Danica Patrick Sees Finish Line For Pro Racing Career With ‘Danica Double’
By Barry Janoff
November 17, 2017: Danica Patrick, arguably the most successful woman race car driver in the history of the sport, said she has come to the end of the road.
In one major aspect, the decision was not entirely hers.
She made her decision public prior to the 2017 season-ending Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series event at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 19).
“This will be my last season as a full-time driver,” Patrick said at a media conference in Homestead-Miami.
Patrick then was overcome by the moment. “My sister (Brooke) told me I was supposed to get emotional. I said I wouldn’t.”
She continued after a few moments, taking a deep breath. “But I’m not totally done. I am going do the Daytona 500 next year and the Indy 500. I’m really excited about that.”
She called it the “Danica Double.”
“I think it’s going to be a great way to cap it off,” she said.
Patrick did not indicate with which team or lead sponsor she would race at Daytona and Indy in 2018.
Despite no longer being a full-time driver, Patrick will remain in the public eye.
She recently unveiled a Warrior by Danica Patrick clothing and accessories line sold on HSN.
A documentary, Danica, premiered on Epix earlier this month.
She has written a health, fitness and workout book, Pretty Intense: The 90-Day Mind, Body and Food Plan (Penguin Random House), due out in December.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., also retiring this season from full-time racing — his final Nascar series race is at Homestead-Miami — is moving into the broadcast booth with NBC in 2018.
Industry analysts indicated there was interest in Patrick potentially following suit.
The 60th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled for Feb. 18, 2918; the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is scheduled for May 27, 2018.
Patrick began her pro career in IndyCar racing in 2005 when she was named Rookie of the Year for the Indy 500 and the IndyCar Series season.
She moved to Nascar part-time in 2010-11 and then full-time in 2012.
She drove for JR Motorsports that first year in the Xfinity Series, then drove for five seasons for Stewart-Haas Racing in what is now the Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series.
In 2013, Patrick competed in every Nascar Cup Series race and became the first female driver to complete an entire season in the series.
Patrick holds the record for the most Top Ten finishes, seven, by a female in Nascar Cup Series competition.
Patrick parted ways with her long-time lead sponsor, GoDaddy, prior to the 2016 season.
Before that, she appeared for GoDaddy in a Super Bowl record 14 commercials.
Nature’s Bakery became her lead sponsor in 2016. But prior to the 2017 Nascar season, the brand had a contractual falling-out with Patrick and Stewart-Haas.
The lead role was filled by Aspen Dental, already a partner with Patrick.
Nature’s Bakery later returned to work with Stewart-Haas and Patrick.
However, when Smithfield Foods in September signed a multi-year deal with Stewart-Haas to take over a a lead sponsor beginning with the 2018 season, the set into motion a series of driver moves, including Patrick and Stewart-Haas mutually deciding to part ways after the 2017 season.
Earlier this month, driver Aric Almirola signed with Steward-Haas, filling Patrick’s spot.
"She’s one of the most fearless people I’ve ever met. She has never backed down from a challenge. In fact, she’s sought out new challenges."
"It has been my honor to drive for Tony Stewart, Gene Haas and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing for the past six seasons," wrote Patrick on her Facebook page. "Together we earned a Daytona 500 pole, seven top-10 finishes and we also had some exciting racing along the way.
At the time of the sponsorship changes, Steward said of Patrick, "I’ve always been a believer in Danica’s ability as a racecar driver and that continues to be the case. She’s one of the most fearless people I’ve ever met. She has never backed down from a challenge. In fact, she’s sought out new challenges throughout her career, and that’s what brought her to Nascar and Stewart-Haas Racing.
"Making the jump from IndyCar to Nascar is not easy, yet she had the courage to do so and put up better numbers than a lot of other drivers who have tried to make that same transition. I’m proud of how hard Danica has worked during her time at Stewart-Haas Racing, and she continues to work hard."
According to Stewart, "My support for Danica is unwavering. We’re going to end this season strong.”
Including Homestead-Miami, Patrick has 251 Nascar series starts, the most ever for a woman driver, according to Nascar.
Sponsor Changes At Stewart-Haas Will See Danica Driving To A New Crew
Danica Back In The Dough With Nature's Bakery
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