Stenhouse: “Heck, when we first started racing together we got in crashes anyway.”
For 5 years, they were a star-powered NASCAR couple. Over the offseason, the same couple went though a breakup.
Now, Danica Patrick returns to Daytona for the final NASCAR race of her career. Does Ricky Stenhouse Jr race Danica Patrick any different in the Daytona 500?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr on Danica Patrick
“Uh, I don’t think I’ll race any different,” Stenhouse said during NASCAR media days. “I try to respect everybody around me. Especially at those speedway races, you don’t want to put anybody in a bad spot. Cause, you put the whole field in a bad spot.”
“I think I’ll go out and race just like I race everybody else and see how it plays out. I mean, Heck, when we first started racing together we got in crashes anyway.”
“It is what it is. I’ll just got out and compete. I plan on putting myself in a position to win the race.”
“If it helps me, I’ll help. If I can help and it’s going to benefit myself, then I will. I try not to help people if it’s only going to benefit them on the race track.”
Does Ricky Stenhouse Jr have any comment on that Aaron Rodgers news?
“No,” Stenhouse says with a smile.
On Danica Patrick getting a ride for the 2018 Daytona 500.
“I think it was just a matter of time. I think it’s a cool way to go out, if you’re going to retire. For somebody that’s done the Daytona 500. You know, running NASCAR, running Indycars.”
“Her passion has always been the Indy 500. I think it will be cool for that to be her last race. The two biggest races, in the same year, will be pretty cool.”
Patrick on Stenhouse Jr
“I heard his interview, and I agree,” Patrick told For The Win.
“If we can help each other — if helping him helps me — so be it. Vice versa. I agree with all that.”
“When we first met, there was already respect there from the very beginning when we were just friends, so I don’t see that changing at all,” Patrick concluded. “It’s not going to change for me.”
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