Patrick Working To Become First Female To Win At Daytona

Patrick Working To Become First Female To Win At Daytona

Make no mistake, Danica Patrick wants to win at Daytona. She has openly spoken about the extra track time she has specifically scheduled to gain more experience.
In February, Patrick became the second woman to capture a NASCAR national series pole and first at Daytona. Patrick’s shine seems to blaze even brighter on the biggest stages. But in the season-opening race, she had an unlucky outcome due to an accident with JR Motorsports teammate Cole Whitt and finished 38th.
 As she returns to Daytona, redemption may be on her mind. And why not? In this race last year, she finished 10th, sliding across the finish line during a last-lap melee. It was her best Daytona performance to date. She posted a 115.4 Driver Rating, with an Average Running Position of 6.2. She spent 100 percent of her laps completed in the top 15 and she led 13 percent of the race. In the latter stages of the race, she was in position for what could have been a historic win.
Patrick is currently ninth in the standings, having posted one top-10 finish (Texas) this season. But she comes into Daytona following two solid runs at Road America and Kentucky, where she finished 12th in both events.  Her season-to-date Driver Rating is 76.9, which is ranked 11th in the series.

The Man In The White Hat: Dillon Taking No. 3 Car Back To Prominence

Along pit road and in the NASCAR Nationwide Series garage these days, you will see a young man in a distinctive white hat. His name is Austin Dillon, grandson of Richard Childress and driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Dillon posted his first series win this past weekend, kicking open the door on a possible points championship.
Dillon, 22, won his first career series race last week at Kentucky and also took the points lead. He was the first Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate to lead the standings since Reed Sorenson in 2005. On Monday, he was docked six driver championship points after his No. 3 Chevrolet was found to be too low in post-race inspection, putting him four points behind current leader and Richard Childress Racing teammate Elliott Sadler. But Dillon must be considered a title threat in the season’s second half. History could be made, as well: There has never been an NNS champion who in the previous season won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title. A Sunoco Rookie of the Year has also never won the series championship.
 Over the last three races, Dillon has earned the first two poles of his series career. He has four top fives in his last seven events, including his win, which was the 151st victory by the No. 3 car/truck throughout the NASCAR national series – 97 in NASCAR Sprint Cup, 29 in the NNS and 25 in Trucks.