Danica Patrick, with Indy 500 to close racing career, has 'no regrets'
Danica Patrick will get behind the wheel for the final time Sunday in the Indianapolis 500, marking a new step in her business career.
Patrick emerged as one of the most prominent female athletes in the U.S. during her time as an IndyCar and NASCAR driver. After turning her final laps at the Daytona 500 in February and now the Indy 500, Patrick will become a full-time entrepreneur. Her business ventures include a fitness book, a vineyard and athletic wear.
The 36-year-old Patrick said she leaves racing with “no regrets.”
“I was very fortunate,” she said, according to USA Today. “I had some high points along the way, and I had fun. I was miserable sometimes because I cared so much about succeeding, and I did it my way.”
Patrick had seven top-10 finishes over her NASCAR stock-car racing career, and she was the only woman to ever take the pole position in the Daytona 500. Back with IndyCar for the Indy 500, Patrick will start the race in seventh place, driving for Ed Carpenter Racing.
For the “Danica Double”—her final two races in NASCAR’s Daytona 500 and IndyCar’s Indy 500—Patrick reprised her partnership with GoDaddy, the sponsor that helped make the driver a household name.
“GoDaddy to me has been instrumental in my brand,” Patrick told FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo during an interview in January, noting that she appeared in more Super Bowl commercials than any other celebrity.
Patrick has capitalized on her popularity by creating her own line of athletic wear: Warrior by Danica Patrick. In 2017, she published a fitness book called “Pretty Intense,” and she often shares health and wellness tips on social media. Patrick also owns a Napa Valley winery, Somnium.
“I have a lot of side hustles,” she said on “Mornings With Maria.”