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Danica Patrick had a trying afternoon thanks to a blown engine and a crash Friday at Watkins Glen.
It was a day Danica Patrick wants nothing more than to soon forget Friday at Watkins Glen International.
Patrick's troubles began when she missed a gear in the first practice, stressing the engine in the No. 10 Chevrolet. The damage was enough for her Stewart-Haas Racing team to change motors, which will put Patrick at the rear of the grid for Sunday's Cheez-It 355.
Patrick's afternoon only got worse from there. With just minutes remaining in the second and final practice Friday, a tire failure sent Patrick head-on into a tire barrier in Turn 5.
"It has been a record horrible day I'm pretty sure," Patrick said.
The contact was extensive and severely crumpled the left front of the No. 10 car, forcing Patrick to a backup for the remainder of the weekend. Crew chief Tony Gibson thought a broken left shock created a tire run and eventual puncture.
"The only positive thing is that I'm hoping I'm using up all my bad luck and mistakes and all the bad stuff in one day so that I can get it out of the system," Patrick said.
Patrick escaped uninjured, though she did bang her left hand on the steering wheel in the accident. She was 32nd in the first practice and 36th in the final session. Qualifying is Saturday.
Having to start at the back will put Patrick at a severe disadvantage Sunday. Track position is critical at Watkins Glen with passing opportunities limited. She expects Gibson to utilize various strategies to help her get to the front, but knows the race will be a challenge.
"You just try and get off (pit) sequence," Patrick said. "There are only two to three stops that are really needed so you've got to start from the beginning and just try and pit when nobody else does. If a yellow comes out you stay out and go long on fuel to try and make it in two stops and if nobody is coming in and trying to stretch it then you come in and hope for a yellow, then when the caution comes out you don't pit and they do.
I think that is something we can pull off if everything goes our way."
