FORT WORTH, Texas — Danica Patrick turned 30 on
March 25 and earned her first NASCAR Nationwide Series top-10 finish of the
2012 season in her next race.
Not a bad little belated birthday present, coming courtesy of Texas Motor
Speedway on Friday night.
Patrick started her sixth Nationwide Series race of the year from the 17th
position, stayed around that spot most of the night and capitalized late off good
pit strategy and aggressive driving, eventually finishing eighth.
"It's fun when your best spot on the track is at the end of the
race," Patrick said. "It was a bit slow going at times, but we kept
at it and kept our heads down."
While standing next to her bright green No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, Patrick
wasn't claiming that she turned in a perfect outing, instead, electing to
classify her run as just OK.
Running 13th with 11 laps remaining, Patrick benefited from a caution for oil
on the track. With new tires and only six laps left, the 2005 IndyCar Series
Rookie of the Year turned in some of her most aggressive driving since making
the full-time switch.
"I definitely had the get-the-heck-out-of-my-way attitude because I knew
it was time sensitive," she said. "I was charging forward and putting
my nose where I didn't care if it fit. But that's kind of what you do.
"I'm realizing you have to just do a little more of that. Take advantage
or be taken advantage of."
Patrick, who found success racing in the IndyCar Series from 2005-2011, is
competing in her first full season of stock car racing. Her best
Nationwide finish was fourth, coming last year in Phoenix.
Friday's finish marked her fourth top 10 in 31 Nationwide starts. It was also
her third time racing a stock car at TMS. Patrick's other two finishes were
11th in 2011 and 22nd in 2010.
"I had a good run," she said. "And I just basically kept the
momentum going wherever my car was."
