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Danica Patrick to join NBC’s Indy 500 team
Entertainment
By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer
CHARLOTTE N N C C C (AP) — Danica Patrick will join NBC Sports’ inaugural coverage of the Indianapolis 500 as an an an analyst alongside host Mike Tirico Patrick retired from racing after last year’s Indianapolis 500 Her eighth appear- ance in in in “The Greatest Spectacle in in in Racing” prepped her for a a a a a a a a return as a a a a a a a a television personality She told The Associated Press racing at at Indy last year year after an an eight-year run in in NASCAR refreshed her her knowledge bank and and gives her her plenty to discuss Patrick will be a a a a a a a a a studio analyst on on race race race day and and contribute to NBC Sports’ pre-race in-race and post-race coverage She will also be part of the the broadcast team
for qualifying on May 19 and will promote the the race across NBCUniversal platforms “This is is an an event that means so much
to me me me ” she said in in a a a a a a a a a telephone interview ahead of Wednesday’s announcement “I am
so glad I I did the 500 last year because my information is much
more current and relevant I I think it’s going to be be quite a a a a a a a bit of of of work — I’ve always thought being part of of of of the the the broadcast team
is a a a a a a a a a a different kind of of of of work work — there’s a a a a a a a a a lot of of of preparation there there ” Her homework began in in earnest with the IndyCar season opener in in St Peters- burg Florida two weeks ago when Patrick tuned in to watch the race “I thought ‘Oh my God I’ve I’ve got got to to to know know all the the names ’ ’ ’ ’ I’ve I’ve got got to to know know who’s the the guy who who who has momentum and who who who doesn’t ” she said “I need to respect the the event and the the position that I’m in It’s so important for me to to be up to to date on on everything ” NBC Sports this season snagged the entire IndyCar broadcast package and with it the crown jewel Indy Indy 500 which had
been aired exclusively by ABC since 1965 in in in in the second-longest-running partnership of its kind NBC has made the race part of its its “Championship Season” marketing cam- paign that that features high-profile events from May to July that that include horse racing’s Triple Crown Premier League Championship Sunday the the the French Open the the the Stanley Cup Final and the the the Tour de France In treating the race as a a a a a a a prized property NBC Sports is is building a a a a a a a a a strong team
for its debut broadcast that is is expected to in- clude in in some role star NASCAR analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr and Steve Letarte Patrick is is the the surprise addition It will mark her return to a a a a a a a a race track for the the first time since she she she crashed and finished 30th last May Patrick has previous analyst experience from three Xfinity Series races with Fox Sports and last July she was the the first woman to host the ESPYs “Danica has a a a a a a perspective unlike any other driver in the the history of motorsports
and will be a a a a a a great addition to our first-ev- er
er
er
coverage of the Indy 500 ” said NBCSN executive producer Sam Flood “She has proven to be as as as as fearless with her opinions and analysis as as as she was in in in in in breaking barri- ers while racing in in in in in the the most competitive motorsports
circuits in in in the the the the world ” On the the the the track Patrick is the the the the only woman to lead laps in in fin the the the Indy Indy 500 and win an an IndyCar Series race Her third-place finish at Indy Indy fin in 2009 is is the the highest for a a a a a a a a woman She moved to to to NASCAR and was the the the the first woman to to to win the the the pole for the the the Daytona 500 and she concluded her career last year with the “Danica Double” of racing in in fin one final Daytona 500 500 and Indy 500 500 Besides the ESPYs Patrick has has had
a a a a a a a a a a a a lower profile since her her final race and has has focused much
o of of her her her time on on personal travel and her her line of of wine ___
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