Random Lugnuts: Danica and Ricky |
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Topics: Danica Patrick, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Sprint Unlimited
What is Random Lugnuts? It's random bits of stock car racing commentary written on an irregular basis by an irregular racing fan. The name is a reference to the lugnuts that go flying off a car during a pit stop: you never know where they are going to go, what they're going to do when they get there, they can be annoying, they're often useless after a race, and every once in a while someone gets hit and they don't know exactly where it came from. Opinions expressed by Bill Crittenden are not official policies or positions of The Crittenden Automotive Library. You can read more about the Library's goals, mission, policies, and operations on the About Us page.
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Bill Crittenden
February 22, 2014
For all that's been said and written about Danica Patrick's performance as a NASCAR driver, or as an IndyCar driver before the switch, the addition of a woman to the NASCAR circuit has now brought about an entirely new angle to racing drama in America:
What happens when a man hits his girlfriend with a 3,600-lb. Ford?
This isn't the first time Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.'s #6 car has found Danica Patrick's #10 car on the track and sent both to the garage, but this wasn't a little bump and spin. Ricky drove into Danica's driver-side door, hard.
While that might produce a little back and forth between friendly drivers or pour gasoline on an already burning rivalry, this accident produced a bit of pre-emptive sympathy for Stenhouse.
Hell hath no fury like a woman wrecked?
@TheCatchFence: That look on Ricky's face is like "awww sh!t I'm in the doghouse now..."
@InfieldJen: Sooo I'm thinkin' Ricky is sleeping on the couch tonight....
@Knighter01: "That's NOT good" says, @StenhouseJr on clobbering @DanicaPatrick #nascar
@MPsoldier4Life: @Knighter01 yep, he's sleeping in the dog house for a while.
@nascarcasm had a whole series of fake texts from Ricky trying to find a place to sleep for the night, both awesome enough and popular enough to be recapped by Fox Sports at http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/shake-and-bake/texts-from-last-race-the-sprint-unlimited-021814.
Regardless of Ricky's sleeping arrangements for the night, it then led to a quote never before heard in NASCAR: "I got hit by my boyfriend. What a bummer." At least, never heard regarding a pair of drivers before (insert Travis Kvapil cheap shot here...).
I, of course, just found this all fascinating. Men and women so rarely interact so directly in sports competition, and even more rarely with relationships involved. It's another chapter in the grand book of human experience that we write for ourselves every day.
That's not to say it can only be enjoyed by the psychologist. Stenhouse describes his interaction with Patrick upon entering the infield care center: "She was like, 'You drilled me.' I was like, 'Sorry, I didn't know who I hit.'"
You just can't get through an incident like this without at least one unintentional epic double entendre!
They may not be my favorite drivers, but they are one heckuva cute couple, and if they make it through Daytona 2014 together, I wish them the best of luck!