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Bank of America 500 Pre-Report

10.03.17

Bank of America 500 Pre-Report

As Danica Patrick and the No. 10 Ford Warriors in Pink Ford Fusion team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) return to Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway for Sunday’s Bank of America 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race, they will be driving for more good days as they help Ford continue to promote the Ford Warriors in Pink initiative.

Patrick debuted the Warriors in Pink livery last Sunday at Dover (Del.) International Speedway to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness month. The special paint scheme marks Ford’s decades-long commitment to raising awareness and funds in the fight against the disease.

Patrick’s No. 10 racecar displays the warrior symbol to honor the powerful, courageous women and men engaged in the fight against breast cancer. Symbols are a key part of the inspirational message Ford Warriors in Pink represents – serving to uplift those who exhibit strength and courage in the face of their greatest battle.

“Cancer impacts all of us,” Patrick said. “I bet there are very few people out there who don’t know someone impacted by breast cancer. My friend had a double mastectomy as a preemptive strike because she actually tested positive for the breast cancer gene. She went through everything and hopefully avoided it, but it hit close to home.

“If we all work together, we can help make a difference. Whether it’s starting a conversation or inspiring donations, every little bit helps. That’s why I’m proud to drive the Warriors in Pink Fusion to help raise awareness for the cause.”

Last month, Patrick worked with the Ford Warriors in Pink team to surprise patients with racing lessons at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. The event is one of many being held across the country in an effort to help tap into a newfound fearlessness patients and survivors tend to experience by giving them free access to engage in new thrills and challenges.

To empower people to take action and support their loved ones, Ford Warriors in Pink launched its More Good Days initiative in 2015. Since that time, the program has delivered more than 80,000 More Good Days experiences across the country.

All told, the Ford Warriors in Pink program has worked for 23 years to help breast cancer patients and their families. To date, Ford has dedicated more than $133 million to research, education and patient resources.

While Patrick and the No. 10 team work to raise awareness of the Warriors in Pink initiative, they also head into Charlotte looking to improve on their recent string of results. Patrick enters the weekend on the heels of three consecutive 18th-place finishes at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon and Dover.

In 10 previous starts at the 1.5-mile Charlotte oval, Patrick’s best NASCAR Cup Series finish is an 11th-place effort she earned in October 2016. As she and the No. 10 Ford Warriors in Pink team return to the track, they’ll be ready to repeat last fall’s effort in hopes of having another good day at the track.

 

DANICA PATRICK, Driver of the No. 10 Ford Warriors in Pink Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing: 

Your No. 10 Ford Fusion features a special paint scheme this weekend. Talk about that.

“The Ford Warriors in Pink race car really looks great. Cancer impacts all of us. I bet there are very few people out there who don’t know someone impacted by breast cancer. My friend had a double mastectomy as a preemptive strike because she actually tested positive for the breast cancer gene. She went through everything and hopefully avoided it, but it hit close to home. If we all work together, we can help make a difference. Whether it’s starting a conversation or inspiring donations, every little bit helps. That’s why I’m proud to drive the Warriors in Pink Fusion to help raise awareness for the cause.”

 

Can you talk more about the program and what it means to have the Ford Warriors in Pink initiative on your car?

“I have been a part of breast cancer awareness (initiatives) for many years. It’s an honor. I’ve also been able to meet a lot of survivors. (Two weeks ago) I was in Chicago driving survivors around. I got the chance to read their bios before I went and, yeah, it makes you feel pretty small again. These women have struggled through a lot and some of them have gone through it more than once. It was a good day. They were all really excited. Some people were screaming. Actually, one lady, when I stopped, I said, ‘Were you screaming every time that I went into the corner?’ And she said, ‘Yes, didn’t you hear me?’ It was a great day. I’m proud to represent this program and be a part of its long history and incredible donations.”

 

What are your overall thoughts about racing at Charlotte?

“I like Charlotte. It’s really nice for the crews because it’s a home race for them. They get to sleep in their own bed and a lot of their family and friends are there. So, you want to give them a good performance. It’s fun for me at Charlotte because a lot of the crews have young kids, so it’s fun to meet them and see them around the hauler during the race weekend. It’s just a bit of a different experience than a lot of the tracks we go to.”

 

Bank of America 500 Notes of Interest: 

The Bank of America 500 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway will mark Danica Patrick’s 184th career start in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. In 10 previous starts at the 1.5-mile oval, Patrick’s best NASCAR Cup Series finish is an 11th-place effort she earned in October 2016. In three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, she finished a career-best 11th in October 2012.

Ford Warriors in Pink: In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Patrick’s No. 10 Ford Fusion will feature a special Ford Warriors in Pink paint scheme for this weekend’s race at Charlotte. The special livery is a part of Ford’s decades-long commitment to raising awareness and funds in the fight against the disease. For 23 years, the Ford Warriors in Pink program has worked to help breast cancer patients and their families, and Ford has dedicated more than $133 million to research, education and patient resources.

Driving More Good Days: Last month, Patrick helped kick things off with the Ford Warriors in Pink by surprising patients with racing lessons at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. These special events being held across the country are designed to help tap into a newfound fearlessness patients and survivors tend to experience by giving them free access to engage in new thrills and challenges. To empower people to take action and support their loved ones, Ford Warriors in Pink launched its More Good Days initiative in 2015. Since then, the program has delivered more than 80,000 More Good Days experiences across the country – ranging from rides to treatment centers to special patient surprises including racing lessons and more. To join Patrick and the Ford Warriors in Pink in the fight against breast cancer, visit FordCares.com to access free tips, tools and resources that make it easy to give breast cancer patients More Good Days.

Racing at Home: The races at Charlotte Motor Speedway are a time for many in the NASCAR community to spend a little extra time with their families after many weeks on the road traveling the NASCAR circuit. For several members of the No. 10 Ford Warriors in Pink Ford team, racing in Charlotte is also a return to their home track. Jackman Nate House hails from the nearby town of Gastonia, front tire carrier Tyler Bullard is from King, engineer William Lee is from Fuquay-Varina, and hauler driver Larry Lush is from Waynesville.

Dallas Dogs Available: A plush version of Dallas Stenhouse, the 3-year-old miniature Siberian Husky that belongs to Patrick and her boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr., is now available for sale. Race fans can purchase their own Dallas plush dog at the SHR team store in Kannapolis, North Carolina, the SHR online store and at Shop.DanicaPatrick.com. A portion of the proceeds from all sales will benefit animal charities.

For the History Books: Since Patrick began competing in NASCAR on a part-time basis in 2010, she has made plenty of history. Here is a recap of how she has altered the record books through the years:

Became the first woman to win a NASCAR Cup Series pole when she set the fastest time in qualifying for the 2013 Daytona 500.
Led laps 90 to 91 of the 2013 Daytona 500, becoming the first female to lead NASCAR’s most prestigious race. She also led laps 127 to 129.
Became the first woman to lead a NASCAR race under green (Daytona 2013). Janet Guthrie led five laps under yellow in 1977 at Ontario (Calif.) Motor Speedway.
Finished 2013 Daytona 500 in eighth place, the highest finishing position ever for a woman in the “Great American Race.”
Finished 10th in 2012 Xfinity Series points, the highest points finish by a woman in the history of NASCAR’s top three series (Cup, Xfinity, Truck).
Competed in every NASCAR Cup Series race in 2013, becoming the first female driver to complete an entire season in the series.
Became the first female to compete in the non-points NASCAR All-Star race (2013) and Sprint Unlimited (2014).
Have the most starts of any female in NASCAR Cup Series competition.
With seven top-10 finishes, holds the record for the most top-10 finishes of any female in NASCAR Cup Series competition.

 

History Maker in IndyCar: Patrick became the first woman to win a major-league open-wheel race in a North American series in April 2008 by winning the IndyCar Series Japan Indy 300 at the Twin Ring Motegi oval in Japan.
 

Big Stage: In seven Indianapolis 500 starts, Patrick finished in the top-10 six times, including a third-place result in 2009, the best finish ever for a woman in the historic race.