DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Danica Patrick won’t have to stand alone during pre-race ceremonies for Sunday’s Daytona 500.
Patrick who will compete in her final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) race confirmed to ESPN.com Wednesday that boyfriend and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will attend the “Great American Race.”
“I’m actually just excited that he gets to see what I do,” Patrick said Wednesday during Daytona 500 media day. “He’ll get to see me in my [driver] suit. I’ve never seen him in his uniform [to play] in person.”
With Rodgers attending Sunday’s 200-lap race, he’ll be the second National Football League (NFL) quarterback at the speedway. On Tuesday morning, Daytona announced Peyton Manning will drive the pace car prior to the race.
Patrick is competing in two races this season – the Daytona 500 and May’s Indianapolis 500 marking her first return to the Verizon IndyCar Series since 2011.
She’ll drive for Premium Motorsports in Sunday’s season-opening race while spoiling the surprise of her IndyCar team, Ed Carpenter Racing with a slip during her media availability.
“Actually, I didn’t have time to meet up with Ed (Carpenter) and the people that… oh, did I say that out loud? Oh, well.
“I’ve never done that in my career,” she said with a disgusted look.
Patrick had planned to reveal her Indianapolis 500 team following Sunday’s Cup race.
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