For Danica Patrick, there are two ways to make it into Saturday’s Monster Energy All-Star Race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway to contend for the $1 million winner’s check: win one of the segments in Saturday’s Monster Energy Open, or win the Monster Energy All-Star Fan Vote.
She has three chances to race her way into the field for the Saturday night’s featured event. This year, the winner of each of the three segments in the Open will advance to the All-Star Race. Patrick has earned top-10 finishes in all four prior starts in the Monster Energy Open.
Patrick’s other hope for making the All-Star Race is via the Monster Energy All-Star Fan Vote. She is one of 22 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers eligible for the All-Star Fan Vote this year. Fans can vote through 11:59 p.m. EDT Friday by visiting NASCAR.com/FanVote. In 2015, Patrick became the first repeat winner of the fan vote after previously winning in 2013. Last year, Patrick was also voted into the All-Star Race by the fans.
This weekend, Patrick’s No. 10 Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) will sport a special paint scheme featuring “Wonder Woman.” The iconic “Wonder Woman” logo appears on the hood and TV panel while “Wonder Woman” herself graces the hood and both door panels. In theaters June 2, Gal Gadot returns as the title character in the epic action adventure “Wonder Woman,” directed by Patty Jenkins.
In addition, Patrick’s No. 10 Ford will feature the One Cure initiative through a collaboration with Code 3 Associates. One Cure is a project led by the Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center, where innovative cancer treatments for pets are being evaluated in clinical trials to benefit people. The center sees more than 1,500 new animal cancer patients every year, with approximately 400 patients enrolling in carefully monitored clinical trials specific to their cancer type. The canine and feline patients are helping pioneer cancer research, moving cutting-edge treatments out of the laboratory and into clinical practice, ultimately providing hope to the next generation of animal and human cancer patients.
Whether she races her way in or gets voted in by the fans, Patrick hopes to be racing the No. 10 “Wonder Woman”/One Cure Ford Fusion for a shot at $1 million in Saturday night’s Monster Energy All-Star Race.
DANICA PATRICK, Driver of the No. 10 Wonder Woman/One Cure Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:
How do you feel about the Open and making the All-Star Race field?
“By all means, as a driver, I want to get in legitimately by racing my way into the show. If being voted in is my last chance, then I’m grateful for my fans. My fans are always there for me. I’ve seen a number of posts on social media from my fans about voting and I’m grateful for their support.”
You’ve been voted into the All-Star Race three times, now. How did you feel about that?
“I’m extremely fortunate to have some great fans. They’re very active across all the social media platforms and just, in general, cheering for me out loud at the racetrack. I’m just extremely fortunate. I don’t take them for granted for a second. I have to say that, from a driver’s perspective, I would rather race my way in but, if I have to get in by fan vote, what other way is better than that? I mean, to have the fans put you in the race was something special. I have been so lucky in my career to have such great fans everywhere I go, so I have to say thank you for that.”
How helpful is the All-Star Race weekend to prepare for the Coca-Cola 600?
“I feel like the All-Star Race is a great opportunity for the teams. It allows a team to try something different. At this point of the year, you’ve kind of worked your way into the season pretty far, you’ve logged a lot of race miles and practice miles and there’s probably something at that point in time where you wish you had time to try it. And so, to have that opportunity to test a different car or a front clip, an aero package, a mechanical package, something different, the All-Star Race is a really, really good opportunity for that.”
