Danica Patrick makes fashion statement in black and white striped gown at Indy 500

Former IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick made a fashion statement with her black and white off-the-shoulder dress for the 109th Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last Sunday (May 25).

She returned to the track as part of Fox Sports' first broadcast of the Indy 500, since her retirement from the sport in 2018. The 43-year-old is the only woman to have ever won a race in the open-wheel racing series.

Patrick shared pictures of her checkered flag-inspired dress on Instagram, writing:

"Since I was behind a desk for the broadcast yesterday….. 🖤🤍"

Patrick co-anchored the pre and post-race coverage with host Chris Myers and fellow former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Tony Stewart. Patrick's sister, Brooke and their parents also attended the race on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Alex Palou earned his first Indy 500 win after beating Marcus Ericsson in a thrilling finish.

The win helped Palou extend his lead atop the IndyCar standings. The Spanish driver has won five of the opening six races of the season in IndyCar, and appears primed for a fourth drivers' title in the sport.

Ahead of the Indy 500, Danica Patrick shared on the FOX broadcast what made the race so special for her.

"Calm before the speed" - Danica Patrick promotes 'the greatest spectacle in racing'

In a previous post on Instagram, where she has over 975K followers, Danica Patrick also shared a picture of herself at the 2.5-mile oval track in Indiana and wrote:

"The calm before the….. speed. Where I am walking, the cars will be going 240mph tomorrow during the 109th running of the greatest spectacle in racing.🏁"

She also shared on the FOX broadcast on May 25:

“It’s just been a part of my life my whole life. I remember being a kid and watching it on TV sitting around on the couch and got our chips and dip out. I might have taken a nap back in those days, being a little bit younger, but it's been a part of my life forever.”

Danica Patrick is considered one of the most successful women in American open-wheel racing history. She made history in 2008 by winning the Indy Japan 300.

Transitioning to NASCAR, she competed in 191 Cup Series races over five seasons with Stewart Haas Racing, between 2013 and 2017. She achieved seven top-10 finishes with one pole position for the Daytona 500 in 2013.

Since retiring from all forms of racing in 2018, Patrick has started various business endeavors. She owns Somnium, a wine brand based in Northern California, operates a clothing line, and hosts the Pretty Intense podcast. The Wisconsin native also serves as a race analyst for Formula 1 events for Sky Sports.

Patrick has also been actively sharing her political views in recent months. She shared her support for Donald Trump on social media, attended his rallies and voted for the first time during the 2024 presidential election.