Yes, it IS a huge deal, especially anyone with an economic interest in NASCAR.
This is no mere publicity stunt.
Danica is real.
She has proven her ability to drive race cars. Fast.
It doesn't hurt that she is pretty, or that she handles herself extremely well in front of TV cameras and the media.
By winning the pole for the Daytona 500, Danica Patrick is on every TV sportscast and made the top of every sports section of every newspaper still publishing. Really bad news if you are her major sponsor, right? LOL
By leaving IRL and strategically planning her move to a top NASCAR team over 2 years, she instantly brought huge amounts of good attention and new TV viewers, fans, and sponsorship $$$.
She may become more popular with fans than Dale Earnhardt Jr, another high profile, but ultimately 'adequate' driver with great equipment, a great team, and only 19 career wins in 14 years of Cup racing, just 2 wins since 2008.
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In every Sprint Cup starting field of 43 cars, NASCAR has about 12 high-profle 'stars' on teams
likely to win, 25 'adequate' drivers who will fill positions 13-37 most weeks, and 6 drivers who should retire or find another line of work.
Will Danica be more than 'adequate'?
Will she win?
Only time will tell.