Fan vote could put Danica Patrick in Sprint race

There are two ways Danica Patrick can qualify for the Sprint All-Star race on Saturday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway: She can either finish first or second in the Sprint Showdown qualifying race or she can win a fan vote.

The top-two finish would be a stretch considering her career best in any Sprint Cup Series race is eighth place at the season-opening Daytona 500. With Dale Earnhardt Jr. already in the all-star race as a winner from last year, she’s become the favorite to win the fan vote.

“I think about it from a fan’s perspective and I think that you want the driver that you cheer for to be out there of course, but you want a good race," Patrick said. “Hopefully, they think of me when they think of those two."

Patrick did a video promoting her chances in the fan vote, as well as her boyfriend’s, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. In the video, she convinced Stenhouse to vote for her, but after she went to the garage he quickly voted for himself.

“I would love to be in the race and I think more than anything you want to entertain your fans of course. I hope I can be in the race to do that," Patrick said. “Also, I want to perform well in the Coke 600 and racing in the all-star race would definitely help that."