Patrick Chooses Charlotte Over Indy
For the first time since Rahal-Letterman Racing, put Danica Patrick in race car back in 2005, the Indy 500 will go on without her.
Patrick announced yesterday that she would be spending this Memorial Day competing in the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte.
"I'm going to do the Coke 600 this year, I'm not doing the Indy 500," Patrick said. "I hope to do it in the future, and maybe it'll be a double. But at this time, after a lot of conversations, it's just going to be the Coke 600."
In seven career Indy 500 starts Patrick has finished in the top-10 six times including a fourth-place in her rookie year. She was passed for the lead with seven laps remaining by eventual winner Dan Wheldon.
Patrick informed the media that commercially she couldn't come to terms with any arrangement that would put her back in an Indy car this coming May. She will examine future prospects as they unfold.
"As far as the business side of things, it didn't work out," Patrick said. "Again, I'm hopeful to do it again in the future, but for this year, it just didn't happen."
Patrick plans to compete in at least 10 Sprint Cup events for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2012. This announcement solidifies one of those two "Races to be determined" events.
"I think it's going to be a big challenge but I'm looking forward to it, especially as it's a hometown [race] for NASCAR," Patrick said.
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