NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Sprint All-Star Race

Topics:  Sprint All-Star Race

Danica Patrick
May 18, 2013

CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA

KERRY THARP: Thank you, guys. Good luck in the all‑star race.
Also transferring into the 2013 NASCAR Sprint All‑Star Race is Danica Patrick as she wins the 2013 Sprint Fan Vote. She drives the No.10 Go Daddy Chevrolet for Stewart‑Haas Racing. You had a nice run out there tonight. Talk about getting to race under the lights for $1 million, possibly $2 million in the Sprint All‑Star Race.
DANICA PATRICK: Well, obviously first and very foremost, thank you to all the fans who voted for me or maybe voted so many times for me. I'm very fortunate to have the fan base that I do, and I never forget that. Thanks to the Sprint Fan Vote.
Obviously being able to vote on your app and have that vote twice, that's probably helpful. It's a big honor. This is for the fans. God, I'm going to sound really cheesy right now. I'm going to race for the fans tonight because I really, really‑‑ I got done with that race and honestly I feel really fired up. I wanted to make passes and make my way up and do what I could to get into those first two positions and didn't do that, and I feel like I owe it to them to put on a good show or a better show in the All‑Star Race.
My good team here made something‑‑ I didn't know they made it, so I don't want this to sound like I'm coming up with this all on my own, but they knew how good my fans were and I knew how hard they worked, so we made a thanks, fans, sign to put on the car just in case I won, so thank you, Team Danica and Stewart‑Haas. So that'll be on the car. Anyway, glad to be in the race.

Q. I don't know if you thought you had the fan vote in your pocket or anything, but I'm wondering‑‑
DANICA PATRICK: Shoot, this looks like it was in my pocket, doesn't it? (Laughter.)

Q. It's because you kind of thought that you would get in that way that you were able to conserve or keep the car clean or anything?
DANICA PATRICK: I mean, I think that it enters your mind that you don't do things that are going to put you in a position to crash, but I didn't think about that at the beginning of those 20‑lap runs, but when it gets to end of them, like at the end there where I was running where I was running, I clearly wasn't going to be first or second, so if I was in a fortunate enough position to be where I am now and be the fan vote, I can't move on with a crashed car and there's nothing to be gained by trying something desperate in the last five laps. I suppose at that point in time you say finish the race and there's nothing to be gained to do something that's not calculated at all.

Q. Why do you think your fan base is so rabid and supportive of you?
DANICA PATRICK: I feel like that would be a good piece. I don't know. I feel like some fans need to be interviewed and find out what it is. I've said many times that I'm not sure exactly what it is that people like or see or cheer for in me. I would imagine I'm a driver and I race cars, and to some degree obviously being different being a girl there's things there, but what is it? There's lots of unique different drivers out there.
I don't know. All I have said and that I know is that I do my best to be myself all the time, to let the fans see different sides of my personality, to be honest with the fans, and at the end of the day, even if they don't necessarily agree with everything I say or do, at least they can respect my honesty. I've just been really lucky and I've been very fortunate to have you guys on my side many, many times, and that makes a difference.
KERRY THARP: Danica, congratulations. Look forward to watching your race.
DANICA PATRICK: Thank you. I'm fired up. Let's do this.