Danica Patrick: “I’m Trying To Grow Up”
May 09, 2008
Ron McQueeney/IMS
Preparing for her fourth Indianapolis 500 in the wake of her historic and long-awaited first win, Patrick is trying hard to focus that intensity in a more positive direction.
“I realize, over time now, how unproductive being angry all the time is and how it doesn’t really do any good for my driving,” Patrick said. “I think that being positive does.”
She said part of the problem is that there are always doubters, people who refuse to believe a woman can be truly competitive in racing.
“Unfortunately, in my position, it takes a while to prove yourself,” she said. “And, unfortunately, also in my position, I’m never going to convince some people.”
Still, it’s been a common sight after IRL IndyCar races the past few seasons to see a frustrated and irritated Patrick, her faced clouded by anger, stalking away from her race car - even after a good finish.
“I will say that it started, that whole being angry thing, because I wanted people to know that I wasn’t OK with finishing sixth,” Patrick explained. “I wasn’t OK with driving my butt off and finishing eighth. I wasn’t OK with those results. I’m not OK with finishing third.
“I want to win races and I wanted people to know that. I didn’t want them to see me smiling and going ‘Woo Hoo’ and them saying, ‘That’s it? That’s all she hopes for?’ I wanted them to know that I wished and believed in more.”
Winning has definitely given Patrick the impetus to try to change her demeanour outside the race car - for her fans as much as for herself.
“I’ve really tried to change it, to try not to be so mad all the time,” she said. “And one of the (reasons) is for the fans. Sometimes they don’t know how you’ve done even though they’re standing right behind your pit. And, probably the rest of the time, as long as they’re still cheering for you, they don’t care.
Patrick says some of her personality is inherited, adding, “I would imagine that a lot of this comes out subconsciously and just instinctively and I don’t have a lot of control over some of it. It would prove I have some of those mad and angry instincts in me, which is hard to change.
“But I’m trying to grow up. I’m trying to be better all-around for all kinds of reasons: for myself, for the people around me and for the people I don’t know who are around me.”
