Danica Patrick’s decision to confront Milka Duno about her driving Saturday at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course led to an ugly exchange between the only two female drivers competing in today’s IndyCar Series race.
After finishing a practice run and getting out of her car, Patrick quickly walked to where Duno, the only other woman racing here this weekend, was pitted and argued with the less experienced driver about getting in her way several times during the practice.
The altercation lasted only about a minute, but witnesses said it grew heated and that Duno flung a towel in Patrick’s direction at one point as the two exchanged words. Patrick eventually walked away.
“I don’t like drama, and I told her, ‘Go away, you are not welcome.’ “
Patrick said she didn’t regret her action.
“I wanted to know if she saw me (on the track) . . . It’s hard to locate people once they get away from their car,” she said. “I stayed behind the wall. I just wanted to ask what happened.
“Unfortunately, things involving me tend to evolve. I’m on the hot seat when I do something and when others do something (connected to me). It’s kind of the line that I walk because I’m popular.”
“I don’t like the show she likes in every race weekend,” Duno said. “She can push the guys because they cannot do anything to her, but she cannot push me. We meet on equal condition (as women), and I know what kind of character I have.
Things didn’t get better for Patrick after the confrontation.
Since her first IndyCar Series victory on April 20, Patrick has mostly struggled to be competitive. Her fifth-place finish last weekend at Nashville was her first top-five since Motegi. And Patrick was hoping it would be the catalyst for a big finish to the 2008 season.
Patrick, who started a career-best second here a year ago, struggled throughout the practices at the Lexington, Ohio course, and the qualifying session that followed was even worse. She failed to get past the first of three rounds in the knockout-style time trials and started 20th on the 26-car grid in Sunday’s race.
“The car was pretty fast during practice this morning, but I was unable to find the speed that I needed during qualifying,” Patrick said. “I’m disappointed that I didn’t qualify better, knowing that I started on the front row last year.”
UPDATE: July 22, 2008 01:07 am
IRL IndyCar Series driver Milka Duno took the high ground Monday after a towel-throwing, profanity-laced confrontation between herself and Danica Patrick during practice for Sunday’s race in Lexington, Ohio. Duno, who says she tries to be a positive role model, wants to forget the incident.
The forgiving might be another issue. “I don’t regret it because I didn’t do anything bad,” says Duno, who finished 23rd. “I was in my pits and she came with a bad attitude and bad language. And it was my reaction.”
The minute-long spat between the only female drivers in the IndyCar race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course was sparked when Patrick, who ended 12th, struggled to pass Duno during practice Saturday. Patrick said she just wanted to know if Duno was aware of her passing attempts; Duno denied she blocked Patrick.
Caught on video by a Duno photographer, Patrick approached Duno in her pit after the session, insisting on discussing the incident. When Patrick didn’t immediately leave, Duno threw a towel in her face, sparking foul language from Patrick.
“It’s an incident that I want to forget already, because it was not necessary to happen,” Duno says.
“We are a role model for many people. We are an inspiration, and this is not the image that I want to give to somebody. The people don’t know me for having these problems.”
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