Danica Patrick’s Final Race As Full-Time NASCAR Driver Ends In Flames

To say Danica Patrick’s final race as a full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver didn’t go according to plan would be a huge understatement.

Patrick was forced to retire from Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 after she blew a tire on Lap 142 and hit the wall hard at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver understandably was dejected after she left the infield care center, as she’s had multiple big wrecks this year.

“It’s kind of just the story of the year,” Patrick told NBC Sports.

Although Patrick, unlike Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth, isn’t hanging up her helmet for good, the result still was a  disappointment.

The 35-year-old sarcastically answered, “yeah, sure,” when she was asked whether the fact that she will compete in next year’s Daytona 500 made the early end to her race in Homestead sting any less. She then quipped, “let’s hope I don’t end up in the medical center.”