Former race car driver Danica Patrick, who grew up in Roscoe, Illinois and now lives in Chicago, is keenly aware of the impact winter weather can have on roads. Freeze-thaw cycles and de-icing processes can destroy roads.
But when NASCAR holds its first street race in Chicago on July 1 and 2 (a longtime victim of Old Man Winter), Patrick thinks road conditions will be a concern for drivers. .
“I’m sure the City of Chicago will make sure there are no actual holes where the tracks are,” Patrick said. “I’ll fill you in if anything comes up.”
The course winds through downtown and takes you through streets such as Columbus Drive, Dusable Lake Shore Drive, and Michigan Avenue. Street courses were more common in open-wheel racing, and Patrick competed on them in IndyCar, the Atlantic Championship, and the now-defunct Barber Dodge Series. Therefore, she knows what awaits an ordinary car driver.
“The track is very dirty and the start is rough,” she said. “It feels like you’re on a carnival. You never know what’s going to happen, so get used to it. It’s a wall, there’s not much room for error, so if you don’t want it to crash, you have to be careful, otherwise you might.
“Usually at the beginning of the weekend you are like, ‘Oh, this is different. Become.”
Danica Patrick at the 2005 Indy 500 Qualifier.
Donald Mirall/Getty Images
Patrick drove in IndyCar and NASCAR from 2005 to 2018. In 2005, she became the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500 (leading 19 laps) and she finished fourth. In 2008, she became the first woman to win a major league open-wheel race at the IndyCar Series Indy Japan 300.
After switching to stock cars, she won pole at the 2013 Daytona 500, becoming the first woman to win pole in the NASCAR Cup Series. She finished eighth, the best result for a woman in the history of the race.
According to Patrick, open-wheel vehicles and stock cars react differently to street courses. She believes NASCAR drivers should have it easier.
“Yes, it’s still an elite car and all, but with Indycars and stock cars on the road, I mean, manhole covers can feel like mountains of Indycars,” Patrick said. . “But it’s probably not going to be that dramatic with a stock car because there’s a lot of ride height difference between the bottom of the car and the road. Yes, the splitter etc. will be as low as possible, but it’s fully sealed to the ground. It’s not, and it’s not as stiff, so I think it’s probably going to work.”
fun but tiring
The weekend also includes concerts and activities, but in Patrick’s experience, drivers don’t have the time to attend them, let alone enjoy Chicago.
“It’s so fun and cool to be in the city, there are things to do, restaurants, whatever, but you’re not really participating in the fun as a driver,” she said. “You’re not going to the best restaurants and bars. You’re not drinking. You eat at the right times and go to bed. You’re tired, usually.”
Danica Patrick has found a new home in broadcasting.
Chris Gracen/Getty Images
It’s similar to Patrick’s caster routine after retirement from racing, her role. She has a 10-race schedule that spans the F1, IndyCar and NASCAR circuits, and last month made her fifth Indy 500 appearance. (She won’t be at the Chicago race.) Broadcasters have more freedom to immerse themselves in the scene than drivers, but no more.
“The fun thing about finishing a race is that you enjoy the elements to some extent,” said Patrick. “but [when] I was in Miami for the Formula 1 race to do that broadcast, and literally had lunch, reheated it before leaving the track, had it as dinner on the bus on the way home, and went straight back to the hotel. rice field.
“We weren’t in downtown Miami, but we were in Miami enough to find a good restaurant and have a good time. It’s completely different when you’re there as a spectator.”
Patrick is a natural on camera, but he’s also learned some valuable broadcasting lessons.
“Keep it simple,” she said. “When you’re a driver, [the interviewer wants you] Tell the story in detail and go into the details. But as a moderator or analyst, brevity is better. Another thing is that it doesn’t necessarily refer to yourself. I am in this position because I am an expert in the field. You don’t necessarily have to justify it. “
If Patrick was in Chicago for the race, he would know the hot spots. She still owns a condo in River North. Her permanent residence is in Scottsdale, Arizona, where her 8,300-square-foot mansion is located.
After attending a Blackhawks game, Danica Patrick regrets not making more time to visit Chicago.
“Every time I go back, I’m like, ‘I need to come here more,’ but I never come,” Patrick said of his trip to Chicago. “And every time I go back I think the same thing, ‘I need to come here more.’ And I’m not. That’s great. [being there]”
The city and NASCAR hope that spectators will return with the same feeling. The circuit has not existed in the Chicago area since Joliet’s Chicagoland Speedway lost a race in 2020 due to the pandemic and was rescheduled for 2021.
Patrick hopes the race will have a lasting impact.
“I think that’s cool,” she said. “Street racing is a great way to bring racing to people, and NASCAR is a great sport to bring to street racing.”
