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Danica Patrick dropped a four-word response after Marco Andretti sent her a birthday wish. The former IndyCar star celebrated her 43rd birthday on Tuesday, March 25.
Several motorsport icons and stakeholders wished Patrick and Mario Andretti's grandson was one of them. The 38-year-old took to social media to share a photo of himself and the former NASCAR Xfinity Series star, with the caption:
“Happy Bday @danicapatrick.”
Responding to the gesture by the former Formula E star, Danica Patrick shared the post on her Instagram story, captioning it:
“Thanks, fellow March baby.”
The auto racing driver, who competes on a part-time basis in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as mentioned by Patrick, was born on March 13.
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The pair were formerly teammates in the IndyCar Racing Series under the umbrella of Andretti Green Racing (now Andretti Global) between 2007 and 2011. They shared several moments at the Fishers-based outfit, including a few tense ones, such as the 2008 Rexall Edmonton Indy race, where Andretti drove Patrick off the track, leading to a closed-door meeting between the drivers and team officials.
Danica Patrick has since called time on her racing career in 2018, but Marco Andretti, for his part, is still racing in several stock car categories and competing part-time in the Indianapolis 500 event.
IMS pays tribute to Danica Patrick's Indy 500 record on her birthday
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway honored Danica Patrick on the occasion of her 43rd birthday. The iconic IndyCar circuit shared footage of her overtaking Dan Wheldon at the 2005 Indy 500 on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle.
The former Junior Formula star, who was making her debut in the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," became the first woman to lead a lap in the history of the event. The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing star led 19 laps during the Grand Prix, which she started in fourth place, and would eventually finish fourth—largely due to her forced fuel management tactics during the race.
Paying tribute to Patrick, IMS shared footage from the event with the caption:
"Happy birthday, @DanicaPatrick! 🎉 20 years ago 😅 What a moment!"
The 43-year-old was crowned Rookie of the Year for the 2005 Indianapolis event, as well as Rookie of the Year for the overall IndyCar season.
The former NASCAR Cup series star showed no signs of slowing down and went on to clinch a third-place finish at the 2009 edition of the Indianapolis 500—still the highest-ever finish for a female driver in the race’s storied history.
Patrick spent eight years competing in IndyCar and left an indelible mark in the racing record books when she clinched victory at the 2008 edition of the Indy Japan 300 with Andretti Green Racing.
