For a moment, as millions of people cheered and jeered and held their breath, it looked like Danica Patrick was going after Ryan Briscoe.
As the memorable scene unfolded at the 92nd Indianapolis 500, it appeared that racing was finally going to confront an enormous ethical issue that has yet to be resolved: If a female racer physically confronts a male rival after an on-track incident, does he have the right to respond in kind?
No other professional sport has to deal with this issue. Basketball, golf, track, et al, all require sexes to compete in separate venues. But with the advent of women competing on equal footing in auto racing, we will someday face the historic moment when a woman and a man have a physical altercation, right there on national TV in front of God and everybody.
That moment seemed close at hand on racing’s largest stage Sunday afternoon. After a few anxious moments, IMS security officials frantically — and wisely — headed off Patrick and diffused the situation, and she simply stalked off to vent her emotions elsewhere.
You might have laughed at the spectacle on Sunday afternoon. But it isn’t at all funny because it perfectly illustrates a situation that is grossly unfair to every male competitor.
Patrick clearly has a mercurial personality and she wears her emotions on her sleeve. She has no hesitation to call out anyone whom she feels has wronged her on the race track. That’s fine, every racer handles that situation in their own way. Some are ready to resolve it with a fight, while others simply forget it and move on.

But when the day comes that she walks into another man’s pit and slaps him in the face for causing her to spin, what is he supposed to do? Does he stand there and take it, or does he have the right to give it back? And it’s fair to say, based on what we’ve seen so far, that day will likely come.

Think about the implications: If a guy lets a five-foot-nothin’ girl dominate him on worldwide television, what do you suppose that does to his reputation? Or, on the other hand, what if he hits her back?

But when the day comes that she walks into another man's pit and slaps him in the face for causing her to spin, what is he supposed to do? Does he stand there and take it, or does he have the right to give it back? And it's fair to say,based on what we've seen so far, that day will likely come.
Think about the implications: If a guy lets a five-foot-nothin’ girl dominate him on worldwide television, what do you suppose that does to his reputation? Or, on the other hand, what if he hits her back?
That’s why this is a very significant issue. Such an encounter could literally and absolutely destroy a man’s entire career. What’s the worst perception for any racer? That he is weak, afraid, spineless. A racer can overcome a lot of negative things, but that label is an absolute killer.
If Danica would have popped Ryan Briscoe in the nose, and he stood there and took it, that moment would haunt his career for the rest of his life. Everywhere he went, people would snicker, “That’s the guy who got beat up by a girl.”
And what if he hit her back? He would be forever ridiculed as an ugly, callous brute, the monster of a man who should be publicly whipped and banished from civilization.
So where is the upside? Exactly how is Ryan Briscoe — or any other male IndyCar racer — supposed to handle that situation?
Now, look at the situation from Danica’s perspective. If she gets in a man’s face and he backs down, the world cheers her as a “tough little gal.” But if the man — who towers over her —gives it back, the world screams in outrage that she’s being bullied.
See how it works? He can’t win and she can’t lose.
Racing is definitely ready for women to compete equally on the track. But we’re a long way from figuring out how to deal with the inevitable fact that when emotions boil over off the track, human beings sometimes resolve things in a physical manner. It might not be right, or pretty, but that’s one of the characteristics of our species.
And there is another issue. Every racer understands that you cannot ever allow yourself to be intimidated by a competitor. Never, ever, ever. So if a woman is allowed to charge into your pit and slap your face, bawl you out, or generally “put you in your place,” and you cannot give it back, does she now have a psychological advantage over you?
I’m loathe to tell any series director how to do their job, but I hope Sunday’s near-dustup will give pause to senior IndyCar officials. Maybe it’s time for an honest discussion with Danica about the tremendous dynamics that are in play when an angry woman racer heads for a man’s pit area.
In a perfect world, the playing field truly would be equal. But our world isn’t perfect. Sunday clearly reminded us of that.