Danica
Patrick
2010
 

2010 -- Finished 43rd in NASCAR series points. ... Made series debut for JR Motorsports in season opener at Daytona, starting 15th and finishing 35th. … Best start and finish of season at Homestead-Miami, fifth and 19th, respectively. … Led first laps of her NASCAR career, also Homestead. … Completed 87 percent of laps attempted, with three DNFs (did not finish).

2010 IRL Race Schedule & Results and Standings
2010 NASCAR Nationwide Race Stats
2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards Schedule
News

2010 Snippets

Danica Possible 12-race NASCAR Nationwide Series Schedule


The announcement of Danica Patrick's 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule of events has brought ARCA continued media exposure. Patrick, who announced that she will compete in up to 12 NASCAR Nationwide Series races with JR Motorsports yesterday, has entered the February 6 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway. Her participation in ARCA's season opening event continues to be referenced in the subsequent media released by the popular IZOD INDYCar Series star as she attempts to make the transition to stock cars racing.

According to Meltwater News, ARCA benefitted with exposure through references in more than 350 media outlets after Patrick's Nationwide Series schedule announcement on Thursday, January 28. Meltwater News, formerly known as Magenta News, is an international media monitoring service.

In December, when Patrick participated in the ARCA open test at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for her upcoming competitive debut, Meltwater News reported that ARCA received thousands and thousands of media exposures worldwide, with an estimated media value of over $7 million.

The 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards kicks off with the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona Int'l Speedway on Saturday, February 6, 2010. The race is live on SPEED beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern.
Source: www.arcaracing.com/news.php?contentid=9245

Danica Patrick Crashes Late, Kyle Busch Wins Nationwide Series Race


Danica Patrick was kept from her best career finish in the Nationwide Series by what her crew chief described as a "blatant" retaliatory collision late in the CampingWorld.com 300 at Auto Club Speedway on Saturday.

As Kyle Busch crossed the finish line for his record 12th victory of the season, Patrick's mangled No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet sat in the garage. Busch finished 1.034 seconds ahead of Brad Keselowski, who extended his points lead to 384 points with the second-place finish. Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards and Joey Logano rounded out the top five.

Patrick, who finished 30th, hinted her collision with James Buescher that collected two other cars with eight laps left may not have been by chance. She had raced as high as 10th and was in 13th at the time of the wreck, primed to finish on the lead lap for the first time and best her highest career finish through her first seven starts, 24th, in the Nationwide Series.

"It looked like he turned me," said Patrick, who will also race the final five Nationwide races now that the IZOD IndyCar Series season is over. "You know, I guess that's the way it goes. As I've been saying, the fun thing about these things is that that I've got fenders. I guess I'm learning how to use them."

Tony Eury Jr., Patrick's crew chief, said there was no doubt that Buescher's actions were intentional.

"It was pretty blatant," Eury said. "It's a shame you've got talent coming into the Nationwide Series like this who pulls a stunt like that so early in his career. Just like I told her, you just have to chalk it up and one day he'll have a good day."

Patrick took responsibility for bumping Buescher's No. 11 Toyota the lap before the accident. Buescher said he didn't appreciate the way Patrick had raced him, although he denied he wrecked Patrick on purpose.

"I was pinned between (Patrick) and the wall for a couple seconds, touching both at the same time," Buescher said. "There's just not enough room when you're squeezing somebody that hard."

Buescher said he'd talk to Patrick, but didn't think there was a need to hash things out.

Patrick, whose career was made in open-wheel racing, said earlier in the weekend that her first target in NASCAR would be a top-15 finish. Even though she came a few laps short Saturday, Eury said Patrick has made strides.

"We are happy with everything she's done," Eury said. "She showed a lot of people she's learning. I'm really proud of her."

After only two cautions over the first 102 laps, there were four cautions -- three for accidents -- the rest of the way on the two-mile oval. The race's final restart came with four laps left and Busch, who led the final 23 laps and 38 total on the day, wasn't challenged.

Busch won despite serving a drive-through penalty for speeding on pit lane just past the midway point of the race.

"Maybe I need to do it more often," Busch said. "I don't like doing it that late in the race. Obviously it makes it a little bit harder and you never know what can happen, especially since we saw those late cautions."
Source: motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/10/09/danica-patrick-crashes-late-kyle-busch-wins-nationwide-series-r/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl4%7Csec1_lnk3%7C176563

Danica Patrick Calls 2010 Season a 'Humbling Experience'


Far away from the red carpet, bright lights, television cameras and massive crowds of fans, Danica Patrick emerged from the office in her Andretti Autosport transporter Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway dressed casually in jeans and a white polo shirt.

Smiling and engaging, she candidly and calmly analyzed what has been a character-builder of a race season juggling between her full time job competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and her part-time foray into NASCAR.

People are more accustomed to seeing America's most famous race car driver in sexy television commercials for her sponsor, GoDaddy.com, smiling on Hollywood red carpets or posing for provocative photo spreads.

But Patrick is one of the most thoughtful, genuine and honest athletes you'll ever meet. For all the confidence and self-assurance she exudes, she also has an air of vulnerability and is admittedly a work in progress.

Patrick has struggled this year in IndyCar, where she's ranked 11th -- her worst since finishing 17th in the final standings in her rookie year -- and has only two top-fives in 16 races. Likewise in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, where she has yet to post a top-20 finish in seven starts.

Everyone else seems to have an opinion on her efforts as the most successful female IndyCar driver in history. As she finishes up the IndyCar season here Saturday and prepares to finish out the NASCAR schedule, here's what she has to say in this FanHouse Exclusive about what she calls a "humbling experience" in the "hardest year" of her career.

On the past year where she has struggled in both her IndyCar job and in seven sporadic NASCAR Nationwide Series starts: "It's hard. I think I knew this would be the hardest year I've ever had just because of all the NASCAR stuff. I didn't expect IndyCar to be such a tough year, but I knew there would be a lot of humbling experiences and that has definitely happened. But even when you know it's going to be the hardest year, it still sucks and it's still miserable and that's just the way it goes. I knew it was going to be tough.''

On her NASCAR showing driving the No. 7 GoDaddy.com car for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports team: "I thought I was going to do better in NASCAR than I've done. A couple times when I could have had top-10 finishes at Daytona and Vegas, I got crashed. It would be nice to have had a better result by now. And then on the IndyCar side of stuff, it's been a little surprising. It's been rough year. Things haven't gone our way. It's been really hard. So for both reasons it's been tough.''

On the IndyCar side: "I've had the best races of my career too, at Texas and Toronto. At Texas, we were fast in the beginning and we hung up there and ran in the top-five all night. It was the best oval race I've had managing the car, being there at the end and getting in and out of the pits well. And Toronto was good because we started off a little tough but then all of sudden, we were like P2. We made a few passes. passed a couple on the outside at the start, held Justin Wilson off at the end and I was able to lay down my two fastest laps when I needed them. It wasn't my best overall road course result, but it was my best weekend at a road course. It has been a very up and down year."

"I think I knew this would be the hardest year I've ever had just because of all the NASCAR stuff. I didn't expect IndyCar to be such a tough year, but I knew there would be a lot of humbling experiences and that has definitely happened."

- Danica Patrick

On the biggest lesson of the season: "I feel like I've done so much wrong. I think the biggest thing in general is trying to be proud of the things I do right even though you have a bad weekend. That's probably the most important thing, to stay positive and happy about what I did right that weekend even if I finish 24th.''

On the reception she's received competing in NASCAR: "I feel like the media has been very nice to me during the whole process, very kind with focusing on the positive things I've done and very patient and tolerant. I just feel bad when the fans are like, 'get out there and win' and I'm like, 'I probably don't have any chance of winning today. I'm sorry. I just don't. I'm not at that point.' I feel bad for the fans that I'm not there yet even though they're all excited for it. When I have a really terrible weekend, I feel really bad, I don't want them to not like me, because I'm not there yet, you know. I feel like they are ready, they are excited, they want something different, something new. I do my best to relate to everybody and be real so they can get to know me as a person and decide whether they like me or not. They've been really great.''

On whether she has been able to enjoy herself this season: It's all new experiences, it's interesting, it's fun. Do I have fun when I'm not doing well? No. Nobody does. But If I broke the weekend down by more than just how I did, then yeah, there were fun moments in there. But in general, the point of my job is to finish well and when you don't, it's not as much fun.''

On whether she feels she must decide between IndyCar or NASCAR: "Do people expect me to make a decision? Yes. If I feel like, all right, let's pick one or the other, I can make that decision as soon as I want. I know I'm going to do the same thing next year for sure. But after that, it's up to myself and all the other professionals I deal with that are knowledgeable and help me make decisions. I think there are both of those options, to pick one series or to continue to race in both. Ultimately it's my decision. But I feel like if I wanted to just keep doing this like I am, it's something you could carve into a contract and do it. I'm lucky I have the opportunity to do both, that Mike (Andretti) said I could do both and I'm lucky Junior Motorsports is willing to put up with a part-time schedule.''

On her expectations moving forward: "If I had done a full season in Nationwide, then you hope to do better the next year. But I haven't even done a half season in Nationwide. It was the same in IndyCar on the road courses. When you only do three road courses a year, how can you expect to be as good as guys that did it every week for seasons. I don't expect to light the world on fire next year either. But I hope to show progress and promise and that's all I hope for.''
Source: motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/10/01/danica-patrick-calls-2010-a-humbling-experience/#cntnt

Danica Patrick's Long Day Ends With Best Finish (7/10/10)


One ESPN television interview and three questions into an impromptu second pit road media question-and-answer session, Danica Patrick glanced over right shoulder and subtly motioned for water.

It wasn't a demanding wave, but more of a pass-me-the-water-while-I-listen gesture.

Hardly missing a beat, her public relations representative, standing between Patrick and her car, unscrewed the white cap from a small Aquafina bottle and passed it to the queen of open wheel racing and now stock car crossover. Two gulps later, she was on to the next question.

Such was the pace of Patrick's Friday in NASCAR country at Chicagoland Speedway -- just her fifth venture into the unknown, yet attractive world of racing with fenders. A long day, certainly, as NASCAR had packed Nationwide practice, qualifying and the race into a one-day show.

The extended day would prove to be her best, as the neon green, black-and-orange No. 7 crossed the finish line in 24th place, two laps behind winner Kyle Busch, under Chicagoland's lights. The finish topped her previous best, a 30th-place finish at New Hampshire.

10:30 a.m. Friday morning

Patrick has just returned to garage stall No. 25, and the speeds she's recording in practice aren't promising.

"I'm all the f--- over," Patrick says over the in-car radio back to her crew. "I can keep going, but I couldn't even go through the corner."

Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. knows that's not going to help, so he's told Danica to take the Chevrolet off the track.

This will be an extended break for adjustments by her crew, so Patrick hops from the cockpit of the car and immediately takes up conversation with engineer Robert Replogle from Hendrick Motorsports. She makes gestures up, down and side-to-side with her hands, trying to explain how the car is handling.

Within ten minutes, the window net is back up and Patrick is being guided out of the garage stall. One left turn, one right and another left puts the No. 7 back on the sun-drenched and warming track pavement.

Danica's demeanor calms after another run in race setup, but the car is still far from comfortable -- and far from fast. Time, though, is running out and the JR Motorsports team wants to try one run in qualifying trim.

Fresh, cool water is pumped in the engine while tape is applied to the nose -- all in an effort to get the most speed possible for one lap. The attempt will also get Patrick a little more comfortable when she has to qualify for real in a few hours.

The changes make their expected difference, and Patrick turns easily her fastest lap of the day. A 30.963-second trip around the 1.5-mile oval leaves her 19th-best on the final Nationwide Series speed chart -- a nice jump from the low 30s where she had been hovering.

"Thanks for getting me out for a qualifying run, guys," Patrick says over the radio on the way back to the garage. "I know its sweaty hot."

Meeting with the media

Patrick, despite never having success in NASCAR, is one of two drivers from the Nationwide Series to sit front and center inside the media center.

This week, she gets asked more questions than several Sprint Cup drivers -- and part of that may be from her willingness to lay out and explain what she's feeling instead of averting a question with broad terms.

Sometimes, as here in Chicago, her answers raised eyebrows for how candid they were.

One questioner wonders how Patrick, running a part-time Nationwide schedule with her full-time IndyCar duties, is able to do off-the-track homework to prepare for the brief practices associated with a NASCAR weekend.

Patrick mentions a racing simulation that several drivers have used to help learn the intricacies of a race track virtually. Patrick has tried it, she says, and "spun out on the straightaways" quite a few times. She wasn't a fan.

"I'm learning with people watching, which is hard," Patrick said. "But at least I've got people watching."

Green flag

Patrick was the first Nationwide qualifier in the thick, humid, midwest heat, turning a lap time just slightly slower than her best in practice. It wasn't great, but it got her a 28th-place starting spot for the evening's event.

With the green flag, Patrick moves up slightly and hovers around 25th for much of the race. Spotter T.J. Majors guides her when other cars close in, and also critiques most of her laps.

Majors' instruction ranges from what line to drive through the corner to how to handle traffic to how hard to attack a corner. Eury Jr.'s biggest advice? Patrick needs to be more aggressive entering pit road under green flag conditions.

"Man, it is amazing how they can see when you have a good corner," Patrick said. "You can barely see when a car is twitching out there, let alone when you have a good corner. But those guys have an eye for it."

Some of the instruction has to seem obvious for those who have observed NASCAR for a good amount of time, and it's a wonder a tone of frustration never seems to come across the radio from Eury Jr. or any other crew member. But it doesn't, and they just keep teaching with Patrick's typical in-race response -- a simple "copy."

After a flurry of late cautions and a flat tire on Patrick's No. 7, she ends up as the only driver two laps down to the leader during the final restart. Both Eury and Majors tell her to just take it cautiously during the green-white-checkered finish that often leads to carnage.

The predictions hold, and as the white flag flies multiple cars crunch up plenty of sheet metal in a frontstretch crash. Patrick had heeded the advice and slides by the wreck on the outside unscathed.

Soon, the 5-foot-2-inch driver is back on pit road to answer the questions -- and grab a little hydration.

"The last part of the race felt good to me," Patrick said. "We brought it home."
Source: motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/07/10/danica-patricks-long-day-ends-with-best-finish

Patrick’s Strong Run Ruined At Vegas


Danica Patrick learned another lesson about stock-car racing Saturday after being involved in a crash that took her out of the Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Danica Patrick was involved in a crash on lap 85 of the 200-lap Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday.

Patrick’s closing speed on new tires was so great when she drove upon the damaged car of Michael McDowell that it led to a miscommunication and crash between the two drivers.

McDowell took blame for the accident, which occurred on lap 85 of the 200-lap race. McDowell said he thought he had given Patrick an indication that she should take the outside lane. When he veered to the inside, he said, it was too late because she was still to the inside of him.

“Tape all over the left rear bumper [of McDowell] is probably a bad sign and it turned out to be one,” said Patrick, who finished 36th in her third NASCAR start. “He just turned all the way down. It wasn’t even like a thump. It was a clash. I’m not sure what him or anybody was looking at or if they were looking.

“I heard you had to be a little careful out here. There’s a lot of rookies, and I’m one, too. But you’ve got to hold your line.”

The 27-year-old IndyCar Series star won’t return to NASCAR racing until June in New Hampshire as she begins to concentrate on her full-time open-wheel schedule. She started the race Saturday 37th but worked her way into the mid-20s before pitting and then racing among the leaders while on a different pit cycle.

After pitting, she was back up to full speed before getting into McDowell, who said drivers with faster cars typically go to the top but said the wreck was still his fault.

“I felt like I was on a roll, and it’s always fun to come out of the pits when you’re on a different cycle than everyone else because you have fresh tires and they don’t,” Patrick said. “Unfortunately, the fresh tires caught me out a little bit because I caught the car so fast.”

McDowell understood why Patrick was angry.

“She has every right to be upset,” said McDowell, who was several laps down because of a tire puncture earlier in the event. “I came out with a tore-up race car that is bare bond from top to bottom and she just came out on new tires.

“I ran the bottom of the straightaway to basically signal to her I was going to run the bottom and the closing rate was so much [that] by the time she got there, for some reason, she took the inside. It’s completely my fault. Not the spotter’s fault. … I apologize and I hope that Junior Nation and Danica Mania don’t attack me because I’m a big fan.”

Despite the crash, the race might have been the best for Patrick of her three NASCAR starts. It took her time to get comfortable in the car, and then she learned from her qualifying experience Saturday morning.

“This morning was crap – we didn’t practice qualifying and I had only practiced it one time,” she said. “I didn’t know how hard you could push the tires, so I held the team back in that area to be able to start further up the grid, but I sure as hell know for next time I need to push a little harder.”

But once the race started, she slowly was able to pass cars in front of her. At one point, Kevin Harvick pointed her to follow him on the high line.

“It would have been nice to have a decent finish,” Patrick said. “I was feeling better and better all the time. I wouldn’t have wasted any time on the bottom going slower and slower and slower after Kevin Harvick was pointing me up high after he went by me.

“Learning from that, which was so damn cool of him, I would have been better but we never got a chance to see that.”

Harvick said Patrick's willingness to ask questions prompted him to help her.

"She's been very open with us since she's come, and we've had a lot of conversations before she ever even made a lap on the race track," Harvick said. "She's always asked questions. She's always wanting to know what she needed to do. … She needed to be running the top of the race track at that particular time.

"People who ask for help, I'll give anybody help if they ask. She's been very receptive on what she needs to do, and she's been very open asking questions, so I don't have a problem helping."

While Patrick’s three NASCAR races resulted in a crash and 35th-place finish at Daytona, a 31st-place finish while struggling at Auto Club Speedway in California and then the disappointing end to what was a better day on the 1.5-mile Las Vegas track.

“Fontana was a big challenge,” Patrick said. “It was a real humbling weekend. I guess that it’s probably good that I went there because I’ve got to go there again so I might as well figure it out.

“I definitely was having a lot of fun here at a track that was slicker. [Crew chief] Tony [Eury] Jr. did a great job of bringing a great car that gave me confidence from the first run.”
Source: nascar.speedtv.com/article/nns-patricks-strong-run-ruined-at-vegas/

Danica Will Make NASCAR Debut at Daytona on Saturday


After a top-10 taste of stock car racing over the weekend, Danica Patrick has decided to accelerate her learning curve and will enter Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.

Patrick announced her decision Monday, two days after finishing sixth at Daytona in an 80-lap race in the ARCA Series, which is an entry-level, training series for many drivers. The Nationwide Series is NASCAR's version of Triple-A baseball and a significant step up.

"Racing in the Nationwide Series race was my goal during this entire two-month preparation process,'' Patrick said, "but we wanted to make sure it was the right thing to do.

"The ARCA race was a blast and I'm not ready for my first Daytona Speedweeks to end just yet. I want more racing."

There is no doubt that her participation in the Drive4COPD 300 will be a different experience for Patrick, who was originally scheduled to begin a slate of 12 Nationwide Series races at California Speedway on Feb. 20.

This race will feature a large complement of marquee Sprint Cup Series drivers, who get big sponsorship deals to compete in this particular event on the famed Daytona high banks. And that will include her JR Motorsports team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr, who will run a second car for the team.

"I think Danica proved to everyone that she can compete in stock cars at a high level and right now seat time is extremely important,'' JR Motorsports co-owner Kelley Earnhardt, Dale's sister, said.

"She has worked extremely hard during the past two months for this opportunity. Her dedication and work ethic is infectious.''

Patrick has insisted all along that her decision to compete in the Daytona Nationwide Series race would depend largely on how comfortable she felt in the ARCA race.

She certainly turned heads with her debut, rallying from 24th place with 19 laps to go to cross the finish line sixth. Contact with another car sent her No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet spinning across the track and on a wild ride through the infield grass. But Patrick collected the car and rejoined the field, setting the stage for the dramatic late-race comeback. She ran as high as fifth earlier in the race.

Patrick insisted after the race that she hadn't even thought about the Nationwide race at that point; however, her crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., indicated the car had already been prepared, as if she would be driving.

Patrick, who will still compete full time in the IZOD IndyCar Series, will be guaranteed a starting position in the first three Nationwide Series events because the team acquired points from the CJM Racing team's No. 11 entry, that finished 15th in owner points in 2009.
Source: motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/02/08/danica-will-make-nascar-debut-at-daytona-on-saturday/?icid=main|htmlws-sb-n|dl5|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fmotorsports.fanhouse.com%2F2010%2F02%2F08%2Fdanica-will-make-nascar-debut-at-daytona-on-saturday%2F

Give Danica Chance to 'Rock the World'


Why shouldn't she?

That's the conclusion I've come to after months of ad nauseam speculation and story-chasing over the racing future of Danica Patrick.

Why not give stock cars a try? She's got the financial backing of a high-profile sponsor in GoDaddy.com and the race support of one of the top teams, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports and its umbrella Hendrick Motorports operation.

Patrick's Andretti Autosport Indycar team has given its blessing. Her new venture has piqued interest, earned top-of-the-fold headlines for months and will undoubtedly raise the profile of whatever ARCA Series or NASCAR event she suits up for.

You've got to go while the going's good. And any other driver served a similar situation would do it, too. The opinions just wouldn't be as harsh or plenty.

No doubt this will be the most difficult racing challenge the 27-year old Patrick has faced. But give her credit for having the, uh ... gumption to put herself out there.

The easier thing to do would have been simply to enjoy her ride as the face of the IZOD IndyCar Series driving for one of its top-tier teams in her legitimate quest to become the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 or win the season championship.

Her five seasons in major league open-wheel racing, which include a 2008 victory at Motegi, Japan, have landed her plenty of fame and glory and earned her a comfortable living.

Instead, Patrick is taking the tougher route.

She may not yet know the ins and outs of handling a stock car or running in the draft, but she does hold a trump card: she's used to overcoming obstacles and opinion in a way none of her competitors have ever had to.

Having said that, Patrick is hardly doing herself any favors with a limited schedule, negligible testing and big gaps between races. Seat time will be crucial in her getting a feel for the cars and she will have precious little of it.

Other open-wheelers who have made the switch to stock cars -- or tried to -- have cautioned against going about it on a part-time basis in addition to her full time IndyCar job.

Perhaps this will provide a more dramatic opportunity to again prove naysayers wrong. The commitment she shows will ultimately prove whether this is merely a paycheck-collecting venture or an honest effort to diversify and succeed.

The real question for Patrick isn't so much whether she should give stock cars a try, but how will she handle this new reality when it comes to competition, the press and her image.

Patrick has backed off comments she made in May before her "free agent" status began, when she said she'd prefer to bypass the developmental series and go straight to the big league Sprint Cup Series. She has visited NASCAR shops and solicited the advice of well-respected team owners and drivers. And, it appears, she has taken the advice to heart.

Far from debuting in the Cup Series, Patrick is set to run what's typically a free-for-all, the ARCA Series season-opener that kicks off Daytona Speedweeks on Feb. 7. It will be full sensory overload getting her first race laps on a superspeedway in a field largely consisting of other drivers-in-training.

The move to ARCA to then to her real gig in the Nationwide Series means a transition from 1,500-pound, sophisticated IndyCars to 3,000-pound lumbering stock cars for the 5-foot-3, 100-pound Patrick.

She seems a lot more realistic in her expectations this week than she did six months ago.

"I'm sure it's going to be a steep learning curve and what that slope looks like is yet to be determined,'' Patrick conceded. "It probably won't even get determined, maybe until the first six months.

"I'm going to start by giving them all respect and if they don't play fair out there, we'll address it as needed.''

-- Danica Patrick "Hopefully it will be good from the git-go. I'm set up as well as I could be for success in that I have the right support and the right team. So we have the best chance.''

The one sure bet in this whole endeavor is that Patrick will be under unprecedented scrutiny.

For the most part, the NASCAR press corps doesn't quite know what to make of her. She's a hybrid -- a cross between Jeff Gordon's savvy and Tony Stewart's sass. These reporters won't be giving her the free pass she sometimes gets in the open-wheel world.

Her competitors won't, either. However, most NASCAR drivers have publicly welcomed her even if they warn of the uphill battle she faces. They seem to think adding Patrick to the mix will only increase the popularity of NASCAR.

At the least, it should help tracks sell tickets and add another compelling element to the television broadcasts.

Patrick does not lack personality. And just as any other passionate race car driver has had her share of confrontations with competitors -- Danica's have just generated more attention. When that came up this week, she held her ground.

"I'm going to start by giving them all respect,'' Patrick explained of her approach. "and if they don't play fair out there, we'll address it as needed.

"In IndyCar when I started, I started off by not really even talking to anyone because I was just quiet, and just observing. I have so much respect for all these drivers that I'm not going to come in and try and pretend I'm something that I haven't yet proven to be.

"So I'm going to play it cool, play fair and have fun.''

While part of Patrick's allure is her necessary toughness, her "brand" has also been built by capitalizing on her feminine side -- posing in swimsuits for Sports Illustrated and starring in edgy commercials for her sponsor GoDaddy.com.

Patrick is image-conscious, but so is NASCAR, and it will be interesting to see how her super-sexy commercials play in what is a more traditionally family-oriented genre. This is new ground for both entities. It didn't sound like there was any change in strategy on her behalf. GoDaddy.com Chairman Bob Parsons promised Tuesday, "you won't be disappointed" in teasing to Patrick's two new Super Bowl commercials that will air after her ARCA race debut.

Maybe the most under-reported aspect of this whole saga and its merciful conclusion, is that in three major news conferences during the past two weeks to announce both her IndyCar contract and NASCAR plans -- Patrick's gender came up as a topic only twice.

The person that initially raised it was her new team owner, a former late model racer herself, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, who promised that together they would "rock the world" and hopefully inspire other young women.

The other time was the last question during a 45-minute teleconference with the national media. It's a far cry from Patrick's IndyCar debut five years ago when gender was the dominant theme.

Whether Patrick wins a NASCAR race, it's clear she's already made a legitimate and important contribution to her sport and this alone is progress she can be proud of.
Source: motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/12/10/give-danica-chance-to-rock-the-world/

Earnhardt Nation & Danica Mania Unite, ARCA Style (12-29-09)


Danica Patrick caused quite a stir when she climbed in her JR Motorsports Chevrolet at Daytona Int'l Speedway. The national, and international, media was there in full force to capture the moments. But there's also another half to the equation - the Earnhardt Nation, which, in the stock car world, is as big as it gets. And when you connect the two ‘larger than life' entities inside the ARCA Nation, the buzz created was, and still is, unlike anything ever experienced in the longstanding stock car sanction, 58 consecutive years and counting.

In a recent press conference, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. spoke his mind regarding the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards. When the media asked, ‘why ARCA?', Earnhardt responded, "ARCA's a great series - a better choice."

Briscoe holds off Patrick for Texas win


Roger Penske, wearing a tan Stetson in Texas Motor Speedway’s Victory Circle, hugged Ryan Briscoe about a long and as close as he did in 2008 when the Aussie driver gave Team Penske its 200th victory at The Milwaukee Mile.

After an Indianapolis 500 that started with promise but ended in the SAFER Barrier, Briscoe appreciated the show of support. He definitely earned it on the fast and furious 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval.

Briscoe, who started from the pole, overtook Danica Patrick on Lap 193 and held off the Andretti Autosport veteran over the remaining 35 laps to win the Firestone 550K on a heated night when sparks and tempers flared.

Patrick, running second to Briscoe between Laps 170 and 189, took the point as the top half of the field cycled through the final round of pit stops.

“Danica got by us and I didn’t want to make any aggressive moves and block,” Briscoe said. “I gained some momentum on the next lap, used the push-to-pass and was able to pass her out of Turn 4 and into Turn 1. She gave us a real run for our money tonight. It was fun racing side-by-side with her.”

Patrick, driving the No. 7 Team GoDaddy.com entry, led her first lap of the season and posted her best finish since winning at Twin Ring Motegi in April 2008. It also was her first top 5 of the season, and her first since Richmond late last June.

Patrick, who started eighth, said the race “was my best from top to bottom.”

“It was a good weekend last weekend in Indy and it was a good weekend here in Texas,” she said. “Sometimes the little victories that I have throughout the season are not necessarily obvious on the track. Maybe they’re in other aspects of what I’m doing, winning little victories here and there to get everything in line to perform from top to bottom on race day. I’ve been working hard all season. It’s just really nice to have a result to show how hard I’ve been working and how hard the team has been working as well.”
Source: indycar.com/news/show/55-izod-indycar-series/37946-briscoe-holds-off-patrick-for-texas-win/

Danica’s new IndyCar deal opens door to NASCAR


Danica Patrick unveiled her splashy new car in New York’s Times Square, its bright green, black and orange color scheme right at home with the flashy billboards and lights above.

A car with fenders could be next for IndyCar’s most marketable star.

Patrick signed a three-year contract extension with Andretti Autosport on Monday, which could pave the way for her desired foray into NASCAR.

“When there are more races on the schedule, my life almost feels more predictable,” Patrick said during a segment on Fox News. “I’d be excited about the challenge. We’ll see.”

The IRL deal done, Patrick may be free to turn her attention to a NASCAR ride and a potential Nationwide Series deal with Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motosports.
Source: www.kansascity.com/sports/story/1603209.html

Favorite Quotes


"I don't feel insecure about BEING GIRLIE," says Patrick. "I do as much media as I can because I want this IRL series to be so kick-butt that NASCAR goes, 'Huh?'"

"I'm just another driver out there trying to kick butt. The car doesn't know or care that I'm a chick."

Danica’s new IndyCar deal opens door to NASCAR


Danica Patrick unveiled her splashy new car in New York’s Times Square, its bright green, black and orange color scheme right at home with the flashy billboards and lights above.

A car with fenders could be next for IndyCar’s most marketable star.

Patrick signed a three-year contract extension with Andretti Autosport on Monday, which could pave the way for her desired foray into NASCAR.

“When there are more races on the schedule, my life almost feels more predictable,” Patrick said during a segment on Fox News. “I’d be excited about the challenge. We’ll see.”

The IRL deal done, Patrick may be free to turn her attention to a NASCAR ride and a potential Nationwide Series deal with Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motosports.
Source: www.kansascity.com/sports/story/1603209.html

IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick is in the GQ spotlight for November



In an 18-page feature “The Originals: 16 of the coolest sports heroes of all time,” the magazine looks at the 2005 Bombardier Rookie of the Year’s flair on and off the racetrack. The Patrick package, including a full-page photo, highlights her drive toward perfection that “makes her one of the most unbridled – and entertaining – competitors out there.”

Other featured athletes include Willie Mays, Joe Namath, Kevin Garnett, Michael Vick, and Kelly Slater. The magazine is available on newsstands.
Source: www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=7726

Patrick would relish a proper F1 test opportunity


Every driver would love to drive a Formula One car at some point in their life, so yeah.

Danica Patrick, who made history when she claimed her first IndyCar race win two weeks ago, has confessed to wanting a Formula One test.

Patrick made her IndyCar debut in 2005, however, it was not until three years later, driving for Andretti Green Racing, that she claimed her first victory, winning the Indy Japan 300 and thereby becoming the first woman to win an IndyCar race.

The American is now hoping to test her skills in Formula One, admitting that she would relish a 'proper' test with one of the teams.

"Every driver would love to drive a Formula One car at some point in their life, so yeah," she told Autosport.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with a real, proper test.

"I was asked to do a demonstration lap at Indy in 2005, and I said, 'No way. You're making me a show. That's embarrassing.' But I would say that a real test is absolutely something I would do."

And one team who would welcome her testing with them is Honda. "We haven't instigated anything, but if Danica wanted to be a test driver then we'd be more than happy to talk about it," Honda CEO Nick Fry said.

World's Most Beautiful People 2006


World's Most Beautiful People From Angelina Jolie to Eva Longoria, see what makes the most captivating stars so utterly gorgeous in People's special issue, on newsstands April 28. Danica Patrick, the 2005 5'2" IndyCar Rookie of the Year, 24, led the Indianapolis 500 for 19 laps – a first for a female driver. And there's buzz about an even better showing at Indy this month. Still, racing can get bumpy. "You sweat so much," Patrick says. "We have a helmet and this head sock; the sun's on you. The skin takes a beating. I do MicroDermabrasion every month. And facials – they hurt so good."

IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick is in the GQ spotlight for November



In an 18-page feature “The Originals: 16 of the coolest sports heroes of all time,” the magazine looks at the 2005 Bombardier Rookie of the Year’s flair on and off the racetrack. The Patrick package, including a full-page photo, highlights her drive toward perfection that “makes her one of the most unbridled – and entertaining – competitors out there.”

Other featured athletes include Willie Mays, Joe Namath, Kevin Garnett, Michael Vick, and Kelly Slater. The magazine is available on newsstands.
Source: www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=7726

TV Guide tunes in with Patrick


Danica Patrick is coming to a checkout line near you. Her rise to prominence this season in the IndyCar Series are detailed in the July 31-August 6 issue, just in time for ABC's broadcast of the Indy 400 at 3pm, July 31 from Michigan International Speedway. Patrick also has been featured on the cover of the June 6 issue of Sports Illustrated, becoming the first Indianapolis 500 driver to be a cover photo subject since A.J. Foyt in the pre-race story in the May 25, 1981 issue. She was photographed last weekend for an upcoming issue of Life magazine.
Source: www.indycar.com/news/story.php?story_id=5139

Briscoe holds off Patrick for Texas win


Roger Penske, wearing a tan Stetson in Texas Motor Speedway’s Victory Circle, hugged Ryan Briscoe about a long and as close as he did in 2008 when the Aussie driver gave Team Penske its 200th victory at The Milwaukee Mile.

After an Indianapolis 500 that started with promise but ended in the SAFER Barrier, Briscoe appreciated the show of support. He definitely earned it on the fast and furious 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval.

Briscoe, who started from the pole, overtook Danica Patrick on Lap 193 and held off the Andretti Autosport veteran over the remaining 35 laps to win the Firestone 550K on a heated night when sparks and tempers flared.

Patrick, running second to Briscoe between Laps 170 and 189, took the point as the top half of the field cycled through the final round of pit stops.

“Danica got by us and I didn’t want to make any aggressive moves and block,” Briscoe said. “I gained some momentum on the next lap, used the push-to-pass and was able to pass her out of Turn 4 and into Turn 1. She gave us a real run for our money tonight. It was fun racing side-by-side with her.”

Patrick, driving the No. 7 Team GoDaddy.com entry, led her first lap of the season and posted her best finish since winning at Twin Ring Motegi in April 2008. It also was her first top 5 of the season, and her first since Richmond late last June.

Patrick, who started eighth, said the race “was my best from top to bottom.”

“It was a good weekend last weekend in Indy and it was a good weekend here in Texas,” she said. “Sometimes the little victories that I have throughout the season are not necessarily obvious on the track. Maybe they’re in other aspects of what I’m doing, winning little victories here and there to get everything in line to perform from top to bottom on race day. I’ve been working hard all season. It’s just really nice to have a result to show how hard I’ve been working and how hard the team has been working as well.”
Source: indycar.com/news/show/55-izod-indycar-series/37946-briscoe-holds-off-patrick-for-texas-win/

Patrick honored among top 100 women


Automotive News’ 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry 2005 honorees include seven CEOs, three COOs, 13 presidents, 52 vice presidents, four assembly plant managers and one race car driver. One guess allowed for that person’s identity.

2010 IRL Results (Grid/Finish/Qualifying Speed/Laps Completed/Status)

Date

Track

Start
Finish
Laps
Status

3/14

Streets of San Paulo, Brazil

13
15
60/61
Running

3/28

St Pete

21
7
100/100
Running

4/11

Barber Motorsports Park

19
19
89/90
Running

4/18

Long Beach

.20
16
85
Running

5/1

Kansas

9
11
198/200.
.Running.

5/30

Indianapolis

23
6
200/200
Running

6/12

Texas

2
8
228/228
Running

6/20

Iowa

9
10
249/250.
Running.

7/4

Watkins Glen

21
20
.60/60
Running.

7/18

Toronto

12
6
85/85
Running

7/25

Edmonton

21
15
94/95
Running

8/8

Mid-Ohio

22
21
85/85
Running

8/22

Infeneon

23
16
75/75
Running

8/28

Chicagoland

12
14
200/200
Running

9/4

Kentucky

17
9

200/200

Running

9/18

Japan

12
5
200/200
Running

10/2

Homestead-Miami

11
2.
200/200.
.Running

2010 NASCAR Nationwide Race Stats

Date

Track

Start
Finish
Laps
Status

Feb 13

DRIVE4COPD 300

15

35 of 43

69/120

Feb 20

Stater Bros. 300

36

31 of 43

149/152

Fen 27

Sam's Town 300

37

36 of 43

82/200

Jun 26

New England 200

25

30 of 43

195/200

Jul 9

Dollar General 300

28

24 of 43

201/203

2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards Schedule
Date
Track
Start
Finish
Qual Speed
Length
Status

2/6

Daytona Int'l Speedway

12
6
.

200 miles

200

7/31

Pocono Raceway

.

.

.

125 miles

.

8/2

Berlin Raceway

.

.

.

200 laps

.

8/15

New Jersey Motorsports Park

.

.

.

150 miles

.

8/22

Illinois State Fairgrounds

.

.

.

100 miles

.

8/27

Chicagoland Speedway

.

.

.

150 miles

.

9/6

DuQuoin State Fairgrounds

.

.

.

100 miles

.

9/12

Toledo Speedway

.

.

.

200 laps

.

9/19

Salem Speedway

.

.

.

200 laps

.

9/30

Kansas Speedway

.

.

.

150 miles

.

10/9

Rockingham Speedway

.

.

.

200 laps

.

Snippets - 2010


In the final race of the 2010 IndyCar series, Danica started 11th and ended 2nd for the second time this season. She accumulated enough points in her 17 races to finish 10th of 41 racers for the season.

*     *     *

Danica started 17th at Kentucky finishing 9th.

*     *     *

Danica Patrick will be the subject of a 32-page comic book -- "Fame: Danica Patrick" -- scheduled for December release from Bluewater Productions.

*     *     *

Danica started 23rd this weekend at Sonoma (21st at Edmonton and 22nd at Mid-Ohio) and got as high as 11th, finishing 16th.

*     *     *

Danica started 22nd this weekend at Mid-Ohio (21st last weekend at Edmonton) and got as high as 15th for one lap during pit stops on lap 25. She finished 21st, the last one on the lead lap.

*     *     *

Danica started 21st this weekend at Edmonton and got as high as 12th on lap 90. She ended up 15th, one-lap down.

*     *     *

Danica is gridded 21st for 25 cars for the race in Edmonton. Teammate Tony Kanaan is gridded 24th since he wasn't able to record a time or speed during qualifying.

*     *     *

Danica started Toronto in 12th and finished in 6th. She's 11th overall.

*     *     *

Danica Patrick's Long Day Ends With Best NASCAR Finish

*     *     *

Danica Speeds to a 2nd Place Finish at Texas International.

*     *     *

Danica Patrick gridded 21st at St. Pete, worked her way up to 5th and dropped back to 6th during a pit stop, finishing in 7th.

*     *     *

Danica Patrick (gridded 21st) at St. Pete, Simona is gridded 14th and Milka Duno (gridded 24th). The race was rain delayed and rescheduled for Monday, March 29th at 10am EST.

*     *     *

From Sports Illustrated's Swim Suit issue to Esquire - Danica is in the running for their "Sexiest Woman Alive" contest.

*     *     *

Danica was gridded 13th behind Simona de Silvestro gridded in 11th in the IndyCar race in San Paulo, Brasil. She ended up finishing 15th, in front of Simona in 16th and behind rookie Ana Beatriz in 13th.

*     *     *

Danica Patrick was involved in a crash on lap 85 of the 200-lap Sam’s Town 300 NASCAR Nationwide race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. She started 37th of 43 cars and worked her way into the mid-20s before pitting and then racing among the leaders while on a different pit cycle. She finished 36th.

*     *     *

Danica started 36th out of 43 cars in the Fontuna Nationwide race and finished in the 31st spot..

*     *     *

Danica started 15th out of 43 cars in the Daytona Nationwide race and got caught in a 12 car pile-up on lap 69 finishing in the 35th spot.

*    *    *

Danica will enter Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.

*    *    *

Danica started the ARCA Daytona 200 in 12th until she was sandwiched and shoveled off the track dropping to 24th. She muscled her way back up to 6th by the end.

*    *    *

Danica signs with Hot Wheel for the NASCAR Nationwide series racing in 2010 including a primary sponsor August 14th at Michigan Invertional Speedway. Also, Danica is designing a car to be produced by Hot Wheels. Look for the Danicar at retailers in October.

*    *    *

Danica's 2-lap Qualifying for the 2010 ARCA Racing Series at Daytona February 6th, placed her tied for 11th with Patrick Sheltra out of 47 and 1st out of 6 women.

*    *    *

Danica Watch: Possible 12-race NASCAR Nationwide Series Schedule

*    *    *

Danica tested for the 2010 ARCA Racing Series at Daytona. She was the 2nd fastest woman and 14th out of 60 drivers.

*    *    *

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.



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