disgusted and adamant about this "weight issue" concern as you were. Maybe because when you really get down to it, it is actually a 'non-issue' matter. I can't help but believe that if the situation were one whereas your wife, girlfriend, or daughter, were the one in the spotlight, that you would not be nearly as vocal about this matter. I can say this however, that your belief that Danica has an unfair advantage over everybody has already been shot all to hell. If I am not mistaken, didn't she come in fourth place. I think that means that there were three other drivers ahead of her. If she had "the unfair advantage" already, what was the secret advantage of the drivers who were ahead of her. I have had specialized training as a driver for professional reasons that an man as yourself would not understand. My experience makes it hard for me to comprehend that you know so little about the actually physical science and the laws of physics (as applied to driving) to absorb the reality that Danica's weight or lack there of is of little if any subsequent consequence or advantage to her. There are so many factors involved with the dynamics of competetive driving that a person would have to be a moron to believe that the one factor was the most important one in determining the outcome of the race. Am I to believe that you believe that a heavy person has never won a race or that a skinny person has every lost the race. You know there is a big difference between ignorance and stupidity? If I were a gambling man, I would be just about willing to bet that regardless of Danica's physical stature, that in the future, and/or whatever restrictions that they put on her (so that you could feel that all was equal and fair) that she would be willing to meet you anytime or any place to race head to head with your, lace panty, cry baby, ass. And why? Because she is a competetor.... I am an absolute idiot when it comes to the sport of car racing, but I know enough from just a little time on the computer this afternoon alone, that I was able to ascertain that your alleged concerns have very little to do with what you state them to be, but more likely a lack of self confidence, ability, or (excuse me everyone) just plain old balls to get out there and do what ever other reasonable and competitive person would do.....drive your race you loser. I suppose that she had another advantage over you in that she could see the track better. Vision certainly becomes distorted when you are looking at things through tears. Now that I think about it, your attitude strikes me that your refusal to race in the future against the likes of Danica and/or others like her has nothing to do with the alleged advantage. I believe that you understand the likelihood of losing to a member of the fairer sex and that is a terrible threat to your manhood. Well shame on you for quitting for any reason, much less because a lady wants to compete.

By: Rio Randy

Rio Randy — Mon, 06 Jun 2005 17:18:42 +0000

Most of you have overlooked the fact that there is no IRL rule against Robby 'Big-Boy' Gordon from weighin in at 100 pounds. If you want to be fair, loose the weight and try racing again. Or better yet, let's get her a NASCAR sponsor and let her run with the big-boys and see how she does. Perhaps Robby would need to find a new excuse if she were to perform well in the man-sport of NASCAR. Are we going to institute rules for the other sports too? How about we cut a dozen or so inches off the legs of the NBA's Yao Ming and the new prospect Sun Ming Ming who is two inches taller than Yao. I think they have an unfair height advantage...

By: Lawrence Skywinds

Lawrence Skywinds — Sat, 04 Jun 2005 16:01:23 +0000

I love to hear the Indy racer engines whine. But the sound of a whining driver is iritating. Come on Mr. Gordon. You would let a little 100-pound weakling get the best of you? Perhaps it is time to go back to your day job. Noone will miss you.

By: Sithlrd

Sithlrd — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 12:58:40 +0000

WHAAAAAAA!!!!!

Cry babies should not race, Robbie. Go back to NASCAR and let the real drivers compete without your whining. Take Tony Khanan with you. Maybe you can both cry in your beer together.

By: Ruari M

Ruari M — Fri, 03 Jun 2005 01:10:42 +0000

F1 doesn't take the driver's weight into account when setting the minimum weight of the vehicle. They weigh the drivers - in their full kit - so they can check the cars are legal quickly. Although that didn't work in the recent BAR case (the CAR was underweight 5 kilos. If it had involved the driver, then Jenson Button could have zipped out and stuffed a few cheeseburgers after the race).
All the IRL/ChampCar drivers who've come over to F1 of late seemed to be a bit more chunky than the average F1 pilot. Mike Andretti looked like Porky the Pig and Juan Pablo Montoya has been referred to as the Burger King.
BTW - I weigh just over 200lbs and I couldn't get into an IndyCar at the Cosworth factory in Northampton, England. Well, not quite.
If Patrick is quick enough - and it seems she is - then she deserves the ride. Others can just shave a bit off their lardy asses. still takes courage, skill and loads of stamina to drive 500 miles at over 200mph. I'd like to see her win.
PS - Seamus, et al: Jim Clark WAS British. He wasn't English, though. He wuz robbed of at least two Indy victories, if not three. One of the greatest ever.

By: David S.

David S. — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 23:41:54 +0000

Well I dont know if I speak for everyone, but I'll miss Robby Gordon, haha! Give me a break!! This guy wants to say something like that and get backing from the racing world? I dont think so. She is the one putting ppl in the stands not him. She is so great for the sport and deserves everything Rahal-Letterman give her. Shes the real deal and the sport needs it. Robby should argue the fact that a Honda has more power than a Chevy or Ford now. Get real Robby and get over it. Next thing he's gonna say is her helmet is to small and it give her better aerodynamics or something like that. Jealousy will get you know where so the best thing to do is to get on the race track and beat her heads up. So here is some cheese to go with your wine Robby and fans. Oh did forget to mention that she's F'n HOTT!!!!!!!!!!

By: Stinkbug

Stinkbug — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 22:52:19 +0000

Should this have started with "Gentlemen... start your engines!... oh.. and you too Danica.." She's good. She can race. When men who weigh 105 lbs start racing and winning, they'll change the rules. Until then, IRL NEEDS her to do well in order bring popularity back to the sport and get over the IRL/INDYCar racing split debacle and hopefully garner some of the NASCAR fans as well. In the meantime, how about the men just see this as an obstacle that they need to overcome? They've done it in the past when one team or another has figured out a mechanical advantage that gives them a better shot at winning. Some of the drivers could stand to drop a few pounds anyway. Or.. maybe.. they're just not used to a girlie in the pits who doesn't want to hook up with them. Maybe they don't like the media attention focused on her instead of them. Maybe they're more like women than they're willing to admit.. Stinkbug out!

By: BigBird

BigBird — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 02:23:59 +0000

Actually, the "weight equals speed" argument is an over-simplification. There are turns (four of 'em Robbie!) at Indy, and weight also translates into down force and down force into increased traction. Whatever advantage Danica or any "lighter" driver has is rubbed out in the turns where the tire adhesion pressures are slightly less due to the lower weight. Robbie Gordon is a whining loser, a wall banger, and a soon-to-be NASCAR reject. He got booted from a good team (Childress)and has stayed in the sport (for now at least) only by owning his own team. And please save me the glowing reports of his triumphs in other forms of motor-sport. They were long ago, in a land far away, and often against weak fields. Robbie is a jealous and petty driver. He hates Jeff Gordon because Jeff has more cup championships than Robbie has NASCAR wins. Yet it is the Jeff Gordon, Rusty Wallace and Dale junior types that have made NASCAR much more popular and much more profitable for backmarkers like Robbie. He similarly resents the attention Danica brought the 500 this year, even though that attention will benefit all of the IRL (it already has done so, check the TV ratings - expect that increased sponsor interest won't be far behind). The ratings for the 500 were up 40%. Maybe others see something in IRL that Robbie (the freakin' moron) Gordon has overlooked.

By: Ron

Ron — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 14:19:11 +0000

In your article you chide Gordon through satircal comments about Oneal, football players and the like. I would assume that you have no problem with sport figures taking steroids to make themselves larger, in the same way that Gordon could take diet pills to "belittle" himself. If you are as indignant as steroids as the rest of our pious nation, then perhaps you are also against breast augmentation. Imagine strippers (or just your everyday girl in a bar) complaining about a fellow stripper getting all the tips because she has more wares to show due to unfair enhancements. We are all looking for that extra advantage to help us through life. If Gordon wants to even the score then let him lose some inches. Life isn't fair and you have to adjust to other people's advantages in every aspect of life. We all at some time or other compete with someone better looking, smarter, quicker, richer...whatever. Do the best with what you have and be happy with the results. If Gordon wants to drop out of a race because he thinks someone else has an advantage, then he should follow the yellow streak all the way to the sideline.

By: Gregory

Gregory — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 01:08:53 +0000

Horsepower/weight ratio is all that racing is about. Lighter is always faster. Robby may be a whiner but he is a correct whiner this time. Maybe Patrick should be a jocky too. Then maybe Robby should play tug-o-war.

By: Happy Nobody

Happy Nobody — Tue, 31 May 2005 21:40:53 +0000

Uncle Donny, you may have had me until, "Seacrest out." Don't do it ... ever again.

By: Happy Nobody

Happy Nobody — Tue, 31 May 2005 21:37:08 +0000

Whaaaaaaaa! She doesn't weigh enough! Whaaaaaaa!

Maybe they should just have robots driving the cars. At least then no one would have to listen to this pathetic whining.

By: Francis

Francis — Tue, 31 May 2005 21:13:23 +0000

Hmm, let's drop this whole thing for a new approach. If we were to go by what whining robby says then clearly Mario Andretti should have won more Indy 500 races than A.J. Foyt and Al Unser given the obvious weight and height differential, but alas that wasn't the case was it?

I'm sure an exhuastive search and comparison would prove that weight and or height have nothing to do with victory. It's all about planning, team work, driving (among other things) and yes a little or a lot, of luck.

Weight? Give me a break.

Heck, I seem to recall this yearly thing called IROC that pitted drivers from different fields against each other in identical cars. Hmmm, wonder what happened there, but I'll bet it had nothing to do with weight.

What a bunch of panzies.