Danica Patrick’s first foray into NASCAR racing is getting off to a rocky start. The world’s most famous female racecar driver had a nasty accident on the final lap of the first Gatorade Duel qualifying race today at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, resulting in a disappointing 16th place in the 60-lap event. Watch video of the crash after the jump.
Patrick earned the 29th starting spot in Sunday’s 54th Daytona 500, but she will be forced to race in her backup car and move to the rear of the field before the start, per NASCAR rules.
Patrick was in 14th place and exiting turn two on lap 60 when the Ford of Aric Almirola was hit by another car. Almirola’s car, which was on the outside of Patrick’s GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, was forced into the right side of Patrick’s car.
The resulting contact sent Patrick’s machine into 180-degree spin across the infield pavement before she made heavy contact with the SAFER Barrier on the inside wall with the right front of her Chevy Impala. The car was extensively damaged, but Patrick walked away from the accident and was checked and released from the infield care center.
What a coincidence that her racecar is wrecked now, a day after an interview of her complaining about her regular everyday car was making the rounds on the internet.
She’ll be ready to go Sunday.
“I’m betting that everybody that was watching on TV probably had the best look,” Patrick said.
“From my perspective, it was obviously the last lap and the bottom lane started moving well, so that is where I was. We were just getting our run down the back, and all of a sudden I got hit. I’m betting that somebody also got hit outside of me. I’m going to have to look.
“It was just a chain reaction. Every person that gets hit, next and next and next. It gets bigger and bigger. It felt like a pretty big hit, so I don’t know what it looked like. I’m really just bummed out that we didn’t finish the last two corners. Instead we have a Go Daddy car in the wall and lots of damage. But maybe the backup car will be faster.”
Patrick will be driving the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet Impala in Sunday’s race.
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