Richard Petty's words about women in Nascar...

[RD]

kinda got him lambasted by ESPN today... have you all heard about it?

[TheGhost]

No.  I haven't.  Why?  What'd he say?

[terrible one]

I'd like to know as well.

[RD]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/5639718

[Recharger]

So does that make him a sexist or a racerist?  I can't keep the p.c. stuff straight anymore.

Honestly, if there was ever a sport where women and men could compete equally, I would think auto racing would be it. 



....Or maybe figure skating...

[Todd Wilson]

The King has spoken!


Todd

[bull]

I think my wife's labor with both kids lasted longer than most 500 lap races. Stamina is not an issue, and I don't think it takes a whole lot of upper body strength to turn the steering wheel or leg strength to push an accelerator pedal. I don't think the average woman's hand-eye coordination is any worse than that of the average man, just ask Annie Oakley when you see her. I'll go out on a limb here and say I don't think there are any women that could last more than 10 minutes playing linebacker in the NFL but Nascar does not require nearly as much physical strength. I know it's strenuous, don't get me wrong, but I don't think there's anything about driving a race car that is beyond the ability of several thousand women out there. And look at how many 2nd or 3rd generation race car drivers are out there driving professionally. You can't convince me that good driving skills are genetic so in many cases you know it's a combination of who you are and/or putting yourself in a certain situation and practice, practice, practice.

[BrianShaughnessy]

In the King's era...   there was no power steering,  no cool suits.    They manhandled the cars around the track.   In spite of the traditional sportscaster view that racers are not athletes,   they really do take a physical pounding.   
Maybe todays era with the spec cars and air conditioned suits is easier to put up with.   I dunno for sure.

Petty is talking about an incident from 30 years ago anyway...  he gave his views on the subject.  They may seem out of date but it's hard to judge someone with 30 year hindsight.    One should really read the entire article instead of just the headlines anyway.

   

[67RedCharger]

As long as the women leave the cell phone out of the race car that should improve the odds of finishing the race intact with the motor in the car. Since Erin Crocker works along side Kasey Kahne it appears that Erin can keep her mind on things other than boyz so maybe things are turning around in that catagory.  Naturally women think they are suppose to be first in everything they attempt so maybe that will be the factor that Petty is concerned about.  Sort of a Dale Earnhart mindset, Beep!  Beep!  coming through 

[Shakey]

The hardest part about driving a race car is the G-force associated with the constant left turns at high rates of speed.  That is the most physical part of the sport.

Who cares, let the Women compete in any sport they want to.  I'd love to see how Bob Probert would have handled some lady hackin' at the back of his legs when he parked himself in front of the goalie during a powerplay!

[8WHEELER]

I really think he is such old school ,he still remembers the days he was racing cars with electrical
tape on manual steering cars, by the time they got done with the race there hands would be all bloody.
But with everybody talking about what he said I bet he tries to smooth things over.

Dan

[chrisII]

it seems to me that story is as "smoothed over" as it gets. petty has an opinion, somebody asked him 4 it and he told em what he thinks. he is a good old boy and makes no apoligys for being what and who he is.

i think that other than the g force, wich woemen can handle just as well as men. the main problem i see when a woman gets into racing isnt reaction time, its OVER REACTION! its proven that a woman does have quicker reactions than a man. but also they tend to over react to things. in racing there is a big learning curve of what to react to and what not to, you have to learn when something will take care of itself in front of you before you get to it. also learn when a car will come back to you and when it wont. many times ive seen a woman driver wreck cuz she cranked the wheel an locked em up for something small in front of her. all this said , i personaly like the idea od woemen in racing, i just feel that they have obsticals to over come that are different from those of a man

[Darkness]

I agree. Petty had an opinion on what he was asked and gave it. From what I can draw from the article he doesn't completely condone women in NASCAR. I look at it as he can yeah I don't think a woman should be in NASCAR but, I don't have full control of that decision. It's just merely my opinion. I can appreciate the fact they have an admiration for cars and racing but, I'm old school. Like Kyle said: 

"His position is not going to change because that is who he is, that is part of who he is," Kyle Petty said. "That's just a fact of life. That's how he was raised, when he was raised, the era he was raised in. And that's just the way it is."

[hemihead]

I really think he is such old school ,he still remembers the days he was racing cars with electrical
tape on manual steering cars, by the time they got done with the race there hands would be all bloody.
But with everybody talking about what he said I bet he tries to smooth things over.

Dan

I guess that they might as well let women race now since it isn't even a Man's Sport any more with the cool suits and the power steering.At least the "Old School " drivers were real men.The way the drivers are spoiled brats in the "Modern Era" the women will fit right into the girls club.

[General_01]

I also think he said even though he doesn't think women should be in the sport, he respects Janet Guthrie because she came in and did her thing without the help of diversity programs and such. She just wanted to race and didn't want a leg up just because she was a women.

[BigBlackDodge]

Whaaaaaaaaaa...............?

Women have been racing and wining races in NASCAR for years!

Whats that drivers name.....hmmmm.....oh, Michell Waltrip in the #15 Napa car! She has nice hair too! ........a bit tall though...


BBD

[hemihead]

Whaaaaaaaaaa...............?

Women have been racing and wining races in NASCAR for years!

Whats that drivers name.....hmmmm.....oh, Michell Waltrip in the #15 Napa car! She has nice hair too! ........a bit tall though...


BBD

Oh yeah , and that Mother -Daughter team , the Earnhardt girls!

[Mike DC]

 
To be perfectly blunt, why WOULD  Richard Petty have wanted a woman on the track in 1976?

--  If he beats her, he looks like a bully.
--  If she beats him, he looks like a total wussy.
--  If he puts her into the wall & hurts (or even kills) her, the bad publicity could easily end his career on the spot.

------------------------------------------------------------

I've got no problem with women in NASCAR.  Let 'em in, let 'em drive, let 'em win.

But I don't think people always take the potential ramifications of this stuff into account when they blame the men for resenting female integration.  The South in 1976 was not the most gender-liberated place.

[Smoke20]

In the King's era...   there was no power steering,  no cool suits.    They manhandled the cars around the track.   In spite of the traditional sportscaster view that racers are not athletes,   they really do take a physical pounding.   
Maybe todays era with the spec cars and air conditioned suits is easier to put up with.   I dunno for sure.

Petty is talking about an incident from 30 years ago anyway...  he gave his views on the subject.  They may seem out of date but it's hard to judge someone with 30 year hindsight.    One should really read the entire article instead of just the headlines anyway.

   

You hit the nail on the head, Brian.

[Lowprofile]

Like Mel Brooks once said...."It's Good to be the King"   

[RallyeMike]

Women have been racing and wining races in NASCAR for years!

Whats that drivers name.....hmmmm.....oh, Michell Waltrip in the #15 Napa car! She has nice hair too! ........a bit tall though...

Mikey is a nice guy, but that's funnier than hell !!!

[dkn1997]

Honestly, if there was ever a sport where women and men could compete equally, I would think auto racing would be it. 

I gotta agree with that.  I don't see why any person could not develop the stamina to drive .  skill is another matter, very few can do it well.   Don't think I am saying they are not athletes, because it's grueling and they are.  However I don't think Nascar requires absolute physical strength like some other sports.  There has to be some woman out there with the dexterity, coordination, and balls to drive Nascar...

[John_Kunkel]

I would imagine "The King" has a long list of the sort that he thinks don't belong in racing.

[Brock Samson]

Lotsa women drive Camerys, 'n their gonna be in Nascar right?.. 

[blackcharger]

Richard Petty was asked "what he thought about...." He gave a truthful answer of what he thought, and he wasn't worried about what anyone thought about his non pc answer. We need more people to truthfully speak their mind.
Dave