When Danica Patrick addressed her role as a sex symbol in NASCAR: “It just is what it is”

Former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick has addressed her role as a sex symbol multiple times in various interviews and public appearances with a straightforward attitude. Patrick, who faced both praise and criticism during her NASCAR career, once candidly spoke about what she thinks about being seen as a sex symbol.

Patrick has been one of the most prominent female drivers in a male-dominated sport, not only for her groundbreaking achievements as the first and only woman to this date to win an IndyCar Series race but also for her tough attitude in motorsports.

2008 Indy Japan 300 winner often faced attention not just for her on-track achievements but also for her image and presence in the media. During an interview with FOX News in 2016, Patrick admitted that being seen as a sex symbol is neither inherently good nor bad—it’s simply a part of being in the public eye.

“I don’t think there is anything you can do about that,” she said. “I think it’s not good or bad necessarily; it just is what it is, and I would imagine everybody is a sex symbol to somebody, maybe not as many as others, but everyone is a sex symbol at some point to somebody,” addressing her role as a sex symbol in NASCAR, Patrick said.

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“It’s just normal to me”: Danica Patrick on competing in a male-dominating environment

After spending seven years in the IndyCar Series, Patrick moved to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2012, piloting the #10 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing.

Danica Patrick feels comfort and familiarity with being in a male-dominating sports environment due to her plenty of experience in motorsports, where she has spent 24 years working alongside men in the pits and garages.

In the aforementioned interview, when asked about her experience working in a male-dominating environment, Patrick said (via FOX News):

“It’s just normal to me. After 24 full years of hanging out with guys in the pit and the garage, I don’t really know any different. I, by all means, love my girl time away from the track, but I have spent so much time with guys that it is normal to me and I don’t know what it is like any other way.”

Danica Patrick, the 42-year-old, has been an inspiration for many women who want to pursue their career in motorsports.