Danica Patrick’s transition from driving IndyCars to NASCAR could be compared to a student’s progress in school.
Former Cup Champion, Dale Jarrett said speaking about her seventh place in the ARCA race to Wednesday’s Nationwide practice, “She just graduated from high school – now she’s going to college. She’s just stepping to a whole other level. She’s with guys now out here racing that have a ton of experience, that are great talents, because she’s going to be competing against a lot of guys that are in the Cup Series, and so that’ll be her best opportunity to really learn, and that’s why it’s so important for her to get her car comfortable, for her team to get it comfortable for her, where she can be in the mix for the majority of the day if not all.”
After Wednesday’s practice even Danica Patrick herself agreed that the stakes were now higher.
Windy conditions, running with 50 other drivers, including 12 regular Sprint Cup drivers resulted in a 26th (182.99mph) spot in practice for the most popular driver in IndyCar in a two-hour practice session on Daytona’s high banks.
“It was a bit of a handful at times,’’ Patrick said as she took small steps to her next goal. “I kept the car in one piece (and) ran out there with some big guys, so that was good. I played it pretty safe.’’
“There’s just some things we have to tolerate with this car because that’s how the Nationwide car is,’’ Danica Patrick said. “I’m not sure how much I have to put up with, so I need to learn what that is all about.’’
Tony Eury, Jr., Danica’s crew chief and co-owner of JR Motorsports, noted “She liked (the draft),’’ he said. “She said she couldn’t believe how much people are lifting and really driving the cars here. She said that with the ARCA car it was more flat out, the car was really locked to the racetrack, where these guys they’re really having to hustle them. You can be free off or really tight.
“That’s just part of the game. That’s the one reason why we brought her out here was she done real well against those guys last week, but she knows that’s it’s going to step up this week. We brought her out here to get her experience with the guys she’s going to be racing against (next week) in California and to see the level of competition and how it steps up.’’
Meanwhile mid-term exams, better known as the DRIVE4COPD 300, will be held on Saturday.
Former Cup Champion, Dale Jarrett said speaking about her seventh place in the ARCA race to Wednesday’s Nationwide practice, “She just graduated from high school – now she’s going to college. She’s just stepping to a whole other level. She’s with guys now out here racing that have a ton of experience, that are great talents, because she’s going to be competing against a lot of guys that are in the Cup Series, and so that’ll be her best opportunity to really learn, and that’s why it’s so important for her to get her car comfortable, for her team to get it comfortable for her, where she can be in the mix for the majority of the day if not all.”
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| photo: Éric Gilbert/Motorsport.com |
After Wednesday’s practice even Danica Patrick herself agreed that the stakes were now higher.
Windy conditions, running with 50 other drivers, including 12 regular Sprint Cup drivers resulted in a 26th (182.99mph) spot in practice for the most popular driver in IndyCar in a two-hour practice session on Daytona’s high banks.
“It was a bit of a handful at times,’’ Patrick said as she took small steps to her next goal. “I kept the car in one piece (and) ran out there with some big guys, so that was good. I played it pretty safe.’’
“There’s just some things we have to tolerate with this car because that’s how the Nationwide car is,’’ Danica Patrick said. “I’m not sure how much I have to put up with, so I need to learn what that is all about.’’
Tony Eury, Jr., Danica’s crew chief and co-owner of JR Motorsports, noted “She liked (the draft),’’ he said. “She said she couldn’t believe how much people are lifting and really driving the cars here. She said that with the ARCA car it was more flat out, the car was really locked to the racetrack, where these guys they’re really having to hustle them. You can be free off or really tight.
“That’s just part of the game. That’s the one reason why we brought her out here was she done real well against those guys last week, but she knows that’s it’s going to step up this week. We brought her out here to get her experience with the guys she’s going to be racing against (next week) in California and to see the level of competition and how it steps up.’’
Meanwhile mid-term exams, better known as the DRIVE4COPD 300, will be held on Saturday.
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