Danica Patrick is in the middle of her first full season as a NASCAR Nationwide Series driver. As far as experience in a stock car is concerned, Patrick is at a disadvantage compared to most drivers at this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Sargento 200 at Road America.
What makes this weekend unique for Patrick, however, is her previous road-course experience from the IndyCar series. She raced at Road America back in 2003 in the Toyota Atlantic Series.
“I’m glad to have been here before,” Patrick said before Friday’s practice sessions at the 4.048-mile course. “It’s definitely a big track and I’m glad to have seen it before. For me I’m just trying to learn how stock cars drive on road courses. Last year in Montreal I learned quite a bit but I’m going to keep on learning on how to make the car better, what to deal with and what not to deal with.”
Patrick finished 24th in her Nationwide road-racing debut at Montreal last season and is currently 11th in the Nationwide series standings. The No. 7 GoDaddy.com driver would welcome some familiar turf, after a disappointing time last weekend in Michigan where she was involved in a handful of cautions in finishing 18th.
“My comfort level is not super high because I haven’t done much of it in a stock car, but as far as coming to a road course I suppose the tables have turned with me coming from so much road racing the last couple of years in IndyCar,” Patrick said.
“I get that feeling from some other drivers that came up through the stock car ranks that they don’t always love coming to road races. That’s how I used to feel coming to road courses but now I’m like ‘All right, let’s do this’. I’m more comfortable and glad that I’ve been here before.”
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