Would I Hire Danica?

Nascar.com's Head2Head columnists Bill Kimm and Jason Schoellen were asked if they were team owners would they hire Danica Patrick. Mr. Kimm was the yes and Mr. Schoellen was the no.

Well i decided to ask myself the same question, if i was a team owner would i hire Danica Patrick.

The answer would be no, i would not hire Danica Patrick if i was a team owner in any of Nascar's top Series.

The Number one reason that she has yet to prove herself in the Open Wheel series, sure she has one win and a few top three finishes, but how many other drivers in the Nationwide or Camping World Trucks have done almost the same yet fail to produce at the next level. There are a few names that come to mind.

I wouldn't give the time or day to any driver, Male or Female, if they have not had any stock car experience. I would weather have a driver with one season of ARCA or Camping World East/West experience under His/Her belt then five years of Open Wheel experience.

The next reason is that she isn't going to be committed to running a full season for at least three years, so that means i would have to find another driver to race all the other races, while she is racing in a series that i feel is alot dangerous then Nascar. Its not fair to a crew or crew chief to have to work with a rookie who not only has no experience and won't be around half the time to get that experience. It takes hard work to learn to do something, you just can't learn it a few weekends a season.

That also brings me to the next problem, what if she gets hurt driving in that other series and can't drive my car at the next race, that means i'm not only stuck having to find another driver for that race, that is if i'm a part time owner, and paying not only that driver for the weekend but paying her for a race she wasn't even in.

I also don't want to be known as a team owner who likes to have high marketable drivers, now i know thats what it takes to get sponsors, but i would like to be an owner who has to work hard in order to get a win, top 5 or top 10.

The Bottom line is this, i wouldn't give Danica Patrick a ride on my team ever.