Danica Patrick's narrow window of opportunity to win a race has now been painted shut. With the IRL---CHAMP merger she has next to no chance of winning a race. She didn't come close to getting it done while driving for the IRL's best team, and racing against only sixteen other cars. She will be walking up a sand dune in ski boots now. Going against full fields of cars, and even more of the best road racers from CHAMP.

The few road courses on IRL's schedule were her best hope for a win. With the merger, there will be more road courses, but a lot more road race aces. This should insure that Patrick still won't get it done against the men. Not that her being a female has anything to do with it. Her talent just isn't at the same level as her car and team deserve. She must realize this, as she is keeping her other options open by posing in the S.I. swimsuit issue and shilling for Go Daddy.com. Good idea Danica, get it while you can. No matter how good you look, if you don't win even that gimmick gets old.

She races in the IRL for the top team, Andretti-Green, and still hasn't finished higher than 7th in the points standings. That was last year racing against maybe 13 other full time drivers. In 2007 she racked up four top fives and eleven top tens. Keep in mind that most races there were only sixteen other cars starting. A top ten out of seventeen cars is not that great. In '06 she was 9th in points, and 12th in 2005. She has done less in the last three years than Dale Earnhardt Jr., while getting his level of press in the IRL.

Of course the new management at IRL---CHAMP might decide it's good for TV ratings to have a woman winning races. That could really separate them from NASCAR.  Of course I would never suggest that a major racing organization could help certain drivers and/or cars win races. No, I would never suggest that.

Hello sports fans and welcome to the Monday Mailbag where we try to answer the most pressing sports and entertainment questions from the interweb. Please feel free to ask anything yourself, either in the comments, or by email for a future Mailbag.

Q.    Now that my 'brother' is out of rehab can I please get my job back?................Michael

A.    We here at the four letter network wish you all the best, but you have been replaced by another semi-cool, junior pimp dressing, loud, ex wide receiver who laughs at his own material.

Q.    Since the TV writers are still on strike, I'm trying to recycle some old SNL bits by using new actors in the old skits. Any ideas?...............................Lorne M.

A.    A great bit from the 90s was about adult diapers. Al Davis would be perfect as the spokesman giving the catchphrase......'Whoops I Crapped my Pants...I'm wearing them....and I just did.' Might be too realistic to be funny.

Q,    Who's gonna win da Super Bowl. And Carm is looking for something new to put out at her Super Bowl party. How bout it?...............................Tony S.

A.    Gulp. I, I, I'm glad to see you're still alive, T. I can't give you the winner until later in the week. I don't want to end up like Big ####. No, not Paris Hilton. The guy used to be in your crew. Now sleeping with the fishes. Tell the wife to start with the best onion rings in Jersey. They're at................

Q.    Yo, me and my boys are going to Arizona this week. Any sights to see out there?.............Chowd

A.    Well there's always the Grand Canyon. No, once again not her.

Q.    What can I watch on Sunday nights now that Madden isn't putting me to sleep?...Al M.

A.    'The Wire' is very good. A little slow on plot resolution. I prefer 'The Shield' on Sunday nights. Sadly it won't start until this summer.