Patrick's Popularity Jump-Starts IndyCar

Heading into Saturday night's race, expectations surrounding Patrick are growing. Fans have lined up several rows deep outside her team's garage area, hoping to snap a picture or get an autograph. Patrick's Rahal Letterman Racing team merchandise, consisting primarily of T-shirts and hats, sold out at the past two races.

"It hasn't been like NASCAR, but Danica's merchandise is outselling the rest of the field combined," Rahal said. "And by a large margin."

Patrick's popularity has prompted her sponsors to extend their contracts with her, Rahal said, and it also has attracted more sponsorship opportunities, particularly from companies that manufacture products geared toward women. "I guess the sponsors figure they need to get in while they still can," Rahal said.

The media haven't been able to get enough of her, either. Since her fourth place at Indianapolis -- the best finish for a woman -- she has been on nearly every network morning show and featured in national newspapers and magazines. During the week of the Indianapolis 500, she was in the top five keywords searched on search engines MSN, Yahoo and Google.

Richmond race officials are hoping to cash in on Patrick's popularity. One of the race's promotional slogans is "Get Ready DC, Danica is coming to Richmond." Posters in Richmond read, "Be there for Danica's First Race at Richmond International Raceway. . . . You saw her lead the Indy 500, now see her race in Richmond."

"We've tweaked our advertising to let people know, yes, Danica will be racing here," said Keith Green, Richmond International Raceway's director of public relations.

"We are several thousand tickets ahead and expect a much bigger walk-up -- possibly double -- what we normally have," Green said in an e-mail. The race has also attracted more requests for media credentials.

"I don't let it get to me," said Patrick, who is 5 feet 2 and weighs 100 pounds. "It doesn't make me feel like I have to do something. The only thing I hope in the process of all this . . . is that I want-- I hope -- that IndyCar Racing stays in the headlines. I hope it isn't only dependent on me. I hope people won't stray away because I have some okay race.

"I'm not going to win every single race, so I just wish that everyone else gets the same recognition or at least some of the recognition for doing great things."

Try telling that to Wheldon. Patrick appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated after the biggest win of his career. In the post-race news conference following Wheldon's Indianapolis win, he was asked by a reporter about "spoiling Danica's party."

Wheldon was annoyed. And he was still stinging weeks later. Patrick's teammates couldn't resist, either. Buddy Rice's T-shirt read, "Danica's teammate" and Vitor Meira's said, "Danica's other teammate."

Patrick's rise hasn't been without her detractors or controversy.

Patrick hasn't been able to get through an interview session without being asked about the racy photos that appeared in FHM Magazine two years ago. She posed in a leather bikini, leaning on a 1957 Chevy.

Bernie Ecclestone, the 74-year-old Formula One boss, told reporters in Indianapolis last week that women "should be all dressed in white like all the other domestic appliances."

To Patrick's surprise, she said, he called her last Saturday and repeated his comments.

"I can't believe that he would say it to me over the phone, not directly to my face, but directly to me. I was a bit confused," Patrick said on the IRL's weekly teleconference Tuesday. "But some of the conversation was positive and complimentary, so I really don't know what to think about it."

"I think it's been a bit much for some people," Penske driver Sam Hornish Jr. said of Patrick's popularity. "But she brings attention to the sport, so overall it's a positive."