MATTHEW STOCKMAN/GETTY IMAGES
The race week leading up to the Daytona 500
last Februarywas a stressful one forDanica
Patrick. She was facing her first outing as
a full-time driver for NASCAR as well
as her first time racing for the Sprint
Cup at Daytona. The stakes were high,
and the eyes of NASCAR Nation—
a demographic that encamps at
racetracks like Deadheads and
hoists colorful banners displaying
favorite drivers’ numbers and,
often, sponsors—were fixed on
this brash 5-foot-2 brune e in a
GoDaddy.com firesuit.
Before this, Patrickhadbeen
making her living as the
highest-profile racer in the
IndyCar Series, open-wheel
events that cling to the dwin-
dling returns of a single race:
the Indy 500. She had won only
once inher ICS career, yet shewas
earning an estimated $12 million a
year, mostly from endorsements.
Patrick’s earning potential in NASCAR,
where generally you can take any number
fromthe regular sportsworld and add a zero,
seemed limitless. In2011 she announcedshe’d
bemaking the leap; in short order,
Danica Patrick is amagnet for
media a ention and sponsor dollars,
but can the gold-platedNASCAR
newbie live up to her own hype?
BYMIKE GUY
Learning
Curve
the fan
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