Ford racing director Dan Davis has seen enough of rising open-wheel driver Danica Patrick to believe a woman can succeed at racing’s highest levels. He also has seen enough talented young drivers come out of the U.S. Auto Club midget ranks and achieve NASCAR success to believe that is the quickest route to the Nextel Cup series. So Davis is putting Ford’s considerable resources to work to meld those two beliefs and provide a woman with an opportunity to earn a full-time NASCAR ride. With input from Lyn St. James, who since retiring as a driver has been an activist for women in racing, four candidates have been chosen for a tryout May 4-5 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway. USAC car builder Bob East will evaluate them and if he is convinced one shows promise, she’ll be given a second look the next week at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Assuming all goes well, the goal is to get her into a few USAC midget races late this year with an eye toward a possible full-time ride with team owner Steve Lewis in 2005. “When it occurs that a woman makes it in NASCAR, we’d like (her) to be a Ford driver,” Davis said. “This is just the first step in a long process. We’d like to get a sponsor involved, but if not, we’ll pay for it.” St. James said this is the first time in her experience that such an idea has been supported by a clear plan. “What’s most exciting about this is that it finds someone with talent and then backs it up,” she said. “It’s got a beginning, it’s got a middle and it’s got an end goal.” All parties involved said if none of the first four pans out, they’d bring in four more. The first candidates are Promising Newcomers Lynsey Tilton, 17, San Diego; Alison Macleod, 15, Mississauga, Ontario; Erin Crocker, 23, Buffalo, N.Y.; And Michelle Theriault, 18, Alpharetta, Ga. Lewis said it’s probably a bit optimistic to expect one of the candidates to be ready to compete over a full USAC season by 2005. But he believes Ford’s commitment ensures a woman eventually will work her way to Nextel Cup. “Dan Davis is really intent on doing this and is willing to invest the time and resources it’s going to take,” he said. “That just might be the difference-maker.” The four drivers will be tested separately. East’s son, Bobby, a USAC regular, will shake down the cars and provide instruction. Then each of the four will have half a day to show her ability. Bob East said he’ll be looking at more than lap times. He wants to see how the women handle themselves in and out of the car and how they adapt as the session progresses. By the end of the two days, he’s confident if there is a driver who deserves to move on, he’ll know who it is. “Basically, I just have to look them in the eye,” he said. “That’s a lot of it.”(Indianapolis Star)(4-23-2004)
