When Danica Patrick speaks, whether in tongue or behind the wheel of a car producing 750 horsepower, people pay attention.
The minute the NASCAR Rookie of the Year candidate steps foot on the grounds at a racetrack, she becomes the focal point of a media blitz that tracks her every move and thought. Not even her personal life is off limits.
Danica Patrick won the pole for next Sunday's Daytona 500 and remains one of the most polarizing figures in motorsports. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)
Danica-mania grew to new heights Sunday. She blistered Daytona International Speedway under the Florida sun to take the pole for the Sprint Cup Series' biggest race of the season, next week's Daytona 500.
It was a ground-breaking moment in racing. It's the first time in history a woman has earned the pole in NASCAR's top series, and it was an event that was felt on the national and local racing levels.
“It's definitely a big deal,” said Camp Hill's Nicole Bower, a local 410 Sprint Car driver that competes at Williams Grove Speedway.
“It's a big deal in that a lot of females are getting into racing and this gives them a comfort level knowing that they can succeed.”
Continued Bower, “It's known as a man's sport. But in today's world, it's not so much a man's sport. Anyone that is passionate about it can succeed.”
Patrick is a polarizing figure, and there is no shortage of opinions from fans and people in and around the sport.
She is fiery and competitive, a hard worker that is an inspiration. Patrick has earned the respect of some of the top names in the racing world.
Camp Hill's Nicole Bower admires Danica Patrick but thinks she should be known as a race car driver and not a woman in a man's sport.
There are just as many detractors as there are fans. The perception is that she is a public relations side show that has gotten to this point in her career because she is a woman and is easy on the eyes.
“I think there is a lot of jealousy where she is concerned,” Bower said. “I mean, maybe the way she got there is not the best, but she is there.
“She is the one driving the car. She is the one behind the wheel making it happen.”
Patrick's career has plenty of highlights and has also been marred by inconsistency in both the IndyCar and NASCAR ranks.
She was the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500 and has a fourth-place finish to her credit. Patrick went on to become the first female to win an IndyCar race, when she was victorious in the 2008 Japan 300 at Montegi.
Patrick's first stock car experience came in 2010 in the ARCA Series. After a disappointing 10th-place finish in the 2011 IndyCar point standings, she embarked on a full-time NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule last season.
It was a campaign that came with mixed reviews. Patrick's best finish was 10th, and the naysayers were quick to jump on her lack of performance and the fact that she has only won one race with a national series since she burst on the scene in 2004.
“I think it's great that she got the opportunity to do what she is doing,” Bower said. “It's my dream to get to that level, and it shows that the opportunity is there for me.
“I don't feel just because you are a woman and it is a good PR move that you should be given the opportunity. Like a man, you should have to earn it.”
Patrick took a step Sunday to earning her place in America's top series. But not because she is a woman.
According to Bower, it's because she is a good driver.
“I think it's a big deal that she is the first woman,” Bower said. “It should be a big deal whether it's a man or woman and it's the Daytona 500.
“It shouldn't be, 'Oh my gosh, it's a woman.' The car doesn't know if you are a guy or a girl.”
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