Although it was a surprise more than a shock, Danica Patrick, the only woman to win an IndyCar race, said she will not be at this year’s Indy 500.
Patrick, who recently switched series to become a full-time NASCAR driver in the Nationwide Series and part time Sprint Cup driver, was at the NASCAR media tour to further discuss her Sprint Cup Series with Stewart Haas Racing.
“I hope to do (the Indy 500) in the future," said Patrick, adding "maybe it'll be a double. But at this point, after a lot of conversations, it's just going to be the Coke 600. I think it's going to be a big challenge, but I'm looking forward to it.”
“We didn’t tell her she couldn’t run the 500. It was left up to her,” team co-owner and 2011 Cup Champ, Tony Stewart, said. “It shows how dedicated she is to making this transition.”
Previously Patrick said that Andretti Autosport, her previous IndyCar team, had the right of first refusal to run her in the Indy 500 and on Monday she explained it was mostly a "business decision" that she was unable to secure a ride for Indy. She didn’t explain if by “business decision” she meant lack of sponsorship or other reason.
With a fourth-place finish at the Indy 500 in her Rookie Year of 2004 and third-place finish of third in 2009 she owns the title of highest female finisher there.
Patrick and Stewart Haas had announced some of the dates of her 10-race foray into the premier Sprint Cup series but added on Monday that she would run the Charlotte 600 miler which is run on the same afternoon and evening of the Indy500.
Other than the Indy500 Ms. Patrick hadn’t run any 500 mile races so jokingly she called the big stock car event the Charlotte 6000.
Patrick, who recently switched series to become a full-time NASCAR driver in the Nationwide Series and part time Sprint Cup driver, was at the NASCAR media tour to further discuss her Sprint Cup Series with Stewart Haas Racing.
“I hope to do (the Indy 500) in the future," said Patrick, adding "maybe it'll be a double. But at this point, after a lot of conversations, it's just going to be the Coke 600. I think it's going to be a big challenge, but I'm looking forward to it.”
“We didn’t tell her she couldn’t run the 500. It was left up to her,” team co-owner and 2011 Cup Champ, Tony Stewart, said. “It shows how dedicated she is to making this transition.”
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| Danica Patrick (Photo: Rene Fagnan/Auto123.com) |
Previously Patrick said that Andretti Autosport, her previous IndyCar team, had the right of first refusal to run her in the Indy 500 and on Monday she explained it was mostly a "business decision" that she was unable to secure a ride for Indy. She didn’t explain if by “business decision” she meant lack of sponsorship or other reason.
With a fourth-place finish at the Indy 500 in her Rookie Year of 2004 and third-place finish of third in 2009 she owns the title of highest female finisher there.
Patrick and Stewart Haas had announced some of the dates of her 10-race foray into the premier Sprint Cup series but added on Monday that she would run the Charlotte 600 miler which is run on the same afternoon and evening of the Indy500.
Other than the Indy500 Ms. Patrick hadn’t run any 500 mile races so jokingly she called the big stock car event the Charlotte 6000.