Danica Patrick made her first appearance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Tuesday since making the switch from IndyCar to NASCAR.
“It’s good to be back here,” Danica said to the assembled media. “I didn’t think my first laps in a stock car around here would be a school stock car, but I thought it was a good lead-in to a couple of weeks from now when we’re actually here for the real deal.”
Like her or not, she has been influential in racing and brought a great deal of attention to her series.
Patrick will race her No.7 GoDoddy machine in the Indiana 250 Nationwide Series on Sat., July 28th, part of the Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard.
Danica has raced in seven Indianapolis 500s with her best finish, 3rd, coming in 2009. She admitted it’s much different driving around the track in an IndyCar.
“Obviously, I’m going to be a few inches or feet higher up in the seat from a visual perspective in a stock car, but nothing is going to feel better than to get back out there again. “I fell right into place. I feel so comfortable here and I have such a great emotion just coming into the track that I feel like that helps me overall be better because I feel so good and I feel so positive.
TV personality Katie Couric was also in town, primarily to interview Danica for her new show, “Katie,” that premieres in September. The two sat down for an extended interview, then Danica took her for a ride around the 2.5-mile oval.
“I was nervous at first, but I had a lot of fun,” Couric noted. “I’m a huge fan of Danica’s and have watched her career for many years now, and it was fun for me to get to spend some time with her and learn a little more about what makes her tick…I’m very impressed.”
[Photo via Ashley Adamson, WISH-TV]