Petty Says Patrick is 'Not a Race Car Driver': 'Too Late' for Danica to Learn Now?
It's "too late" for Danica Patrick to learn how to become a "race car driver," according to TV analyst Kyle Petty.
In a recent interview Petty, a former NASCAR driver with a total of eight wins under his belt, said the fellow NASCAR racer Danica Patrick was "not a racecar driver." Speaking on SPEED's NASCAR RaceHub program, Petty Charged that Patrick was a good "marketer" but nothing more.
"Danica has been the perfect example of somebody who can qualify better than what she runs," he stated. "She can go fast, but she can't race. I think she's come a long way, but she's still not a race car driver. And I don't think she's ever going to be a race car driver."
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Patrick, 31, has competed in over 26 NASCAR races but the 5'2" driver has yet to take home a win. She has placed once in the top 10. Taking in those results, Petty said Patrick would likely never be an actual race car driver because it is "too late to learn" now.
Despite being critical of Patrick however, Petty also noted that he was never a great NASCAR driver either. He was unable to pinpoint exactly what made on driver better than the next.
"If I knew, I'd be a great driver," he said. "I was not a great driver, and I'll be the first to admit it. I was a journeyman driver. Just like in the NFL or any sport, there are journeyman players."
Petty participated in almost 830 races during his 30 year career as a racecar driver. His first was in 1979 at the Talladega 500. In 1986 he secured his first win at the Miller High Life in Richmond. His last race was in 2008 at Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 in Phoenix.
