In 2018, Danica Patrick has planned a retirement tour
On Friday, Danica Patrick formerly announced her retirement tour. Her plans are to run the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500.
Will that be it? As she stated, “Never say never.” But she implied those will be her last two races, in any form of professional motorsports.
Before her announcement, Danica Patrick and Chip Ganassi Racing had a meeting. Chip Ganassi owns both a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team as well as a Verizon Indycar Series team. Both teams field two cars in each series.
“I think it’s a great idea for her to do that,” Ganassi told NASCAR.com. “I think it’s a fabulous idea, a fabulous marketing idea, it’s a fabulous opportunity and obviously the business side of the deal has to work. … I’m a long way from saying ‘Yes, I can do that.’ ”
Related: Danica Patrick breaks into tears announcing her retirement (video)
Ganassi continued, “I would think it would be better to do it with one team.”
Away from the track, Kyle Larson is good friends with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. They both own dirt sprint car teams. Danica is the girlfriend of Stenhouse Jr. Naturally, Larson and Patrick are friends, away from the track.
Kyle Larson has expressed interest in running the Indy 500 in a 1 off event. Would Ganassi run 4 cars in the Indy 500? That would double the size of his team for the biggest Indycar race of the season.
“I doubt I would do four,” he stated.
There’s another car owner that operates on the NASCAR and INDYCAR level. Roger Penske will field 3 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers in 2018. Ryan Blaney joins the team.
Danica Patrick currently drives a Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing. Chip Ganassi fields Chevrolet machines in NASCAR and Honda machines in INDYCAR.
Roger Penske fields Ford powered machines in the NASCAR Cup Series. Though, if Danica Patrick is retiring as she planned, I doubt brand loyalty is her main concern. Not that it isn’t a factor.
