The First Virtue
columnist: Nick Flint

Topic: Social and Cultural Issues
To Danica: I wish I was there!

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Nick Flint offers his congratulations to Danica Patrick on the completion of her childhood dream of being on top in racing.

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by Nick Flint
(Libertarian)
Sunday, April 20, 2008

On April 19th, 2008, Danica Patrick achieved what no other woman had: She won an Indycar race. Last year I attended the Kansas 300 Indycar race (in Kansas City), which is held in late April, and when I heard the news that she won, I initially was upset, believing that she had won the 2008 event in Kansas. Turns out it was the Japan 300 Indycar race (at Motegi). Whew! Now I can breathe a sigh of relief!

A few years ago, while watching the 2005 Indy 500, I became a Danica Patrick admirer. Since then, I've read her book, mounted a signed print of her steely eyes peering from her helmet while sitting in the driver's seat in the pits, and finally got a 1:18 scale replica of her Black and Blue "batmobile" #7 Motorola Indycar (Get 1/64 scale car here). But I've never been the 'fan' type someone who thinks only of meeting and getting a picture with someone famous so they can brag to their friends.

After reading her book I found I admired Danica's ability and courage to command a veritable land rocket, to drive wheel-to-wheel with other cars at 220+ miles per hour. I know that racing has been in her blood since she was a young girl, but along with my congratulations, I also very much would like to see her pursue new horizons and develop her other interests and talents. The bottom line is that although she's brave to take physical risks that I can't imagine taking, she drives in a circle for a living -- even worse, at risk to her life! I would love to ask her if she's bored yet. I'm not putting Indycar drivers down: there are other things that quickly come to mind when I think of inane (wasteful or boring) life aspirations and careers.

The primary inane aspect, with regard to career, is repetition. I can't fathom how anyone could find genuine life satisfaction from a career of repetitive words and actions: the career assembly line worker in an automobile factory, the career musician that performs a 3 minute hit song for his entire career to fans of sentimentality, the career Broadway performer that spends years in the same role, performing the same play nights on end, and finally -- in honor of the woman that I'm sincerely congratulating -- the career race car driver that drives the same tracks year after year, simply going in dangerous circles.  One thing is certain: of all the inane or boring careers, Indycar racing is definitely not the boring one!!

But to anyone that passionately pursues their interest, I give my whole-hearted respect. No matter how objectively boring or inane the interest may be, if a person can make a living at it, then I can't blame them for making a go of it. Socially, someone is paying to see them perform or do the job, so my hats off to anyone able to give their all, day in and day out, even when it's the same old routine.

On this special day, April 19th, my hat is off to you Danica, and I wish I could've seen it. Just watching the video highlights of Indycar.com brought tears to my eyes. You made your own dream come true: to be the first woman to win in Indycar racing. Congratulations Danica! Now I can't wait to see what you pursue outside the going-in-circles-world of racing.

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2008 Nick Flint, all rights reserved.
Published: Sunday, April 20, 2008
Last modified: Sunday, April 20, 2008

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