Patrick ready to park it
Danica Patrick has known for at least a month that she will end her career next season at the Indianapolis 500, a decision that will bring her full circle and return her one last time to the storied track that made her famous.
Discussing her decision with The Associated Press, Patrick was giddy with excitement and thrilled at the chance to take one more spin around Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
When it came time to announce her plans Friday in front of family and friends watching from the back of a crowded room at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla., Patrick broke down in tears.
She paused several times to compose herself to announce that she will race only in the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 and then she will walk away from the sport.
Patrick told AP it took her many months to come to the realization her career is all but over. Once she accepted it, the idea of ending her career at Indy popped into her head. She told her agent, and she’s been working on putting together “The Danica Double” over the last several weeks.
“Nothing that was being presented excited me, then about three weeks ago, I just blurted out, ‘What about Indy? Let’s end it with the Indy 500,’ ” she said. “This ignites something in me. But I am done after May.”
Camping World Truck Series: Christopher Bell has won his first NASCAR championship to open a big weekend for team owner Kyle Busch.
Bell finished second in the Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway to wrap up the title ahead of Johnny Sauter, the defending series champion from Necedah, Wis., who finished third in the race and second in the standings.
“At one point there with like 25, 30 to go we were actually running quicker than (Bell), I just didn’t have anything left,” Sauter said.
Chase Briscoe won the race.
Monster Energy Cup Series: Martin Truex Jr. was the fastest of the four championship contenders in qualifying for the Ford EcoBoost 400 and will start second in Sunday’s finale.
Truex, the regular-season champion, turned a lap of 173.952 mph at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday night. Denny Hamlin went 173.980 mph to take the pole and give Toyota a 1-2 front row.
Among other contenders, Busch will start third, Brad Keselowski fifth and Kevin Harvick ninth.
Matt Kenseth of Cambridge, Wis., will start fourth in what is likely to be his last Cup race. Dale Earnhardt Jr. needed an engine change and will start from rear of the field for his final race before retiring from full-time NASCAR competition.