RICHMOND, Va. — Danica Patrick said Friday she is concerned about traveling to Japan for the Sept. 18 IndyCar race at Twin Ring Motegi.
MotoGP postponed its April race until October because of concerns stemming from the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the country this year. But IndyCar is going forward with the event, and Patrick questioned the wisdom of that decision.
“I don’t want to make anyone mad, but heck, yeah, I’m concerned,” Patrick said. “Moto- GP has made a big fuss about going there, and their race got delayed, and is still after ours next weekend. They had a study done that seemed it was relatively safe. The radiation seems OK.”
But Patrick said she is concerned about the food and water, as well as the earthquakes that have occurred since the March disaster. She and her husband plan to pack as much food and water as possible.
“They say don’t eat beef, which probably means don’t eat vegetables and fruit,” she said. “I read something about nine times the radiation in mushrooms so far out of Fukushima in that area. And there’s earthquakes every week. It seems every other week there’s a pretty big one.”
Patrick has just three IndyCar races remaining before she makes a full-time move to NASCAR next season. Her only victory in the IndyCar Series came in Japan, in 2008.
Race/Facts
NASCAR Sprint Cup Wonderful Pistachios 400
Site: Richmond, Va.
TV: KMGH-7, 5 p.m. today
Track: Richmond International Raceway (oval, 0.75 miles)
Race distance: 300 miles, 400 laps
Next race: Geico 400, Sept. 18, Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Ill.
Online:
Formula One Italian Grand Prix
Site: Monza, Italy
TV: Speed Channel, 5:30 a.m. Sunday
Track: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza (road course, 3.6 miles)
Race distance: 190.8 miles, 53 laps
Next race: Singapore Grand Prix, Sept. 25, Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore
Online:
