Danica Patrick was in the top-15 for much of Sunday’s event and ran as high as fifth on lap 248. But a combination of numerous cautions, being on old tires and saving fuel cost her a chance at a top-10. For the second consecutive week, Danica Patrick started 18th and she finished 19th.
She’s more consistently finishing in the top 20 now. As our preview of this week’s race points out, she could actually achiever her fifth straight top 20 this week at Dover. Given how her NASCAR career began, that’s a major improvement. Danica is now starting to finish in the top half on more and more. That’s true mediocrity; and mediocrity is much better than being really bad.
Which is what she was.
“It’s too bad,” Patrick said.
“We should have finished top-15 or top-10, but the cautions at the end killed us. We were lucky to get tires at the end and get 19th. Tony Gibson and the guys gave me a good car, but it just didn’t work out. We got another top-20, but we should have been better. I’m pleased we seem to be getting better, and I’m excited for Dover.”
This followed a week in which Danica had her “homecoming race” at Chicagoland Speedway. It was largely uneventful. Except for when her car bumped into the car of her boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partners with Fox Sports and Yahoo. Read his features stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Listen to him on 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks) His work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including The Washington Post and ESPN2