"She may be left out to dry": When Mario Andretti predicted a challenging NASCAR future for Danica Patrick

Racing legend Mario Andretti spoke at length about Danica Patrick's future in NASCAR after she took pole position at the 2013 Daytona 500. She became the first woman in Cup Series history to do so with a pole speed of 196.434 mph in a Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy.

Andretti, who had seen Patrick's IndyCar success up close when she drove for his son, Michael Andretti's team, highly appreciated Patrick's achievement in NASCAR. However, he was skeptical about whether she could replicate her IndyCar heroics in the Cup Series.

"Any top 10 finish would be golden for her. It all depends on how many people will work with her, and very likely, not too many will because of her limited experience. She may be left out to dry. There you go for the best shot you have as far as who you try to help and get help from. All of that will play out," Mario Andretti said via Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The four-time IndyCar champion then explained how Danica Patrick would need to show off her bat to attract the right people to her team.

"If she shows early on she really has a fast car and a desirable partner, they will gravitate toward her. We have to see how it plays out. Her car is fast, but let’s see how it works out in traffic. I’m pulling for her, but I pull for a lot of drivers there. I like a lot of the NASCAR drivers. If she does well I will feel very good for her, for sure," Andretti added.

Patrick lived up to Mario Andretti's expectations at that year's Daytona 500 with an P8 finish, kicking off her first season in the NASCAR Cup Series on a high. She also found a stable full-time seat at Stewart-Haas Racing for five years.

However, she could only record six more Top 10 finishes during her tenure, with a best finish of P6 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2014. She retired in 2018 after her final Daytona 500 attempt, where she crashed out.

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Mario Andretti thanked Danica Patrick for concluding her career with an Indy 500 return

Mario Andretti at the NASCAR Awards and Champion Celebration - Source: Getty

Danica Patrick recorded her last full season in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2017, which wasn't much different from the results she achieved in the previous years. She chose to conclude her racing career in 2018 with the Danica Double, i.e., competing in her final Daytona 500 and the Indy 500.

Unfortunately, both races ended with her crashing out. However, in the lead-up to her final Indy 500, Mario Andretti was joyous that Patrick returned to IndyCar to close out her career.

"She’s had a very positive impact on the sport of motor racing, period — wherever she went. So it’s wonderful that she chose to have her very last race of her career right here in Indianapolis, and I wish her well. I always admired her, quite honestly. We’re good friends, and I think she’s found a purpose outside of the sport, and that’s wonderful to see," the 1969 Indy 500 winner said via USA Today.

After 2018, Danica Patrick moved to focusing on her other business ventures and became a professional sports analyst in 2021. She has since been an active part of the Sky Sports F1 team, and has also been covering the Indy 500 (with NBC from 2019 to 2024 and with FOX in 2025).