IndyCar Series: Firestone Indy 200

Topics:  Firestone Indy 200

Danica Patrick
July 15, 2007

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with our post race media interviews. We'll start with Danica Patrick, a third-place finish for Danica. Danica matches her career best, which she accomplished last month in Texas.
Danica, talk about your day out there.
DANICA PATRICK: I think overall our car was all right. It was fairly well-balanced. A little bit of understeer to start with. Then got better and better as the pit stops went on and we made adjustments.
For me the biggest problem was traffic, no cooperation there. There were a few people that were good out there, Buddy and Sarah and some of those other people. You have to accept when you're a lap down and when you're off the pace, you are. You need to let other people that are at the front have their race. For me, that's what held me up the most today, Carpenter was not cooperating. And we'll address that, there's no doubt about it.
THE MODERATOR: Questions for Danica.

Q. Talk about how hard it was to pass out there, not only with the lap traffic, but in general passing out there today.
DANICA PATRICK: Very much like last year. You know, early on you saw TK go high and hit the wall. That was probably lap No. 30. It was not very late in the race.
You know, the outside line was already too dirty and too mottled up to make any overtaking maneuver. So it only gets worse as the race goes on. As much as they sweep, it really just doesn't take away the problem because the low line gets rubbered in.
It was very difficult. Especially being a one-line track, you know, you lose your front wing, you lose front grip when you're straight behind somebody. So not only does it make it difficult take to purely overtake, but it makes it difficult to even get close.

Q. Talk about the difference in setting up the car at night versus day.
DANICA PATRICK: There are some things that we did from yesterday to today to improve the car - we hoped. But more than anything, you just kind of lose downforce from night to day really purely from cold to warm. Just have to make compensations in that area.
We made a couple adjustments, but nothing really huge. I don't know, it seemed to handle pretty well today - not perfect, but definitely I think comparatively to some other cars a little better.
Who knows, maybe we would have been out of shape last night. But I think we made the right changes for today. My engineer Martin made a good decision.

Q. Despite being stuck back in traffic, you worked your way up to third. What are your signs of optimism looking forward from there?
DANICA PATRICK: Thanks, you know, sometimes there's moments where you're just preoccupied with why you didn't win, you forget about what you did do. It's another good result for me. Having two thirds this year so far is an improvement from last year.
I think I have to look at that and realize that, you know, running up front consistently is going to come. I don't think it's as consistent as I want it to be yet. It's more like top six or seven instead of top three or four. So I think as soon as we get these results a few more times and get used to being up here, then we'll definitely be contending for the wins a lot more.
You know, trying to do what my buddy Dario is doing this year and win a whole bunch.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Danica.