"My entire existence in NASCAR has had to do with Tony Stewart": When 'grateful' Danica Patrick talked about 'Smoke's' impact on her career

Former NASCAR driver, Danica Patrick, shared how much Stewart-Haas Racing's (SHR) co-owner Tony Stewart influenced her stock racing career seven years ago.

Patrick started racing in NASCAR part-time in the Xfinity Series in 2010 and competed for Stewart's team from 2013 until 2017. Before moving to NASCAR, she was a successful IndyCar driver and won one race in Japan in 2008. She is still the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series. She also finished third in the 2009 Indianapolis 500.

During a press conference in 2017, Patrick acknowledged Stewart's part in her NASCAR career and said:

"Pretty much as long as I’ve been in NASCAR he’s been a part of it. Even as early as my part-time NASCAR with JR Motorsports and the transition to full time... The plans were in the works to go to his [Stewart] team for almost the entire time. He’s been a part of it all. Pretty much my entire existence in NASCAR has had to do with him indirectly or directly. I’m grateful."

"He’s an encourager but I wouldn’t say that he’s a driving coach or setting up the cars or anything like that. Everybody has their abilities though. I can’t be taught anything in NASCAR if I’m not here and he’s the reason, a very big reason, that I am here," she added.

Patrick also made history as the first woman to win the Daytona 500 pole in 2013. She retired from full-time racing and left SHR after the 2017 season.

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"She had done something no other female had ever" -Tony Stewart praised Danica Patrick's contribution to racing

In 2018, Tony Stewart talked about how Danica Patrick helped women in racing. He mentioned Patrick did not get enough recognition for her achievements, but said her success inspired many women to race.

"I think from day one, she never got the credit she deserved for what she had done. I mean, she had done something no other female had ever done in motor racing at this level. She has shown so many female racers that it can be done... She’s given a lot of people that hope. I’m proud that we had the opportunity to be a part of it with her," Tony Stewart said.

Patrick is now an F1 analyst at Sky Sports and a business owner. The 42-year-old also owns a vineyard in Napa Valley called "Somnium" and a clothing line called "Warrior by Danica Patrick." She has authored a book called "Pretty Intense" and hosts a podcast by the same name.

Meanwhile, Tony Stewart's team closed operations after the final race of the NASCAR season at Pheonix last weekend.