Danica Patrick, now in NASCAR, will skip Indianapolis 500

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Danica Patrick said Monday she will not race in the Indianapolis 500 this year as she focuses on her shift to NASCAR stock-car racing.

The former IndyCar driver said she would race that day, May 27, in NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, one of 10 races she plans in NASCAR’s premier Sprint up Series this year driving for Stewart-Haas Racing.

She also is driving a full schedule in NASCAR’s second-level Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Patrick shot to fame when she nearly won the 2005 Indy 500 as a rookie. Given her love of the Memorial Day weekend classic, there was speculation she might enter the race despite her move to NASCAR.

But she told reporters at NASCAR’s media tour in the Charlotte area that ‘I’m not going to do the Indy 500’ this year although she added that ‘I hope to do it in the future.’

Patrick also did not rule out driving this year in the Brickyard 400, the NASCAR race held each summer at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

--Jim Peltz