Danica Skipping Indy 1/23/12
By: Scott Leber
Updated: January 23, 2012
Rockford, Illinois-Roscoe native Danica Patrick has been the first lady of the Indy 500 since her rookie year of 2005. This year the 500 will go on without her.
Patrick announced Monday that she'll skip the May 27th race this year. Instead she'll run in the Sprint Cup Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina that same day.
Patrick says it was a business decision.
"It just didn't work this year. I'm bummed. I'll miss it (the 500). Maybe in the future I'll come back, and it'll be a possibility."
Not only does the 500 race conflict with the Coca-Cola 600, but Patrick would also have to take time away from her NASCAR racing to go to Indy for qualifying and practice sessions in May.
Patrick plans to race a full Nationwide Series schedule this year for JR Motorsports. She'll compete in ten Cup races including the Daytona 500 in February while racing for Stewart-Haas Racing.
Team owner Tony Stewart of Stewart-Haas says the decision to pass on Indy was all Patrick's. "It shows how dedicated she is to making this transition," said Stewart.
Patrick has split time the past two years between Indy Cars and Stock cars. She says her primary focus then was on Indy Cars, but now that has to change.
There is still a chance Patrick could race at the Indy Motor Speedway this year, but in her Sprint Cup Car. She has one unannounced date in her ten-race Cup schedule, and that could be filled by racing in the Brickyard 400.
Here is how Patrick has finished at the Indy 500 over the past seven years:
2005-4th
2006-8th
2007-8th
2008-22nd
2009-3rd
2010-6th
2011-10th
Patrick announced Monday that she'll skip the May 27th race this year. Instead she'll run in the Sprint Cup Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina that same day.
Patrick says it was a business decision.
"It just didn't work this year. I'm bummed. I'll miss it (the 500). Maybe in the future I'll come back, and it'll be a possibility."
Not only does the 500 race conflict with the Coca-Cola 600, but Patrick would also have to take time away from her NASCAR racing to go to Indy for qualifying and practice sessions in May.
Patrick plans to race a full Nationwide Series schedule this year for JR Motorsports. She'll compete in ten Cup races including the Daytona 500 in February while racing for Stewart-Haas Racing.
Team owner Tony Stewart of Stewart-Haas says the decision to pass on Indy was all Patrick's. "It shows how dedicated she is to making this transition," said Stewart.
Patrick has split time the past two years between Indy Cars and Stock cars. She says her primary focus then was on Indy Cars, but now that has to change.
There is still a chance Patrick could race at the Indy Motor Speedway this year, but in her Sprint Cup Car. She has one unannounced date in her ten-race Cup schedule, and that could be filled by racing in the Brickyard 400.
Here is how Patrick has finished at the Indy 500 over the past seven years:
2005-4th
2006-8th
2007-8th
2008-22nd
2009-3rd
2010-6th
2011-10th
