Richard Petty blasts Danica Patrick: "If she'd been a man, no one would have ever heard of her."

NASCAR Legend: 'Danica Won't Win a Race Unless Everybody Else Stays Home'

by Fox News Insider // Feb 11 2014 // 8:53am

As seen on Fox and Friends 

 

NASCAR legend Richard Petty is under fire this morning for some criticism of Danica Patrick, claiming she could not win a Sprint Cup race unless "everybody else stayed home."

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"If she'd have been a male, nobody would ever know if she'd showed up at a racetrack," Petty told reporters in Toronto. "This is a female deal that's driving her. There's nothing wrong with that, because that's good PR for me. More fans come out, people are more interested in it. She has helped to draw attention to the sport, which helps everybody in the sport."

Patrick, who enjoyed success on the IndyCar circuit, has yet to break through at auto racing's top level. She was eighth in the Daytona 500 last year, but finished 27th in the standings in her rookie season.

It's not the first controversial statement from Petty about Patrick. In 2006, he said NASCAR is "not a sport for women," while his son, Kyle, has made similar comments about the history-making Patrick.
"She can go fast, but she can't race. I think she's come a long way, but she's still not a race car driver. And I don't think she's ever going to be a race car driver," Kyle Petty said last year.

You can hear Petty's comments above, with reaction from the Fox and Friends hosts.

Posted in: 

// NASCAR // Danica Patrick // Richard Petty

Patrick has been essentially worthless as a racer at every level.  Here's her record, which is hardly stellar.

Patrick in 2010
Born	Danica Patrick March 25, 1982 (age 31) Beloit, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height	5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Weight	100 lb (45 kg)
Awards	2005 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year 2005 IndyCar Series season Rookie of the Year IZOD IndyCar Series Most Popular Driver 2005–2010 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
46 race(s) run over 2 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 10 (Stewart-Haas Racing)
2013 position	27th
Best finish	27th (2013)
First race	2012 Daytona 500 (Daytona)
Last race	2013 Ford EcoBoost 400 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 1 1
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
60 race(s) run over 4 year(s)
2013 position	128th
Best finish	10th (2012)
First race	2010 DRIVE4COPD 300 (Daytona)
Last race	2013 Aaron's 312 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 7 1

IndyCar Series career
115 race(s) run over 7 year(s)
Best finish	5th (2009)
First race	2005 Toyota Indy 300 (Homestead)
Last race	2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship (Las Vegas)
First win	2008 Indy Japan 300 (Motegi)
Wins Podiums Poles 1 7 3
Statistics current as of November 17, 2013.

The race she did win (the Indy Japan 300) she won because everyone else ran out of gas and her low body weight (100 pounds)allowed her to go the distance.

Petty is absolutely right.  If she weren't a she, no one ever would have heard of her and she would never have made it to the bigs.  I give him props for telling the truth.