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A18 SPORTS
Thursday 21 March 2019

Danica Patrick doesn’t miss racing since retiring last year

By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) —
Danica Patrick choked
back tears after crashing
out of her final Indianapo-
lis 500, that one last trip
around the historic speed-
way that launched her ca-
reer coming to such a dis-
appointing close.
She has not been back to a
race track in the 10 months
since. And she hasn’t
looked back even once.
NBC Sports announced
Wednesday that Patrick
will be part of its inaugural
broadcast of the Indianap-
olis 500 in May, a project
that will return her to India-
napolis Motor Speedway
for the first time since she
ended her career there a
year ago with the second
leg of the “Danica Dou-
ble.” In a telephone inter-
view with The Associated
Press, she was asked if she
has missed racing since she
walked away.
“No. No I don’t. I’m being
really honest,” Patrick said
without hesitation. “I’m not
someone who looks back
on things and has a lot of re-
gret. I’m really not. Anytime
anybody asks me if I could
change anything, what
would I change? Well, I’m
just not the kind of person
that really thinks like that.
You know, I (raced) it for 27
years and life is so short and
there’s so much to experi-
ence and so much to do. In this May 20, 2018, file photo, Danica Patrick waits during qualifications for the IndyCar Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis
I spent a lot of time racing Motor Speedway in Indianapolis.
and now I can spend time Associated Press
doing other things.” wine label. long trip ... plan events in had a lot of resentment for when you’re financial posi-
Patrick is the only woman Patrick has been primar- the summer that are really it,” Patrick said. “Then I get tion changes and your abil-
to lead laps in both the ily based in Phoenix since cool, go to concerts.” back to London and the ity to do more things opens
Daytona 500 and the India- January, when the NFL sea- Part of her retirement people are nice the food’s up, that probably helps
napolis 500, win the pole for son ended for quarterback schedule took Patrick, who really, really good and it’s a a little from a practicality
the Daytona 500 and win boyfriend Aaron Rodgers, turns 37 next week, on her really cool city.” side.”
an IndyCar Series race. Her and enjoying the freedom first return trip to Europe She recalled becoming sick Patrick has put her clothing
third-place finish at Indy of setting her own sched- since the start of her rac- in Paris long ago after eat- line on hold and although
in 2009 is the highest for a ule. ing career. Patrick moved ing a steak someone had she has continued her so-
woman. “I’m an optimist who thinks alone as a teenager to refused to cook longer. cial media presence in
She walked away last sea- things will work out and England to pursue her ca- “I was just, like, miserable the fitness space, she’s not
son after a farewell tour even though they can be reer and now admits she and people weren’t very presently working on a sec-
that stopped at Daytona scary along the way, but was unhappy and didn’t nice,” she said. ond book.
and Indianapolis. Both fina- I really felt strong enough enjoy the experience. “So the French had a repu- She hopes to start writing
les ended in crashes, and to make the decision to It left her with little desire tation in my mind. Then I more, but a second book
Patrick gradually eased retire and move on and to visit London or Paris as went back this time and would veer away from the
into private life following jump into these other proj- a tourist, but she gave it a the people were so nice health and fitness focus of
the Indy 500. She was the ects I have,” Patrick said. shot with friends late last and the food was so good her debut “Pretty Intense.”
first woman to host the ES- “You don’t want to be year and found it to be a and the city was so beauti- “I think it would be more
PYs in July, but has spent half-hearted going 200 cathartic trip that helped ful. spiritual, more metaphysi-
the bulk of her time enjoy- mph. The intention was her make peace with her “I just had a totally differ- cal, quantum science kind
ing personal travel, occa- that I wanted to travel and earlier experiences. ent experience and I think of stuff,” she said.
sional speaking engage- I wanted to be able to be “England was the place that one is maturity playing “Maybe I’ll just submit my
ments and focusing on her able to just take a week- that I didn’t really like and I a role, and two, you know journal.”q