There was a time when Danica Patrick was on the lips of every NASCAR fan, but that time has long passed and what had once seemed like a promising racing career has now stalled. There’s a long list of failures attached to Patrick’s name, and her failure to pull the fat out of the fire has only increased the strikes against the one-time NASCAR favorite. Now, sports commentators and racing experts agree that Danica’s days on the racing circuit are numbered.
Danica Patrick Takes The Hit When Joey Logano Loses Control
Fox Sports reports that NASCAR driver Danica Patrick found herself involved in another scary crash in the Go Bowling 400 at Kansas Speedway on Saturday when Joey Logano lost control of his vehicle. The incident occurred just shortly after a restart when Logano experienced a mechanical failure on the front end of his Team Penske Ford. The failure forced Logano into a left turn in Turn 1, causing a collision with Patrick that sent her into the wall at the NASCAR event.
Danica and Joey were competing for the 11th place spot in the Go Bowling 400 race.
As Patrick’s car exploded into flames, Aric Almirola came around the turn and crashed into both Patrick and Logano.
Logano said he felt something break during the NASCAR race and tried to back off, but at 215 miles an hour, the driver admitted it was difficult to regain control. After that, his car hooked Danica’s vehicle, creating the crash. Joey expressed his regret and hoped that both Danica and Aric came away from the NASCAR accident unharmed.
“When he (Logano) said he had a failure I can’t say it made me feel that much better in the moment,” said NASCAR driver Danica Patrick. “I am just frustrated for the lack of breaks I get. It seems like every time things are going better and something happens I get crashed or am in a crash.”
Ms. Patrick also revealed that Aric Almirola was “not okay,” although she didn’t go into details. Danica commented that Aric’s car came out looking in better shape of the three NASCAR vehicles, but she added that Aric himself suffered the most personally.
Danica Faces a Bitter NASCAR End
Ms. Patrick may be right in declaring that she can’t “catch a break,” because, as NESN is reporting, the NASCAR driver may have reached the end of her run on the racing circuit. Danica began her NASCAR career in 2010, achieving sponsorship from Stewart-Haas Racing, but the intervening seven years have not been kind. Throughout her racing career, Ms. Patrick has failed to ever win a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series or Xfinity Series race.
Recently, that losing streak has created sponsorship woes which have added fuel to a growing fire of speculation that Danica Patrick may soon be ousted from the NASCAR races altogether.
A Motorsport roundtable discussion led experts to agree that the NASCAR star has run out of options.
“I have no doubt this is Patrick’s final season at Stewart-Haas Racing,” Motorsport.com’s Jim Utter said. “Whether she may entertain the thought of joining another, less competitive team, I don’t know.”
Utter further suggested that Ms. Patrick’s problems would follow her, regardless of where she went to pursue the next phase of her floundering career.
“But if she can’t acquire necessary sponsorship while competing at a top-level team like SHR, it’s unlikely she would do so anywhere else.”
Lee Patrick agrees with Utter, pointing a finger at Danica’s seven-year losing streak and sharing her 31st place standing among the drivers in her class. He also reveals that Danica has been involved in three crashes in this NASCAR season alone.
Tim Southers also agreed, adding that he hoped they were all wrong. Southers wants Patrick to stick it out and improve because he feels she’s a great role model for young girls interested in NASCAR.
“Unfortunately, sooner or later, you have to produce results or run better, and she’s not been able to gain any consistent strong finishes,” added Southers.
[Featured Image by Sean Gardner/Getty Images]