And Now, A Few Thoughts About Danica Patrick’s Day At Auto Club Speedway

by Diecast Dude, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2011 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

February 21, 2010 11:38 am CST No Comments

As those of you who watched the Stater Bros 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Auto Club Speedway yesterday might have noticed, Danica Patrick was in the race. She started 36th and ended 31st, three laps down from the leaders.

Going into the event, Patrick had commented on the difficulties with which she was presented. Having very little seat time in a stock car period, let alone one at a large flatter track such as Auto Club, she noted her unfamiliarity with how the car is supposed to feel and respond, this leading to not being able to provide complete information to her crew chief on what the car was doing so he could make the appropriate adjustments during pit stops. There was also the matter of learning the different lines to run. It was an entirely different environment than the Indy cars in which she has raced at Auto Club and similarly configured tracks numerous times. In essence, the race would be an extended test session, one run for the purpose of learning as opposed to competing. Nothing more, nothing less.

As the race unfolded, Patrick had her expected share of struggles on the track and on pit row, where she was tagged for a couple of speeding violations. That said, she kept herself out of harms way and out of the way of her fellow drivers. Patrick finished the race with all fenders intact, thus accomplishing a large part of what she had set out to achieve.

Patrick is on a both accelerated and steep learning curve. She has inherent challenges in her chosen career path, not the least of which is limited time in NASCAR due to her full-time participation in IRL. She will have to learn, and learn quickly.

Rather than pile on Patrick due to her not immediately taking NASCAR by storm, from this writer there is nothing but respect and admiration for taking on such a massive task. Her peers, such as Juan Pablo Montoya, have noted she is doing this the hard way. Given her other commitments, it’s also the only way. For her sake, and the sake of her fans, I hope she can pull it off and will be cheering her on every step of the way.

Filed under: Danica Patrick

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