They’re all good now, but for a moment during Sunday’s MyAFIBSTORY.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, Danica Patrick and boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr. weren’t.
The two were having decent runs on Sunday afternoon, but their chances at a better finish were hindered when the two made contact on Lap 258 on the frontstretch.
Both cars were on the lead lap, after Patrick had received the free pass during the fifth caution of the day. Patrick climbing from the tail end of the lead lap was making a three-wide pass on Stenhouse’s No. 17 and boss Tony Stewart, when contact between the dynamic duo was made, which sent Patrick’s No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS gliding across the frontstretch wall.
The two were able to pit for repairs and finish the race, still on the lead lap. Stenhouse Jr. finished 17th, while Patrick claimed 19th.
“I heard my spotter (Brandon Benesch) say that the 14 (Tony Stewart) was below me on track, and I didn’t know the 17 (Stenhouse) was there on the high side of the track,” Patrick said. “My spotter took the blame on that one. I just didn’t know Ricky was up there, and I obviously don’t want to hit his car or anyone else with 10 laps to go. I talked with Ricky afterward, and we’re fine. It’s just a tough deal. We finished 19th even with the damage, so it was a decent run.”
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