The Danica Patrick of Politics

Extreme sports are not usually associated with the wives of Presidential candidates. However, Cindy McCain likes to switch things up on Capitol Hill.

In April 2004, McCain suffered a mild stroke and was hospitalized for four days. After being released, Cindy was limited physically and experienced severe depression. To lift spirits, McCain’s son, Jack, bought her a four-day learning course to the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Chandler, Arizona. Jack, highly interested in drift racing, thought the gift would be a fun and unique form of rehabilitation for his mother. Cindy embraced the opportunity with open arms.

According to ESPN, “drift racing occurs when a driver intentionally skids a car sideways through a turn on a road or a marked course, usually at speeds that exceed the legal limit.” Originating in the mountains of central Japan in the early 1990s, drift racing has evolved into a competitive sport, with competitions in countries like Malaysia, Australia and the United States.

McCain credits the motor sport with helping her recover from the stroke, by improving skills such as coordination and concentration. Cindy revealed to the Washington Whispers that she learned to push limits and exceed her goals through motor sports. Setting her apart from other politician’s wives, McCain has even built her own modified drift car and is competing as a team with her son in amateur competitions.

Recent studies have shown the wives of presidential candidates influence three out of five Americans. St. Rose freshman Michael Morley believes that Cindy McCain’s unique interest will help her husband on the campaign trail. Morley, also an avid drift racing fan, says Cindy’s young-hearted enthusiasm could give her a new found appeal and sway voters.

“Not only is Cindy McCain much younger than her husband, she also shares a similar interest as a majority of my peers,” Says Morley. “Extreme sports have a huge following among young adults and I think this edge can put McCain above the other candidates. It’s possible that she’ll win many votes among that age group.”

Will The Danica Patrick of Politics steer this election in a different direction? The polls will speak on November 4th.




http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/e60/news/story?id=3571491
http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/080911-Cindy-McCain-Drift-Racer-/