Former NASCAR Cup Series and NTT IndyCar Series winner Danica Patrick is one of, if not the most successful females in motorsports in the modern day and age. Starting her career in junior European formulas such as Formula Ford and Vauxhall, the now 42-year-old has experienced American as well as global motorsports to a vast extent throughout her involvement with racing, both from a driver's and broadcaster's point of view.
Being a female in what is globally a male-dominated industry, Danica Patrick recently spoke about gender dynamics in motorsports from her time behind the wheel and how she approached racing as a career choice. Appearing on former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Kenny Wallace's podcast 'The Kenny Wallace Show', Patrick elaborated:
"I don't think people want to be beat by a girl. And you know why? Because I didn't want to get beat by a girl, I absolutely know how it feels. I saw myself like a winner, like a guy and really competitive and really good and I didn't want to get beat by a girl."
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Danica Patrick further elaborated on how she thinks racing as a profession does not come to the female mind naturally and instinctively and said:
"The way my mind works is not a natural way for a woman's mind to work. Normally it's more caretaking, neurotic, careful, not wanting confrontation, not wanting to be aggressive, and almost even not wanting to be competitive. I have a couple of friends where there's just not a competitive bone in their body."
While Patrick did mention the generalization of the statements she made, she also acknowledged that there are exceptions in any and every field, profession and gender.
Danica Patrick looks back on Martin Truex Jr.'s racing style during her NASCAR Cup Series years
Former NASCAR Cup Series driver turned F1 broadcaster and entrepreneur Danica Patrick also spoke about her rivalries with fellow drivers during her racing years in NASCAR.
Speaking to former Xfinity Series winner Kenny Wallace on his podcast, Patrick touched on her view of how Martin Truex Jr. used to race her in the past. She said:
"On track he was just such a d*ck when he didn't need to be. He would just like drive way too close when he was lapping me, and like get me loose. It's just stupid stuff like that where you just seem very disrespectful and unnecessarily aggressive."
Meanwhile, the NASCAR Cup Series prepares to go live from Martinsville Speedway today at 3:00 pm ET for the 2024 Cook Out 400.
