rpm.espn.com: Users: Fisher can succeed

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Monday, January 7
Users: Fisher can succeed

We asked you if Sarah Fisher and Derrick Walker will be more consistent in 2002. Here are some of the better responses:

Sarah shows great promise as a driver and I am rooting for her all the way. Last year, her car was badly underpowered and plagued with mechanical and setup issues. If those problems are fixed when the season begins, she will be able to focus on bringing her driving to the next level and I think we'll see her with some wins this year.

Dan Zunitch
Woburn, Mass.

I know Sarah finds the subject a bit tired, and rightly so, but it's great that there is at least one woman in top level motorsport (there should be more). She's got the innate talent to make it, and what's more, she seems extremely bright, is very eloquent, and is positive on camera in spite of tough moments without coming across as the average corporate mouthpiece. I hope the Walker team can give her all the support she deserves, she's a breath of fresh air. Now if only at some point she'd get interested in road racing.

Rich Ambroson
Menlo Park, Calif.

While I am of the opinion that Sarah can really drive, I believe she is wasting her time and effort in the IRL. As the former CART teams (like Penske) cross back over, she will for reasons probably beyond her control be pushed back into the pack at an increasing rate. She needs to get some stock car experience in ARCA, Busch with a eye towards an eventual Winston Cup ride. As Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart have found out -- that's where the money in U.S. auto racing is and where Fox/NBC will take it even further into mainstream sports. I think she would have a better chance there than Shawna Robinson has of being sucessful in a Cup car.

Don Slomski
Chicago

Sarah will definitely make it in the IRL this year. You will see much improvement with her gaining more and more experience. Sarah is a valuable asset to the IRL as she has brought over many new females to the sport of racing. I've notived that she seems to get the loudest applause from the spectators espescially from the women. Sarah comes from a great sprint car background and has brought many of those sprint car fans with her to the IRL. Good Luck this year.

Warren Reynolds
Cincinnati, Ohio

Sarah needs some major head cleaning if she plans to make a comeback, and she needs some true leadership from an organization which lacks the true leadership to ever succeed.

Frank Carlyle
Carlyle, Mont.

Sarah will do fine this year. Hopefully last year was a learning year for everyone. She still is young and can't help but grow from her experiences from last season. I'll be rooting for her in Michigan.

Mark Viertel
Parker, Pa.

Sarah has proven that she can drive. My question is with the depth of commitment of Derrick Walker. If he will give her the tools and support needed to be competitive, she can be.

Jim Fahlstedt
Reidsville, N.C.

Quite frankly, I don't believe Sarah Fisher has either the skills or the experience to compete at this level, particularly considering the calibre of the new competition joining the series in the the coming year. I believe she will present an obstacle to other drivers and cause more accidents than avoid them.

Judy La Londe
Indianapolis, Ind.

As with any race driver it still takes time to get better habits on the speedways. I think Sarah is doing a good job. I think they should do well this year!

Mike Smay
Glendale, Ariz.

Sarah is talented and very personable, but let's face it, the results just haven't been there. The level of competition gets higher every year in the IRL and there are some very talented drivers waiting to get their chance. I hate to say this, but I believe a male driver would have been out the door by now and this is obviously a make or break season for her. I wish her the best but she needs results!

Bill Giannetti
Champaign, Ill.

Fisher and Walker are two of the IRL's shining stars and best ambassadors for the sport. I think they can and will turn things around in '02, but heading in the right direction and leading the pack are different matters entirely. Let's not expect too much and let her and the team get back on the learning curve.

Christopher Vatis
Shelburne, Vt.

She was pushed ahead way before she was ready because of being a female. She only had limited sprint car experience and the results of this last year show. There are many other drivers which should be in her spot but lack the sponsorship that she received because of being a girl. She needs to earn her stripes in lower classes of racing before going to the big show.

Tom Kobylinski
Pocahontas, Ill.

I was fortunate enough to attend two IRL races in 2001 and watch many more on TV. Please understand I think Sarah Fisher is a very personable driver and is a promotional asset to the IRL. But a competitive and safe racer she is not. Walker should seriously look to veteran driver Dismore as a replacement. That point aside, I am tiring of hearing the IRL is a second-rate series compared to CART. Just because CART runs road courses as well as some ovals doesn't make it intrinsically superior. If you want to watch real world-class road racing get up at 6 a.m. on Sundays this coming year and tune in F1. I prefer to sleep in.

Aaron Bretthauer
Des Moines, Ia.

I think this could be a do or die year for Sarah. She has had enough experience now. She and Derrick have to move to the next level. I wish them luck. They are a class act.

Rick Myers
Duluth, Minn.

I have no problem with women in racing. However, if a male driver without a sponsor in his back pocket had the year Sarah had, he would be looking for a new ride.

Dan Garfinkel
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Equipment, equipment, equipment! Get Sarah a more reliable car. Sarah is an excellent driver and showed that last year. She just needs another year or two experience in the IRL and Walker needs to work on the reliability of the equipment ... then watch out, she'll be a serious contender every race.

Terry Alexander
Mesquite, Nev.

As a dirt track sprint and midget fan I really want to see Sarah do great things to validate Tony George's vision. The fact she's a gal even makes it better -- but I believe rather than a male or female, she's a racer!

Clemence Mudd
Belleville, Ill.

Sarah has the skills to run with the boys (better that a lot). All she needs is an owner, a team and sponsor that will allow her to test as often as other team. If she has that you will see her in the top-5 in most of the races in 2002.

Joe Adams
Beltsville, Md.

Consistency is a team issue and a young driver needs a tremendous amount of support. Sarah Fisher is the brightest personality in the IRL and I truly hope she has a solid season. I want her to prove women can drive because it simply is not a physical issue. If it were a physical sport, all of the 5'8" guys wouldn't be successful.

Billy Skinner
Austin, Texas

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