in search of sarah fisher's sponsorship

Tomorrow two women will compete in the same IRL event. Something that is unfortunately rare. Imagine Michelle Wie joining Annika Sorenstam on the green in the PGA. The 2000 Indy 500 was the last occasion in which two women, Sarah Fisher and Lyn St. James, shared the track at an Indy Racing event. Both Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher will run in the Meijer Indy 300 at the Kentucky Speedway tomorrow. Danica will be starting in 11th postion and Sarah in 12th. [Click here for the full starting grid.] Since it was announced that Sarah would be getting back into an Indy car I have found myself kind of torn. The more philosophical, if not idealistic, part of me says it’s a shame that two talented women are being pitted against each other in a male dominated sport simply because they are “girl drivers”. Isn’t it just wonderful that we have two women in the sport? As Lyn St. James said this week, “Maybe one day this won’t even be a story.” However, the raw, competitive, entertainment-seeking, “wow, isn’t this good for the IRL?!” part of me says, “I am a Danica fan but I hope Sarah cleans the track with her.”

I was a Sarah Fisher fan before I even knew the name Danica Patrick. While I’ve enjoyed following Danica and root for her all the way, and while being in the stands at the 2005 Indy 500 when she was the first woman to ever lead a lap at Indy was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life, I know that I have never really gotten behind Danica the way I did Sarah. Maybe it’s because I find Sarah more relatable. Unlike Dancia, Sarah is not the type of girl to be barely covered in straps and strings in the pages of FHM. Sarah seems like she would probably be shy around boys and maybe even worried that no one would ask her to her prom. While I think Danica is a talented driver with lots of, um, drive I worry that she has been given more opportunities because of her looks. We all know it happens in this world. And I’ve found myself almost resenting Danica for it. For both myself and all the Sarah Fishers of the world. And, okay, I’ll admit it…I’ve wondered how many times Sarah Fisher might have been sitting at home in her race helmet on a race day afternoon watching Danica turn laps in excess of 200mph with the boys while she painted her toenails her favorite shade of racing red and cursed under her breath. Maybe even throwing popcorn at the TV. Because I know that Sarah has the goods and is an equally talented driver. But Danica has had better equipment of the racing variety.

Yesterday several emails were sent to me with a link to the brilliantly written piece, Fishing for a Feud, by Yahoo! Sports writer, Dan Wetzel. It’s a great reading and you can find it by clicking here.

The following is a taste:
Now Sarah has returned to the league that took off in her absence because of the female racer who wasn’t better than her, just better looking. For that to not impact emotionally would cut against the grain of widgets [read the article] and human nature.

“No, there’s no sting,” Fisher said Wednesday. “To me on [the track], [Danica will] be just another car.”

In the name of “Laguna Beach”, the Lifetime Network, and Aaron Spelling, there is just no way that’s true.

One reason Sarah took a hiatus from Indy racing was for a lack of sponsorship (I always thought she’d look super cute in a black and hot pink Victoria’s Secret sponsored car. But, alas, Victoria never responded to my emails that made that suggestion). Meanwhile, Danica has not only been sponsored by but has appeared in Secret (Strong Enough for Dancia Patrick) deodorant TV commercials. I wish more sponsors out there would take notice and take the opportunity to get the attention of a lot of female race fans. I have never been one that is easily swayed by advertising. But not along ago I found myself in the deodorant aisle considering switching brands all because of Danica. Not because I wanted to smell like her but because Secret 1) is backing a female driver 2) is backing my favorite sport 3) is backing the Indy Racing League and not NASCAR.

DO YOU HEAR THAT SPONSORHIP WORLD?

I know, much to Richard Petty’s petty chagrin, that we have more than enough room for two “girl drivers” in the league. Maybe Lyn St. James is right. Maybe one day this won’t even be a story. But until then I hope Sarah, Danica, and the IRL can get all the press out of this they possibly can. Even if it takes a cat fight. Meow.