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Patrick wrecks Hornish after race: UPDATES:

May 10, 2012 at 12:00 AM
  • Patrick wrecks Hornish after race: UPDATES: After finishing 13th, likely unsatisfying and not indicative of how well she competed most of the race, #7-Danica Patrick wrecked old friend/former house guest and fellow IndyCar alum #12-Sam Hornish Jr. on the cool-down lap. NASCAR took no immediate action. Patrick restarted 18th on a second attempt at a green/white/checker finish and worked her way to 10th beginning the final lap before #2-Elliott Sadler — with whom she had been involved in an earlier incident — and Kenny Wallace opted to work together and leave her without a draft partner and plummeting back through the running order. Patrick regained a spot in line and rallied but was audibly agitated, responding to a question over team radio if she was ‘all right” with, ‘Absolutely fine. … I don’t know. It seems like people don’t frickin’ like me, man.” Early in the cool-down lap, where cars slow before returning to pit road, Patrick had run alongside Sadler and Hornish, who were nose-to-tail, when it appeared Hornish veered wide right, nearly blocking her into the wall. Patrick subsequently chased Hornish down and used her bumper to turn him into the wall. Hornish said after the race he veered because of a tire problem. Patrick said Hornish apologized.(ESPN)(5-5-2012)
    UPDATE: Danica Patrick will hear from NASCAR officials about sending Sam Hornish Jr. into the wall following the Nationwide Series race Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, but she likely won’t be penalized, NASCAR officials said Sunday morning. The two drivers, whose rivalry goes back to their days racing go-karts and extended to the IndyCar Series, likely will both be talked to by NASCAR officials prior to practice next Friday at Darlington Raceway for what happened after the Aaron’s 312 on Saturday. ‘We talked a little bit to the folks last night and we’ll talk to them again at Darlington’ NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Sunday morning. ‘But there’s not a history (in NASCAR) there. There’s not a lot of things. Pemberton indicated that Patrick’s actions did not rise to the level of Kyle Busch retaliating against Ron Hornaday in a Truck Series race last November at Texas Motor Speedway, where Busch was suspended for the Nationwide and Cup events later that weekend.(Sporting News)(5-6-2012)
    UPDATE 2: Danica Patrick said Thursday she isn’t sure if NASCAR will penalize her for intentionally wrecking Sam Hornish Jr. at Talladega Superspeedway. Patrick was angry after Hornish ran her up the track on the last lap of the Nationwide Series race. She retaliated on the cool-down lap, but insisted her intent was only to hit Hornish to show her displeasure. After watching a replay of the accident, she called both Hornish and Nationwide Series director Joe Balash. She also exchanged emails with Hornish team owner Roger Penske. ‘I was definitely surprised he hit the wall; that was completely unintentional’ she said during an appearance for new sponsor Coca-Cola at Charlotte Motor Speedway. ‘Sam didn’t mean to put me in the wall, either. We’re both good, and I know we’re both looking forward to Darlington.” Patrick was not called to the NASCAR hauler after the race, and has not been punished for her actions. She wasn’t sure if that will change once she arrives Friday at Darlington Raceway. ‘I have no idea’ she said. ‘That’s not my department. I don’t make those kinds of decisions. That’s up to NASCAR and the things that they look at, and the things they take into consideration.”(ESPN)(5-10-2012)