Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had some memorable moments and not-so-memorable moments when he was part of the NASCAR circuit. One of those not-so-memorable moments was with Danica Patrick.
The incident created some tension between the two drivers.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick’s Run-In
The incident took place in 2015 in Kentucky. Earnhardt was having brake issues during the race and accidentally ran into Patrick’s back with 61 laps to go. Naturally, she was upset, and he discussed the incident after the race.
“I mean, what am I supposed to say other than the truth? We didn’t have any brakes going into the corner. I know better than to run into her because it gets so much attention. There wasn’t nothing I could do. I mean, as hard as I hit her, what the hell did she think I was doing? Trying to wreck her?” Earnhardt said via USA Today.
Earnhardt thought that after the race, she’d cooled down and would understand, but she didn’t. She left the racetrack without saying much to anyone, leaving Earnhardt still trying to explain himself.
“We ain’t got no problem. It’s not like we were having a problem out on the racetrack with her. It’s not like I just drew her name out of a hat and decided she was the one I was going to run into tonight. It’s hard not to (get upset and retaliate) if you are in her shoes. But it makes me mad because I didn’t have any brakes. I didn’t do that on purpose. I don’t know. She will chill out. It happens to all of us. I’m not too worried about it,” he said.
At the time, Patrick was one of the few women in racing, so Earnhardt was probably mortified that he had run into her. It could be taken incorrectly, and people, including her, may think he did it intentionally.
Patrick struggled to make a name for herself on the racing circuit then and, at times, came under heavy criticism from fans and sometimes her fellow drivers. To this day, the sport doesn’t involve many minorities, especially women. However, that is starting to change.
In 2024, Hailie Deegan participated in the NASCAR Infinity Series and spent two years racing in the Craftsman Truck Series. Toni Breidinger and Amber Balcaen raced in the ARCA Menards Series. In 2023, Breidinger, as a part-time driver, had four top-five finishes, and now she also races full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series. In 2022, Balcaen had six top-10 finishes in ARCA and finished seventh overall in the standings that year.
As the sport continues to grow, more women are coming onto the scene, and they can thank Patrick.
