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IndyCar Features & Interviews (2007)
IRL Feature - Patrick-Wheldon Fued Continues
18/06/2007
Danica Patrick believes that there’s no thing such as bad PR. She feels that the IndyCar Series benefited from the attention that her altercation with Dan Wheldon at Milwaukee received.
The Andretti Green Racing driver argued with Wheldon in the pit lane after a collision in the race, ending the confrontation by shoving the former champion. It made for great television.
The incident received significant coverage in the national American media during the build-up to last weekend's Texas round, in which Patrick finished a career-best third.
"As far as Dan and I, we handled it like drivers and like people on the track that need to respect each other. It was everything on the outside that seemed very, very exciting," Patrick said.
"It's fun though. I like it when we get something going on in the series and people are paying attention.
"When I turn on ESPN and see a whole bunch of stuff on our race coming up that day or that night, that's good. That's the stuff we need. So I get a kick out of it."
The “feud” began after Patrick passed Wheldon in a daring move around the outside of Turn 1 at Indianapolis during the Indy 500.
The following weekend at Milwaukee she was trying to pass the 2005 champion on the inside when they collided, damaging Patrick’s suspension.
Wheldon said after the confrontation, “I think she’s just upset because her teammates are winning, and she isn’t.
Patrick said the press interest in the Milwaukee row had not affected her preparations for Texas, and that she had avoided prolonging the controversy.
"I can't honestly say it was a distraction really," said Patrick. "I didn't do that much more than I normally do. It wasn't like we were trying to feed this. It just ran its course."
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