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07/14/2006: "End of the Week Eye Candy"

I just realized it's been a couple of days since I've had an entry that included an attractive woman (no, I don't count Miss 911 ...)

Since I do have a reputation to maintain, I'll end the week with the hottest thing on four wheels - Danica Patrick, making her way down the red carpet Wednesday at the ESPYs.

There's been a lot of talk about Danica jumping from the IRL to NASCAR, but I think it's just that - talk. If you know her career, then you know that she's taken steps since turned a teenager that prepared her for one thing - winning at Indy. Yes, NASCAR is very popular and a driver can earn obscene amounts of endorsements, but the girl already has the endorsement thing locked down. She'd be a big story going to NASCAR, but just one of 40-some drivers trying to win each week. Staying with the IRL means competing against less than 20 drivers each week, no learning curve and remaining as the absolute focal point of the IRL publicity machine.

In the end, I think she's irritated at some of the decisions made by Rahal-Letterman Racing (wrong chassis choice) as well as some bad luck (no longer the only ones with Honda engines). Her contract is up at RLR at the end of this season, and she wants a ride with one of the IRLs Big Three - Penske, Ganassi or Andretti-Green. And believe me - she'll get it ... even if Tony George has to broker the deal personally. With the stock of open wheel racing in America dropping daily and the possibility of a real IRL / Champ Car merger a real deal, TG needs all the ammo he can get if he hopes to compete for sponsorship cash with NASCAR. The only real wild card he has is Danica - and he's not about to let her get away.

BLOG FEATURE UPDATE: Just added a new trick to the MarlinBlog ... just click on Danica to get the full-size picture!