Danica Patrick crashed but escaped injury Feb. 23 on the backstretch on the final lap of the first of two 150-mile qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway.
The crash on the wall of the backstretch careened Patrick's car into the infield. She received medical care on the infield and was released.
The front end of Patrick's car was ripped and the new NASCAR driver will be required to drive her backup car, which she believes could be faster.
"I'm just very disappointed that the car got crashed with two corners to go," Patrick told the Associated Press. "It's not how we wanted to roll into Sunday. We wanted to just be cool, calm and collected with no damage. But like I said, maybe that backup car's fast."
After driving most of the event out of the top-10, Patrick moved to as high as sixth position.
Patrick has committed full-time to NASCAR this year. She'll run Nationwide for JR Motorsports, and plans to run a partial Cup schedule driving for Stewart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wtzioHXq8I
Article Last Updated: February 23, 2012.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
