| Date: May 20, 2017
Event: Monster Energy Open (non-points event) Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval) Format: 50 laps, broken into three segments (20 laps/20 laps/10 laps) Start/Finish: 9th/5th (Running, completed 50 of 50 laps)
Winner: Stage 1: Clint Bowyer of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford) Stage 2: Ryan Blaney of Wood Brothers Racing (Ford) Stage 3: Daniel Suarez of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Recap (Ended on lap 20): ● Danica Patrick started ninth and finished 10th. ● The No. 10 “Wonder Woman”/One Cure Ford Fusion team dropped back to 12th at the start of Stage 1 as Patrick battled with a loose-handling racecar, but she was able to work her way back up to the 10th position by the end of the stage. ● At the end of the stage the team pitted for tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment.
Stage 2 Recap (Ended on lap 40): ● Patrick started sixth and finished seventh. ● At the end of the stage Patrick radioed to the team that the No. 10 “Wonder Woman”/One Cure Ford was “wicked loose in.” ● The team changed tires and added fuel between stages.
Final Stage Recap (Ended on lap 50): ● Patrick started sixth and finished fifth. ● Patrick took the green flag in the sixth position, but the caution flag waved before the field made it to turn two for a spin by the No. 34 car. When the field went back to green, Patrick lined up in the fourth position. ● She lost one spot on the opening lap but maintained the fifth position for the duration of the final stage.
Notes: ● As Patrick did not win a stage or the fan vote, she did not advance to the Monster Energy All-Star Race. ● Patrick’s fifth-place finish marked her career-best effort into the Monster Energy Open. Her previous top finish in the event was ninth.
Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 “Wonder Woman”/One Cure Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing: “The car was just way too loose throughout the race. Nothing seemed to help much at all. I wish we were racing in the All-Star Race tonight, but at least we were more competitive in the Open this year and learned some things for next weekend.” TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK! |
