NASCAR‘s Clint Bowyer playfully called out Danica Patrick for bringing up her time at IndyCar while commentating the Pennzoil 400.
While commentating, Patrick often referenced her career. The former NASCAR driver spent over 25 years of her life behind the wheel, starting with go karting at the age of ten. She raced in Indycar from 2005 to 2011 and in NASCAR from 2010 to 2018. Additionally, Patrick was the first woman to win an IndyCar championship event.
As a result, a number of her critiques involved references to IndyCar instead of NASCAR. While most of these mentions went under the radar, Bowyer did call out one of her comments, echoing the fans at home.
“I used to pull this move in IndyCar every now and again at short tracks where I’d come out of the corner, and I’d get a little bit of a run, but I dart out so that in the mirror I’d fill their mirror real quick and it looked like I got a better run on them than I really did and they gave me a lane,” said Patrick.
“Those space shuttles over there,” replied Bowyer. “I don’t know. That doesn’t work over here in this good, this real racing of NASCAR. How ’bout that? Huh? IndyCar. No. I love it. I’m teasing.”
“Race fan’s a race fan,” Patrick quipped. After her retort, Bowyer then confessed: “Always wanted to drive one of them.”
While they traded a few barbs, their banter was all in good fun. In fact, audiences expressed a lot of enjoyment over seeing two retired NASCAR greats again.
NASCAR Fans and Racers React to Danica Patrick’s Broadcast Debut
Overall, NASCAR fans were excited to see Danica Patrick back onscreen, if not behind the wheel. Social media response to her appearance on Fox was overwhelmingly positive.
“I need FOX to give Danica Patrick a mic more often. She’s good, insightful, and absolutely will not stick to the narrative the producers are coaching her to push,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
Another fan tweeted: “Seeing Danica Patrick again is a breath of fresh air. She’s sure to be a great presence in the #NASCARonFOX booth and work well alongside Joy & Bowyer.”
“Listening to @DanicaPatrick on @NASCARONFOX TV,” tweeted retired race car driver Kenny Wallace. “She is fantastic. Her thoughts about leaving room for error with these NEW @NASCAR race cars and comparing them to Indy cars are accurate and her sequential shifter experience is [100].”
“I agree totally,” added another fan. “Danica did a great job, managed to hold [her own] with the guys and that’s not easy. She gives a completely different perspective and was fun to listen to. I think she did a great job and hopefully fox will bring her back again.”
