Get a good look at Danica Patrick, NASCAR fans, because she won’t be around much longer.
During a press conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday, Patrick announced that she plans to retire as a full-time driver after this season. However, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver did confirm reports that she’ll compete in next year’s Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500, the latter of which will mark the end of her racing career.
Patrick apparently got quite emotional while revealing her decision, according to NASCAR reporter Jeff Gluck.
Danica Patrick: "This will be my last season as a full-time driver."
Then she breaks down in tears.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) November 17, 2017
Danica is trying to pull herself together here. She's very emotional about this.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) November 17, 2017
Danica Patrick: "I'm grateful for all the opportunities." Thanks Dale Jr., Kelley Earnhardt, GoDaddy's Bob Parsons for getting her into NASCAR. Thanks Tony Stewart and Gene Haas. Then breaks down in tears again.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) November 17, 2017
Danica Patrick, through tears: "I'm excited about the next phase, trust me." Her friends and family and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are in the room. She's trying to regroup.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) November 17, 2017
Danica Patrick announces she will run the Daytona 500 next year and the Indy 500. Says she thinks that "will be a great way to cap it off." Her words trail off as she gets choked up again.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) November 17, 2017
While the writing appeared to be on the wall for Patrick, her decision to retire is nevertheless continuing a troubling trend for NASCAR.
NASCAR loses Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and now Danica Patrick in a span of three years. Unthinkable drain of star power all at once.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) November 17, 2017
Many have speculated that Patrick, like the also soon-to-be retired Dale Earnhardt Jr., would pursue a career in TV. But while she’s not entirely ruling it out, Patrick said TV doesn’t interest her “right now,” per Gluck.
Since making the jump from the Verizon IndyCar Series to NASCAR in 2010, Patrick has yet to win a NASCAR race. Capturing the pole and finishing eighth in the 2013 Daytona 500 remains Patrick’s greatest on-track accomplishment in NASCAR.
Still, despite Patrick’s relatively unimpressive resume in stock-car racing, NASCAR will have an awfully difficult time replacing one of the most popular drivers it has ever seen.
