“This will be my last season”: When Danica Patrick got emotional during her retirement announcement

Announcing retirements often leaves several athletes emotional, and Danica Patrick was no exception when she revealed her decision to step away from motorsport on November 17, 2017. The pioneering driver said she would be retiring from motorsport at the NASCAR Homestead-Miami Speedway during the Cup Series.

The IndyCar icon, who made a name for herself by breaking barriers in a male-dominated sport, had revealed that the 2018 season would be her final season in the sport. Fighting back tears, she shared her decision to step away from full-time racing, citing personal reasons and her desire to pursue new ventures.

Speaking at a press conference, as shared by NASCAR on YouTube, Danica Patrick stated:

“So this will be my last season as a full-time driver. My sister told me I was supposed to get emotional. I said I wouldn’t,” an emotional Patrick said.

“But anyway… I am grateful for all the opportunities. I am thankful for Dale and Kelly and Bob Parsons from GoDaddy for getting me into NASCAR. Thank you to Tony and Gene,” she said, her voice quivering.

During her active years of racing, Danica Patrick grew to become one of the most influential figures in American motorsport. She made history by becoming the first woman to lead a lap in the Indy 500 in 2005 and further etched her name into history when she won the 2008 Indy Japan 300, becoming the first woman to win a race in the American open-wheel racing series.

Her time in stock car racing also witnessed the 43-year-old become the first woman to win a NASCAR Cup Series pole position at the 2013 Daytona event.

The Wisconsin-born racer also ventured into several other fields, including punditry, fashion and public speaking.

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When Danica Patrick revealed how she landed in IndyCar racing

Danica Patrick driving for Rahal Letterman Racing during the 2005 Indy 500 event - Source: Getty

Danica Patrick previously detailed how she found her way into the IndyCar racing series. The now-retired motorsport star had attempted a career in Formula 1 in her formative years, but eventually recalibrated her aspirations.

Speaking on Life Stories in 2024, the former Andretti Autosport star described how her meeting with Bobby Rahal during her time in the United Kingdom shifted her focus from racing in Europe to competing in her native America. She said (25:18 onwards):

“During the time that I was in England, I met Bobby Rahal, who was a very accomplished IndyCar driver from the States, and he was over there running a Formula One team. So anyway, we would go out to American lunches at TGI Fridays together, and we became friends.”

Patrick also explained that Rahal returned to the United States around the same time she did, and their existing relationship played a role in her landing a seat in IndyCar.

Danica Patrick eventually secured a seat in the open-wheel racing series with Rahal Letterman Racing in 2005, where she went on to clinch three pole positions. The 43-year-old’s impressive performance earned her the Rookie of the Year award for both IndyCar and the Indy 500 in her debut campaign.