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SPORTS Thursday 14 sepTember 2017
Danica Patrick done at Stewart-Haas after ‘17, future unsure

By JENNA FRYER Still, she won the pole for
AP Auto Racing Writer the 2013 Daytona 500, won
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina an IndyCar race in 2008, is
(AP) — Danica Patrick, the the highest finishing female
only female driver at NAS- driver in Indianapolis 500
CAR’s top level, is likely at history with a third-place
the end of her driving ca- run in 2009 and is the only
reer after a sponsorship woman to lead laps in
shake-up left her without a both the Indy 500 and the
ride at Stewart-Haas Rac- Daytona 500. Patrick is the
ing. only woman to win a Cup
Patrick posted a state- pole and those top-10 fin-
ment on her Facebook ishes are the most of any
page Tuesday saying her female Cup driver.
time with Stewart-Haas “She will go down as the
“had come to an end” best female NASCAR
due to a new sponsorship driver of all time. Will likely
arrangement for the team take decades to see any-
next season. The statement one even challenge her
came shortly after Smith- legacy,” Brad Keselowski
field Foods said it will leave posted on Twitter. He later
Richard Petty Motorsports added in a second post:
to become a primary spon- “Have come to accept
sor at Stewart-Haas next In this July 2, 2016, file photo, Danica Patrick greets fans during driver introductions before the start that mankind never knows
year. The news is a blow of the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Fla. or appreciates what it has
to RPM, which is also los- Associated Press until its gone. NASCAR fans
ing driver Aric Almirola. But closed the post by writing: leaves Petty’s team in need for next season. will miss her badly in time.”
it also forced changes at “I have the utmost faith in of a sponsor, and Almirola is Both Harvick and Busch Patrick’s contract with SHR
Stewart-Haas, which has myself and those around looking for a ride. will represent SHR in the 10- ran through 2018, but the
struggled with sponsorship me, and feel confident But the bigger changes are race playoffs that begin team has been searching
for three of its four cars, about my future.” clearly underway at SHR, Sunday at Chicagoland for sponsorship since Na-
including the No. 10 Ford Patrick has launched a which didn’t reveal where Speedway. ture’s Bakery abruptly end-
driven by Patrick. clothing line, has a book Smithfield will be in the or- Now that Patrick has con- ed its three-year deal after
“It has been my honor coming out next year and ganization in 2018. firmed she’s out at SHR, one season.
to drive for Tony Stewart, has made a huge transition “Details of the agreement, the team could choose to RPM is now in a similar bind
Gene Haas and everyone into promoting a healthy including the driver who will downsize to three cars, or because it lost Smithfield,
at Stewart-Haas Racing and fit lifestyle. It has her be added to SHR’s Monster pursue Almirola, Matt Kens- which has been associated
for the past six seasons,” positioned for a second Energy NASCAR Cup Series eth, Kasey Kahne or any with Petty the last six years.
Patrick wrote. “Sponsor- career at the age of 35 if lineup in 2018, will be pro- other available driver. The RPM this year downsized to
ship plays a vital role in our she chooses. She’s also in a vided at a later date,” SHR team could be in the mar- one Cup car because of
sport, and I have been very long-term relationship with said in a statement. ket to replace just Patrick, sponsorship reasons, and
fortunate over the course fellow driver Ricky Sten- That means Smithfield or both Patrick and Busch. talks on a contract exten-
of my career, but this year house Jr., who will make his could end up on the car Patrick has driven for Stew- sion with Almirola stalled
threw us for a curve.” debut in the playoffs this Patrick has driven. Clint art-Haas Racing her entire when Smithfield began
Patrick, whose participa- weekend. Bowyer and Kurt Busch Cup career. She has seven looking at other options.
tion in NASCAR has always Sponsorship dollars have both need sponsorship on top-10 finishes in 180 career Petty ripped the compa-
been polarizing given the been hard to come by for their cars, too. Busch, the starts and is currently 28th in ny and suggested he was
attention she receives de- a number of drivers and Daytona 500 winner, does the standings, the lowest in blindsided. “Over the past
spite her lack of success, teams. Smithfield’s decision not have a deal with SHR her Cup career. few months, Smithfield had
continually told me they
WNBA a 101-81 victory over the wanted to be with us, and I
Mystics.
recently shook hands on a
ROUNDUP Augustus made 11 of 17 deal to extend our relation-
ship,” Petty said. “I come
shots and the Lynx looked
Continued from Page 17 plenty sharp after a week from a time when we did
Things got testy with 28 off and playing in an un- major deals with sponsors
seconds left in the period. familiar arena. The Lynx like STP on a handshake.
Phoenix’s Emma Cannon will play all of their playoff I’m sad to see this is where
and the Sparks’ Essence games at the University of we are now. This decision is
Carson were called for Minnesota’s Williams Are- very unexpected, and we
double technicals after na after playing the regu- are extremely disappoint-
exchanging words. Before lar season at Xcel Energy ed in this late and abrupt
that, Phoenix’s Camille Lit- Center, home of the Min- change of direction.”
tle was called for a block- nesota Wild. Smithfield CEO Kenneth
ing foul, with Parker on the Elena Delle Donne had 17 M. Sullivan called Petty’s
floor with her legs in the air points for the Mystics, who claim of a handshake deal
and her arms protecting had a quick turnaround Minnesota Lynx players high five after a timeout called by “unequivocally and pa-
the Washington Mystics during the second half of a WNBA
her face. after beating the Liberty basketball game, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 in Minneapolis. tently false,” and accused
At Minneapolis, Seimone in New York on Sunday. Associated Press the team of not delivering
Augustus scored 24 points After setting a playoff re- on “tens of millions of dol-
and Sylvia Fowles added cord with nine 3-pointers York on Sunday, Mystics just three points on 1-for-7 lars of unwavering finan-
18 to help the Lynx roll to in the victory over New guard Kristi Toliver scored shooting.q cial support.” q