An Observation..... (1 Viewer)

[Toejam]

I was told that Oakley is looking for a female driver to fill the Gary Scelzi ride. And as Happy as I am for the female's who are out there, and the opportunities afforded them. It seems the Men are slowly getting pushed out! Have Male driver's become unmarketable? I just hope the montra "Male drivers (without sponsors) need not apply!" Doesn't become the face of this sport...

 

[DLB]

Ehhh - give it a little time to cool off with the hole push right now and everything will be fine.

Just because Danica was so huge in Indy, Melanie has done so well, Ashley Force moving up - it's just the "trend" right now.

Things are going to shift that radically - it's just a now thing.

At least that's my humble opinion.

DLB

 

[luxexpress]

If you assume a company pours money into a sponsorship to gather attention for their company and to help sell their products, then you really can't blame them for this at all. Drag racing, which really struggles to get the media's attention in the first place, has received much more attention this season because of Ashley's entrance into the sport and JR Todd's success. I gotta think there are major sponsors that are looking at the attention they are receiving, and thinking that they need to get on the bandwagon. As someone that believes in the free market, I don't blame them at all. If it takes women and minorities to get the media and general publics attention, then it is good for the sponsors and the sport in general, since the professional classes are sponsor driven. So long as the driver can handle the car safely, I don't care who the sponsor puts in the seat, other than I hope that they help sell an awful lot of their products. If Oakley feels a woman will sell more sunglasses, then so be it.

 

[farmje]

Someone has said it before -- it's all a business.

Case in point. I went to an auto parts store with a 16 year old kid the other day. We were getting stuff for a class that is teaching people how to work on cars. He couldn't remember which type of antifreeze we needed, but he saw Danica Patrick's picture and said, and I quote, "I don't care which one is right, let's get that one."

He doesn't watch IndyCar (or whatever they're called now), NHRA or NASCAR. He just saw a picture of a woman. And he bought that antifreeze.

Ashley Force will sell more Castrol oil than her dad will. I love John Force, and I think he's one of the best things that has ever happened to the NHRA, but if you statistically look at who is buying oil (on a majority), it is men. Would men rather buy oil with a picture of a 50something man on it who's won 14 championships, or a 24 year old young lady? Go figure.

I'm not saying ALL women will sell better than men. Personally, I'd like to see Phil Burkhart in the seat of Oakley's FC. He deserves another shot and he's a great personality and one heck of a driver. That being said, Jim Jannard, Oakley and Don Schumacher has to look at who will sell more Sunglasses: Phil Burkhart (my choice), or a 20 year old supermodel. Those decisions weigh heavily on who takes the seat and who gets the pink slip turning them down. (or something like that.)

I apologize for stereotyping, but you all (I hope) get the gist of what I'm talking about. I am looking forward to seeing who's going to get the seat in the Mopar Oakley. That being all said, Gary Scelzi will be sorely missed.

 

[Suzie Q]

What the heck is this all about? This has been a male dominated sport forever! If Oakley is looking for a female driver to put in the seat of Gary Scelzi's car, then more power to them! It is called EQUAL OPPOURTUNITY!!!

 

[megadeth]

If you assume a company pours money into a sponsorship to gather attention for their company and to help sell their products, then you really can't blame them for this at all. Drag racing, which really struggles to get the media's attention in the first place, has received much more attention this season because of Ashley's entrance into the sport and JR Todd's success. I gotta think there are major sponsors that are looking at the attention they are receiving, and thinking that they need to get on the bandwagon. As someone that believes in the free market, I don't blame them at all. If it takes women and minorities to get the media and general publics attention, then it is good for the sponsors and the sport in general, since the professional classes are sponsor driven. So long as the driver can handle the car safely, I don't care who the sponsor puts in the seat, other than I hope that they help sell an awful lot of their products. If Oakley feels a woman will sell more sunglasses, then so be it.

Drag Racing still doesn't get that much press even with all the diversity!
What will be next autograph sessions in a Bikini? LOL

Hey Suzie stripping is a female dominated field so what's your point!

 

[PJ]

I'd do just about anything to get that job...but not a sex change I'm kinda attached to my parts

 

[r2]

Very interesting Joe...
Not many of you probably know the name Mendy Fry...
But this girl can drive anything you strap her tight lil ass in and has been devoted to this sport since a very early age... She is my pick to shoe the Oakley O-mobile... She is a character, and leaves me rolling on the floor everytime I talk with her... She is as sharp as a pin when it comes to driving and enjoying the presence of fans and kids... She also can wheel the hell out of a Nostalgia T/F car... Been on fire many times and keeps coming back for more...
Give her that opportunity to show what she can do driving, talking to a group of people, dealing with the fans and sponsors, and selling the Oakley O-wear... She is the complete package, and can you imagine the hype between the DSR girl vs. the JFR girl...

Makes way to much sense to me...

 

[megadeth]

Very interesting Joe...
Not many of you probably know the name Mendy Fry...
But this girl can drive anything you strap her tight lil ass in and has been devoted to this sport since a very early age... She is my pick to shoe the Oakley O-mobile... She is a character, and leaves me rolling on the floor everytime I talk with her... She is as sharp as a pin when it comes to driving and enjoying the presence of fans and kids... She also can wheel the hell out of a Nostalgia T/F car... Been on fire many times and keeps coming back for more...
Give her that opportunity to show what she can do driving, talking to a group of people, dealing with the fans and sponsors, and selling the Oakley O-wear... She is the complete package, and can you imagine the hype between the DSR girl vs. the JFR girl...

Makes way to much sense to me...

Are you her PR person?

 

[Suzie Q]

Hey Suzie stripping is a female dominated field so what's your point!

There are just as many male strip joints as there are female strip joints! Have you seen the show in Vegas, "The Thunder From Down Under"??? I highly recommend it!!!

 

[r2]

Are you her PR person?

She does her own PR Bob...
I just observe talent and know when I see it...

I have been saying since day one-

Mendy Fry- Sean Bellemeur- Marty Nothstein-

 

[megadeth]

There are just as many male strip joints as there are female strip joints! Have you seen the show in Vegas, "The Thunder From Down Under"??? I highly recommend it!!!

That's O.K Suzie I will take your word for it!

 

[megadeth]

She does her own PR Bob...
I just observe talent and know when I see it...

I have been saying since day one-

Mendy Fry- Sean Bellemeur- Marty Nothstein-

I know you have Ray, if it's a female then she would fit the bill!
I personally would like to see a fan favorite Dean Skuza pick up the ride it's been to long!

 

[jackass]

With female drivers will come some untapped sponsor areas.... if not on cars driven by the females.... maybe some of the men...

i don't see where.. and i know i am going to get slammed for this... but .. i don't see where a female racers adds female fans.... isee a cute female adding male fans.. and i see a good looking not quite ugly guys will get the females.. but a female racerwill help get the attention of the big sponsrs that are notin the sport that target females... Tide, Dawn, Colgate, Sara Lee..etc...i know that sounded stereo typed.. but think about it..

Tide would have loved to have been on a Cup car with a female driver... but alot of females won't like to have the gender specific sponsors .... they want to stand out on there own and be one of the boys so to speak.. and not let gender dictate who they are and what they are at the strip....

but then again.. money is money ....

 

[cephus]

Oakley must have really liked Scelzi cause his looks couldn't sell nuts to a monkey and don't say it's talent, plenty of talented drivers out there, it's who you now and blow or bring money i'd like to see Sampey or the blond that was in the pro-mod pits last weekend

Sittin on the sidelines with no ride

Bama Boys

 

[r2]

Guy
Was the blond in the Pro Mod pits a driver or the hottie that is with Doug Palmers VooDoo corvette?? I got plenty of pics of that lil hot tottie at St.Louis two years ago...
Even if it is Mrs. Palmer... HOT!! Pics at 11

On the sidelines as well...
Would you mind moving over a bit??
It's getting crowded here...

 

[cephus]

That's the one the voodoo hottie, jeans so tight if she tooted would have blew her shoes off

 

[BlueStangGT]

Ahhh, the famous VooDoo Dolls! There's typically two of them and yes, one of them (Toni?) is Doug's wife.

 

[None]

Very interesting Joe...
Not many of you probably know the name Mendy Fry...
But this girl can drive anything you strap her tight lil ass in and has been devoted to this sport since a very early age... She is my pick to shoe the Oakley O-mobile... She is a character, and leaves me rolling on the floor everytime I talk with her... She is as sharp as a pin when it comes to driving and enjoying the presence of fans and kids... She also can wheel the hell out of a Nostalgia T/F car... Been on fire many times and keeps coming back for more...
Give her that opportunity to show what she can do driving, talking to a group of people, dealing with the fans and sponsors, and selling the Oakley O-wear... She is the complete package, and can you imagine the hype between the DSR girl vs. the JFR girl...

Makes way to much sense to me...

She's the real deal. Watched her grow up from a teen racing at Sears Point and she certainly would fill the bill for Oakley/Schumacher. Sure is a lot of jealousy from a lot of wannna be's out there.

 

[scotty]

Very interesting Joe...
Not many of you probably know the name Mendy Fry...
But this girl can drive anything you strap her tight lil ass in and has been devoted to this sport since a very early age... She is my pick to shoe the Oakley O-mobile... She is a character, and leaves me rolling on the floor everytime I talk with her... She is as sharp as a pin when it comes to driving and enjoying the presence of fans and kids... She also can wheel the hell out of a Nostalgia T/F car... Been on fire many times and keeps coming back for more...
Give her that opportunity to show what she can do driving, talking to a group of people, dealing with the fans and sponsors, and selling the Oakley O-wear... She is the complete package, and can you imagine the hype between the DSR girl vs. the JFR girl...

Makes way to much sense to me...

I've seen her as well Ray. I remember an old SS&DI article on her success driving a black S/C roadster and then she went into the nostalgia circuit. Easy to keep track of her with a unique name like Mendy. Saw her in a front engine digger at a Goodguys event and she definitely handled that one well.

As for other candidates, I seem to remember Rhonda Hartman driving an alky flopper in CIFCA and whatever happened to Rachelle Splatt? I know she went back home to oz and started a family but wasn't she talking about coming back to fuel racing?