Why Fans Can't Stand Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick burned rubber as a professional race car driver, but not every pit crew was cheering her on. During her career, Patrick made history as the only female driver ever to win an Indy Car race: the Indy Japan 300. "It's a long time coming. Finally," Patrick said to ESPN in 2008. "It was a fuel strategy race, but my team called it perfectly for me. I knew I was on the same strategy as Helio, and when I passed him for the lead, I couldn't believe it. This is fabulous." Although Patrick never managed to snag the top spot at the Indy 500, she got much closer than any of her female counterparts by claiming third place in 2009.

According to Forbes, Patrick also reaped substantial financial rewards during her career. According to their 2013 assessment, Patrick was at one time worth $15 million, which she partially earned through her lucrative sponsorship deals. Patrick left the sport in 2018 to pursue retirement after she fell out of love with racing. "It wasn't in my heart anymore," Patrick shared with ABC. "What I love about racing was that ability to progress and get better and finish better and better and ultimately win. And I just felt like that was becoming less and less something that was in my control."

Unfortunately, Patrick's immense professional success didn't always translate to favor amongst race car fans. Many race car fans can't stand Patrick.

Danica Patrick probably wouldn't have achieved historic feats in her racing career if she wasn't passionate about succeeding. However, her drive to win was often manifested as anger against her fellow drivers — especially when they crashed into her. Patrick has lashed out at several drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Landon Cassill, and Denny Hamlin.

In 2013, Patrick spoke about her previous "bumper feud" with Cassill during an interview with Men's Health. "I got bumped around a little bit and I didn't think it was appropriate," said Patrick. "So as a driver competing, I needed to stand up for myself. When I think enough's enough then, well ... enough's enough. And that's what I did in that moment. I do think it helped." Patrick also revealed that she'd be willing to crash into a fellow driver even if it meant she was sabotaging herself. "And maybe next time I can take somebody out without wrecking myself," she added. As ESPN pointed out, Patrick's male counterparts have had their fair share of meltdowns over the years. Whether justified or not, fans often criticize Patrick for leaning into her emotions during races.

Danica Patrick put plenty of effort into her career, but her devotion to the sport didn't always translate well to fans. In 2017, Patrick, Aric Almirola, and Joey Logano were involved in a serious crash during the Go Bowling 400. Although Almirola escaped death, he sustained painful injuries that required immediate medical attention after rescuers pried him from his wrecked car.

After the crash, as racing fans sent condolences to Almirola, Patrick seemed more disappointed about her failed race than the driver. "I am just frustrated for the lack of breaks I get," Patrick said in an interview with Fox Sports. "It seems like every time things are going better and something happens I get crashed or am in a crash." She continued, "Unfortunately, there were two of us that got collected and while I am okay, one of these times one if these really big accidents someone is not going to be okay," added Patrick. "Aric (Almirola) is not okay and his car looked the best of everybody." While Patrick expressed sympathy for Almirola near the end of the interview, fans felt that her professional disappointment overshadowed any concern for Almirola's health and well-being. Patrick made a similar statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, which didn't ease her criticism.

Like most athletes, Danica Patrick is highly appreciative of her fanbase. In 2016, Patrick made a special video to thank her supporters whose votes granted her entry into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Six years later, Patrick again thanked fans for supporting her post-retirement wine business. In 2022, Patrick posted to Instagram, "Thank you to everyone who has bought my wine over the years! It's a true passion project of mine."

With that established, Patrick has also had some unfortunate run-ins with fans that impacted her likeability. In 2017, a video of Patrick confronting booing fans circulated on Facebook. According to NBC Sports, fans jeered Patrick after she ignored a fan attempting to thwart her security guard for an autograph. Patrick then walked over to the fans and gave them a piece of her mind. "I don't appreciate the boos," she said. "It hurts my feelings. "I'm a [expletive] person, you know. I'm a person too. I have feelings too. When you boo me, it hurts my feelings." Patrick was also caught on video being cold to a fan while signing autographs. Not only did she take a moment to acknowledge the fan, but she also tossed a marker or pen in the fan's direction as she signed his merch. 

This definitely wasn't one of her best moments. 

Danica Patrick's history in professional racing has put her in the perfect position to advocate for girls looking to follow in her footsteps. However, that's not the vibe she gave off during her 2023 Sky Sports appearance. According to Sports Illustrated, Patrick downplayed women's natural racing abilities. "I think that the nature of the sport is masculine," Patrick told a child reporter. "It's aggressive. You have to, you know, handle the car — not only just the car, because that's a skill, but the mindset that it takes to be really good is something that's not normal in a feminine mind, in a female mind."

Patrick's comments were demeaning to other female drivers. They also didn't align with her stance in Men's Health when she spoke about whether she'd been treated differently as a female driver. "Not really," said Patrick. "The only time I really felt it was when I was growing up and racing cars in England. You knew people were whispering and talking about you." She also denied witnessing other pros sneer at her or treat her differently. Therefore, her thoughts about the biological limitations of women drivers seem extra strange.

Danica Patrick's parents played a pivotal role in shaping her career. During her Men's Health interview, Patrick revealed that her interest in race car driving grew from her parents' previous ties to snowmobile racing. "But racing was just in our DNA," said Patrick. "My mom and dad met in racing, so I think it was second nature for them. They just looked at racing as something that'd be fun to do as a family." Patrick's parents also took on roles in her professional team. "Both my parents worked for me," shared Patrick with Graham Bensinger. "They sold the glass company so that they could come manage me, drive my bus. Do everything."

Unfortunately, Patrick eventually fired them, but she revealed that the decision wasn't totally hers. Instead, she placed much of the blame on her then-husband, Paul Hospenthal. "I was pushed into certain family dynamics based on a relationship that were not okay. I look back, and I'm like, I was manipulated," Patrick shared. "I was in a relationship where I was, kind of, forced to choose and push my parents out." Fortunately, Patrick and her parents made up after she left her marriage. However, fans in the comment section felt she didn't take ownership of her decision. "Just like her racing career she accepts no responsibility for her actions, crashes, and losses then blames everyone else around her," said one viewer.

Danica Patrick received attention for her political opinions in 2016. Ironically, her first comment was about her decision to shy away from politics. When speaking with Fox Business about NASCAR CEO Brian France's decision to support Donald Trump's presidential run, Patrick said: "I feel like religion and politics are the two things that you just stay away from." She continued, "I'm not going to comment about what I like or don't like or what people say. But we live in America and it's a free country and you can say whatever you want."

However, Patrick changed her mind after Trump secured the election. On November 9, Patrick seemed super enthused about Trump's victory. "Was a crazy night! I look forward to @realDonaldTrump #MakeAmericaGreatAgain! Don't we all want America to be great?! Stay positive Mercia!" tweeted Patrick. After her tweet garnered criticism online, Patrick appeared on the NASCAR on NBC podcast and responded to the backlash. "Usually the people that are the most negative, opinionated, most extreme a lot of times, also are the loudest," said Patrick (via NBC Sports). "You have to take social media with a grain of salt. The easiest way for me to handle it is to post something and not look at anything."