Fountain – Children were riding on their parents’ shoulders. People were wedging their way between others just to get a sightline. Cellphones were being flipped open and pointed in one direction.
Fans at Pikes Peak International Raceway on Sunday began shouting: “Danica. Danica. Over here.”
Fans had photos, magazines and hats to be signed. One fan even took his shirt off to get a signature and shoved it in rookie Danica Patrick’s face. Yet she remained stoic. Her pen stroke was the only motion or emotion she showed.
It’s Danica Television. And though she feels the hoopla around her is good for the Indy Racing League, it has been frustrating for Patrick. During the post- race news conference, questions were asked about what she could have done differently, because she wasn’t able to start closer to the front.
“I started fifth,” said Patrick, who finished eighth. “Fifth isn’t bad. Anywhere in the top five is a good qualifying spot.”
The 23-year-old finished 2 laps behind winner Dan Wheldon. Though she moved up one spot in the standings to 11th, with 259 points, Patrick is 246 behind Wheldon.
Sunday, Patrick felt she took a positive step. She said changes to her car have made it more consistent.
Yet, she has remained inconsistent. In three of her past four races, she has finished out of the top 15, but in the first two races in July, she finished in the top 10.
“I don’t think that I’m going to any race feeling different or have a different expectation level,” Patrick said. “You know as a driver, you really have to hope and expect to win at all times.”
What hasn’t been different are the crowds. Sunday, a group six people deep surrounded Rahal Letterman Racing’s trailers and pushed and shoved to get an autograph or a glimpse of the IRL’s 5-foot-2, 100-pound media star attraction.
It has been that way this season.
While the average racer wins every 33 starts, Patrick, who has raced 13 times, is expected to win. As much as she wants to take the checkered flag, Patrick knows she has to be patient.
“You’re going to fall short more times in the beginning of your career than you are toward the end, hopefully,” she said.
Sunday she never sniffed the lead. After the 10th lap, she fell back four spots. As the laps passed by, so did her chances. After the caution from laps 80-89, Patrick was left near the back of the pack, battling and dodging the slower cars.
“It’s tough, you know; they get in the way,” Patrick said. “When you’re one of the last cars of that group, you’ve kind of got to wait for it all to pan out.”
Bryan Chu can be reached at 303-820-1979 or bchu@denverpost.com.
