NASCAR: Danica Patrick to drive for Premium Motorsports in Daytona 500
By Asher Fair
Danica Patrick is set to drive for Premium Motorsports in the 2018 Daytona 500, which is set to be her final NASCAR Cup Series race.
After announcing that she would retire from her full-time NASCAR Cup Series career following the conclusion of the 2017 season, her fifth full season in the sport, just days before it ended, Danica Patrick, 35, also made clear that she did not intend to officially retire until after racing in the 2018 Daytona 500 and the 2018 Indianapolis 500.
For a while, the odds of her landing a ride in either of those two races were not great. Lots of time had passed since her announcement, and nothing had materialized. However, GoDaddy, which had not sponsored her nor been in racing since 2015, came on board last week as her sponsor for both of those races, and that changed the game for her.
Several potential Indianapolis 500 teams for her began to emerge. However, nothing has been confirmed for her yet as far as teams go for that race. But now that will be where all of her focus goes, as Patrick has officially secured a ride in the Daytona 500.
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Patrick is set to drive in the 2018 Daytona 500, which is set to take place in under four weeks, for Premium Motorsports. She is set to drive the #7 Chevrolet for the team with Tony Eury Jr. as her crew chief.
Patrick has driven in the race six times before and has finished as high as 8th place in 2013 after she started the race from the pole position.
Here is what Patrick had to say about landing a ride with Premium Motorsports for the 60th annual running of the race this year, according to NASCAR.
"“I couldn’t have written a better story about how this would all fall into place. Going with the flow is working out beautifully. … It all makes my last NASCAR race just that much sweeter.”"
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With Danica Patrick having now secured a ride in the Daytona 500, the overall focus can turn to her securing a ride for the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 at the end of May. But first, with the Daytona 500 quickly approaching, how will she perform in her final NASCAR Cup Series race? Be sure to watch the race, which kicks off the 2018 season, on Sunday, February 18th.