NASCAR: Patrick not just doing nothing

Mr. Hitchcock in his Dec. 28, 2010, Sports section opinion piece made a number of disparaging comments concerning Danica Patrick's first year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. No facts just opinions. However, the qualifying sessions on Speed TV, the races on ESPN and the Nationwide information on NASCAR.com indicate to me Ms. Patrick had a good first year in only 13 races.

A few facts are; in only her third race, she was as high as third during a February race at Las Vegas, at Fontana in October she was in the top 15 with less than 15 laps to go and at Homestead-Miami in November she qualified fifth and lead four laps.

Being competitive at 185 miles per hour with 42 other drivers, which include a number of Sprint Cup drivers, is hardly just driving around doing nothing. By the way her GoDaddy/Hot Wheels/Tissot car is No. 7. Mark Martin drove the No. 5 GoDaddy Sprint Cup car last season.

MIKE MIHELICH

Coeur d'Alene