What I think about Danica Patrick returning to IndyCar

Hey ya’ll.

Welcome back to my blog!

So, I know I’m kinda behind the ball on this, but I wasn’t really planning on writing about this, but then I decided that I needed to.

Anyways, if you haven’t already heard, Danica Patrick is coming back in 2018 for one last hoorah at the Indy 500.

I wasn’t quite sure how to take the news if I’m being honest.

But not that I’ve had some time to think about it, I’m actually really excited to see her back at Indy.

Now don’t get all upset at me know, let me explain myself.

I was 9 years old in 2006 at my first Indy 500.

2006 was Danica Patrick’s 2nd season in the IndyCar series and the Danica Patrick whirlwind was in full bloom.

I became an immediate fan.

I had Danica t-shirts, lanyards, cars, bracelets, posters, and my beloved visor.

Danica Patrick was my foot in the door of IndyCar.

It was really easy for me as a 9-year-old girl to get excited about a female driver in the field, which lets be real, they come few and far between.

(by the way, I wrote a blog a year and a half ago titled: why IndyCar needs another Danica Patrick, if you wanna give it a read. It’s about why we need more female drivers in the series).

My 2nd year at Indy my family camped out with me for over an hour outside of a room where Danica was suspected to be so I could try and get her autograph.

And guess what?

She was in there.

And I was able to get her autograph on my visor.

To this day it is still one of my most prized possessions.

So yes, Danica Patrick has her downfalls, but thanks to her I am an IndyCar fan over ten years later.

So next year I’m going to cheer her on at Indy. It will be her last time for goodness sakes.

So even if you don’t like her at least be happy that it will be the last time you will see her racing!

Danica Patrick gets a lot of crap, and some of it reasonably so.

But we’ve all got to admit, she has been IndyCar’s most successful female driver and she brought more attention to the sport than anything has in a long while.

As much as some of you hate to admit it, she will go down in IndyCar history.

But don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Danica Patrick is going to go out there and win the Indy 500.

I don’t even expect her to get a top 10 finish.

She’s been out of the car for a long time, a lot has changed. It’s gotten more competitive.

But I won’t discount her either.

I guess we will all just have to wait and see how she does.

And let’s be real, think of all of the media attention it’s going to bring the Indy 500. The media loves Danica Patrick. It will be good for the series.