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Dan and Danica, sitting in a tree.

But they're not K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

If Dan Wheldon and Danica Patrick were sitting in a tree, they'd probably push each other off.

The two had a coming together in last week's Indy Racing League event at Milwaukee.

Wheldon said Patrick's car came up on him entering Turn 1, which damaged Patrick's suspension.

Patrick said Wheldon came down the track into her car.

Whatever.

I think it was one of those "racing incidents."

Neither one was to blame.

But I believe Wheldon when he said one of the reasons Patrick was so upset was because she hasn't won a race.

When the media darling joined Andretti Green Racing to start this season, many predicted great things for her.

Like a win.

Maybe two.

And challenging for a championship.

But things haven't gone well for the IRL's sweetheart.

She's 10th in points, 88 behind Indy 500 champ Dario Franchitti.

Although she has finished in the top 10 four times in six races, that's deceiving.

The IRL only has 18 full-time drivers. So you basically have to finish in the top half of the results to be in the top 10.

As for Wheldon, I'm sure there's some frustration there, too.

I, along with a lot of experts, picked Wheldon to win the Indy 500. He was never competitive, finishing 22nd after being involved in the Marco Andretti accident.

I'm sure this latest controversy will blow over. Most racing incidents are forgotten soon after they happen.

Here's hoping for better times for both Dan and Danica.

But I don't think we want to see them in a tree.

NASCAR's loss: Former NASCAR Chairman Bill France Jr. died earlier this week.

I'm not a big NASCAR fan, but I have to admire what the France family has done with stock car racing.

They took it from a regional, Southeast-oriented series to a national sport. Overnight.

Or so it seems.

When I was growing up, Indy cars ruled the racing landscape.

Then came the IRL/CART split in 1996.

Since then, NASCAR has grown exponentially. And open-wheel racing, unfortunately, has slid so far downhill most fans don't know it exists.