In Danica news: a crash, and a flash of temper

Wisconsin native Danica Patrick’s first foray into NASCAR ended with her second incomplete race – due to other cars quite rudely getting in her way – in three races. Patrick was racing well and moving up when she nailed a slower car from behind:

The first chapter of Danica Patrick’s stock car experiment ended with her asking for directions back to the garage – her vision impaired by the folded-up hood blocking her view.

Moments earlier, Patrick clipped Michael McDowell’s rear bumper, sending both drivers into a spin and, eventually, each other. Just 83 laps into the Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, her race was over.

And, as we’ve noticed, she’s got a temper:

As Patrick wheeled her battered race car back toward the garage, she unloaded on McDowell, wondering what he and his spotter were thinking getting in the way of a faster car, especially when his car already was busted up from an earlier incident.

His car was, it seems, held together with tape.

As IRL drivers have learned, it’s best just to grovel when Danica’s pissed:

McDowell immediately apologized to Patrick, taking full blame for causing the incident – “She has every right to be upset,” McDowell said.

Good boy.

That’s it for Danica and NASCAR for the next four months: now it’s back to IRL and paying the bills.