Agent Patrick Infiltrates Enemy Lines

Here’s what I hope Danica’s 6^th-place finish in Saturday’s ARCA race really said:

“Hi, I’m Danica Patrick. I’m beautiful, charming, a good racecar driver and, sometimes, a real pistol!

I’m over here driving stock cars because I want to stretch my legs a little bit, and it could prove to be a lucrative career move for me in the future but, for now, I’ll just be visiting.

My regular job is driving in the IZOD IndyCar Series, and that season starts very soon. The cars are really cool looking, the racing is super close—with open wheels, if you can believe that—and we go as fast as 230 mph at the Indianapolis 500.

If you liked watching me in a stock car, you should really check me out in an Indycar. That’s where I do my best work. And, by the way, you won’t have any trouble spotting me—just look for the GoDaddy.com logo. I’m sponsored by them in the IndyCar Series, too.”

Alright, don’t let this, maybe, overly optimistic rant fool you—I tossed the rose-colored glasses out years ago. I can see the handwriting on the wall. I know that anything less than a series of disastrous forays in stock cars means DP will likely be heading to NASCAR full-time, sooner rather than later.

And for the record, if these words somehow, miraculously reach your ears, Danica, I truly hope you make a career out of IndyCar. I recognize NASCAR is a quantum leap in prominence and income for you, but there’s something to be said for sticking to your roots when all other signs say yank them up and plant them elsewhere. You can be the one high-profile driver that has plenty of options but recognizes the growth potential of IndyCar, sticks with it, and truly helps make it grow. Years from now, you can say I helped build that… satisfying. I digress.

In the meantime, while Danica tests her wings, I’m choosing (possibly, quite foolishly) to view all the attention she has gotten thus far and will get in fender-world to just be free advertising for the IZOD IndyCar Series.

What the future holds, I don’t think anyone knows—including Danica—but for now, let’s enjoy the ride.

See things a little differently? Cool. I embrace and encourage opposing views. Make a comment or send me a Tweet, if you’re so inclined… and thanks.

—JM

Even While Down, Vision Takes Time to Give Andhesonit a Lift

It goes without saying that the folks at Vision Racing have their hands full, at the moment, functioning with minimal staff, while still trying to secure enough sponsorship to keep Ed Carpenter's IndyCar drive alive.

That's what makes the fact that those stoically holding down fort at their headquarters very generously found time today to make their nearly 3,200 Twitter followers aware of Andhesonit so astonishing. But I've learned in my brief time interacting with them and with others that also know their thoughtful character that this is nothing new.

There’s a reason why Vision has set the standard in the IZOD IndyCar Series for fan involvement and, today, I got to experience that firsthand.

Now that the dust has settled on another day at the word mill (that would be the day job), I would like to properly thank (in more than 140 characters) those at Vision for the awesome shout-out on Twitter today. It’s sincerely appreciated and, by the way, already reaping rewards: thus far, Andhesonit has received a 56% bump in Twitter followers, and we're staring the halfway point of our 100-follower goal menacingly in the face! Props to Vision, and welcome to all the new followers.

Given the events of today, it wouldn’t be just if I didn’t return the favor to Vision by mentioning their still ongoing "Letter of Recommendation" campaign. Full details can be found here http://bit.ly/d2QlbI, but it’s as simple as jotting down a few lines of support for Vision and forwarding them on to the team—think of each letter as one more piece of ammunition they have available to them in the monumental battle to keep Vision on track.

I’m convinced, with their expertise and our support, Ed will be gassin’ it before we know it...

-JM