On Monday at Daytona International Speedway, Danica Patrick revealed she’s cutting her extremely unproductive NASCAR racing schedule to just 12 races in 2011 at the instruction of her owner Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
“I couldn’t handle the stress of less than half of last year’s schedule so I’m taking it easy this year and in the next 30 years I’m going to shoot for full-time,” said Patrick. “Why be in a hurry? If I can’t be competitive driving Indy cars, why be competitive driving anything at all? I don’t even have time to throw tantrums anymore when I lose because I’m so busy thinking about the next race.”
Danica insisted she felt no pressure from other drivers and shrugged off suggestions that NASCAR wasn’t the smartest career move. “Other drivers have always made me feel welcome just a little bit,” said Patrick. “Kyle Busch always pulls my hair but he’s mean to everybody. And just last week, Mark Martin slashed my tires during testing but he’s a crazy old man anyways.”
Patrick’s NASCAR owner, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., told the media he contemplated the move for hours but in the end decided his image was more important as a car owner because he doesn’t have one as a driver.
“It’s tough seeing somebody you put such high expectations on suck that bad,” said Earnhardt. “Hell, I didn’t drive half as terrible as she did my first season and I can’t even remember the last time I won a race.”
By Morgann Spicer
