Harvick slams Danica Patrick
The most dramatic moment came when Patrick was leaving her pit late in the race and ran into the rear of Clint Bowyer’s car on pit road.
That was the result of her having only fourth gear and trying to get going after her pit stop. She said losing fourth gear was the result of damage to her car from an earlier wreck with Cole Whitt.
“The 26 (of Whitt) wasn’t clear and got into us and so we had some damage," Patrick said. “Then I lost first and second gear and then finally third gear, so the last 100 or 200 laps I only had fourth gear.
“That’s why I hit Clint in the pits. It wouldn’t go, so I dipped the clutch and got sideways and when it was about to spin around, I lifted, it caught and then it went straight and it wouldn’t stop. So I hit him. I apologized to his crew after the race."
Patrick was a lap down around the midway point of the race and held up Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick as he was battling to remain in the top three.
“The 10 (of Patrick) needs to learn what (expletive) team she’s on!" Harvick told his team over the team radio, later saying, “the 10 cost us three god-dang spots."
SHR Vice President of Competition Greg Zipadelli didn’t seem too concerned.
“You’re going to have that," Zipadelli said. “You’re going to have it at Martinsville and you’re going to have it at a lot of other places. They’ll work it out. He’s helped her a lot this year, and they’ll work their frustrations out."
With the 18th-place finish, Patrick moved up five spots to 28th in the driver and owner standings on a day when boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished a career-best second.
“If there was any day I didn’t want yellows, it’s today because I didn’t have any gears," Patrick said. "We survived and got a decent finish out of it. (Crew chief Tony) Gibson made good calls all night and hopefully we can build on this going to Fontana." Sporting News