Patrick had just finished third in the Indianapolis 500, her best showing in five starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and a finish that seemed unlikely when she overshot her pit on lap 100 of 200 and dropped from sixth to 10th. After apologizing to her crew for delaying an otherwise quick pit stop, she mounted a second-half recovery that had her running second with 17 laps left before eventually finishing behind winner Helio Castroneves and Dan Wheldon.
“I’m glad that people are seeing it more like just a good finish from a good driver.”
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Patrick’s immediate aim is building on her third consecutive top-five finish and sixth-place points standing Sunday at The Milwaukee Mile, but her long-term goals are drawing the most attention — again. Her contract with Andretti Green Racing ends after the season, which has renewed talk about whether she will switch to NASCAR — a move that would surely raise her profile and bank account even in a tough economy.
The difference from three years ago is that Patrick, while coy about her intentions, isn’t shying away from the queries — or her curiosity.
“I’m being asked about it. I’m not bringing it up or slipping it into conversations (saying), ‘Well, it’s my contract year,’ ” Patrick said before the Indy 500. “I’m going to check it all out. I’m more honest about it than last time, but I’m also more open to it than I was last time.”
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She became the second race car driver featured in the Got Milk? advertisements, following Jeff Gordon, and is featured in this month’s Shape magazine, including a cover photo in a bikini. USA Today
But as lucrative as they may be for Danica the brand and as fun as they may be for Danica the person, those opportunities ultimately stem from Danica the race-car driver. With each passing race since her rock-star rookie season of 2005, with the exception of her victory last year in Japan, talk surrounding Patrick has moved increasingly toward the disparity between her success on and off the track.
The next test for Patrick in the IndyCar Series is the Milwaukee Mile, site of the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225 on Sunday. Indy was barely over and she was talking about her eagerness to get to the one-of-a-kind flat oval and the stop on the schedule nearest her hometown.
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“Last year was one of the toughest races I’ve had around there, but the year before that in ‘07, I qualified horribly and then in the race the car was good and I was passing for fourth or something like that within the first stint,” Patrick said. “Years before that too, I remember running with Dario (Franchitti) and Tony (Kanaan, series champions) my first year or two.
“I’ve just had good success at the track, and I think the short ovals really challenge you. You really have to get the car right, but you really have to stand by what you believe in is right for the car. You have to go with your gut more on short ovals. I’m definitely not afraid to do that.”
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“I have to make sure whatever I do is with a good team, and then after that you try and make sure everything possible is as good as it can be on the business side of things, because at the end of the day I’m a business and a brand and I have a job,” she said.
“But…...the first thing for me is that I perform on the track. Everything kind of falls into place after I perform on the track.” Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel
Patrick has just one IndyCar victory and has had only moderate success, so her transition likely would be even more difficult.
By switching to NASCAR, Patrick will attract even more sponsors and generate even more exposure than she is currently getting. Win or lose, she would become an even bigger star in the sports world.
That could have a huge impact on the sport, not to mention the organization she lands with. If she runs a full season in the Nationwide Series, her mere presence would give fans a reason to watch NASCAR’s second-tier series.
Though she may face a long, tough road, moving to NASCAR is a no-lose proposition for Patrick.
She needs to make the move, and she needs to make it now. FOXSports.com
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