If Danica Patrick’s opposition in the Suntrust Indy Challenge this weekend is anything like what she faced in a race Thursday, she will have no problems smoking the field.
At the Richmond International Airport, Patrick grabbed a joystick and piloted a radio-controlled IndyCar around a square track denoted by traffic cones. Her opponent, comedian Mark Malkoff, put up no fight as his plastic race car immediately veered off course from the starting line
When asked about rumors of her switching to NASCAR, she said, “There’s a lot of side by side, there’s a lot of passing, and you kind of just run all over the track, and that’s cool for a driver. You can bump a little, the racing looks like it’s a lot of fun. So maybe it’s something I’ll try out one day, maybe it’s not, we haven’t made that decision yet.” Richmond Times Dispatch
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What that really means is that this is the season that comes around every three years or so when Patrick flirts with the idea of joining NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.
Former open-wheel standouts such as Dario Franchitti, Sam Hornish Jr., and numerous others have tried this transformation in recent seasons and have, for the most part, been unsuccessful.
“I think one thing is as drivers is we like to challenge ourselves,” Patrick said. “If we’ve done something well, can we do the next thing well? So I think it’s the opportunity to show your ability.
“But NASCAR has so many viewers and so many partners. There are just lots of options both inside and outside the car. So there’s reasons, and it looks like fun. There are 40-odd guys that do it every year. Obviously, it’s a good time. Oval racing is always fun. It’s you racing against everyone else, it’s very competitive.
“I think it’s something to take notice of,” Patrick said. “I think what it shows is it is difficult. You do need as much help as possible. But as credit to them, they haven’t been driving for the best teams in NASCAR, either.
“So how can you really hold them accountable for not doing extremely well in the very beginning when they just don’t have the resources?”
“If she wants to come racing in NASCAR, I certainly welcome her. I think she’d do a lot for our sport,” Johnson said. “I definitely think she needs to spend some time racing stock cars and understanding what stock cars are about at these tracks. The News Journal
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