Danica Patrick Reveals Racing’s “Reciprocal Trade-Off” That Surrounds Drivers’ Off-Track Life

Danica Patrick is one of the most, if not the most successful lady drivers NASCAR has ever produced. In a male-dominated area like motorsport, the former IndyCar & NASCAR driver has found a niche for herself, becoming one of the most influential names out there even after her official retirement post the 2017 season.

The former Stewart-Haas Racing driver’s life is one that has many chapters, starting from the big wreck in her very first race to her epic careers in open-wheel racing and stock car racing.

Recently, the 41-year-old sat down with Simon Sinek, the popular author and YouTuber where she revealed the residual effects of having a high-speed racing career.

Danica Patrick gets brutally honest about the harsh reality of racing & adrenaline

Now, motorsport requires a driver to completely devote themselves to the craft. One’s reflex, brain coordination, and presence of mind come into play when they’re aiming to race at triple-digit speeds with a hungry pack of drivers breathing down their neck.

Much like combat sports, adrenaline is the name of the game in racing as well. However, as a driver exits the racetrack and the adrenaline wears off, they often find themselves in a situation yearning for that high again as their brain tricks them into an insatiable loop. Reflecting on this very aspect, Patrick gave a resounding lesson, elaborating on the brutal reality of things.

She said, “I found that in life there’s always, if you are really really high you better expect that there can be a really big low for that. You can be a big race car driver and go have adrenaline every single weekend, then come down off of it and you’re like I need to be busy. I’m bored, I need something, I need stimulation.”

The driver turned entrepreneur then dropped the cold reality of life in the fast lane, saying, “There’s always a pretty reciprocal trade off with everything. Everything is here to show us us.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Danica Patrick reveals how her perfectionistic attitude gets the best of her during ultimate workout 

Patrick’s iconic win in Japan that propelled her into the spotlight

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Currently, Danica Patrick can be counted among the most prominent names that come from the female motorsport circle. The veteran, who is a first generation racer, got a taste for speed getting into go-karts at the young age of 10. Notably, her father acted as a crew chief while her mother partook in her racing statistics. After a storied career ranging from Junior Formula to IndyCar Series, she finally dipped her toes in stock car racing in 2010, starting with an ARCA Racing series. However, that’s not why Danica is the most well known for!

She was the first woman ever to win an IndyCar Series event. While she never intended to be a full-time racecar driver, Patrick’s life took a big turn when she finished fourth in her first Indy500 appearance in 2005. She then went on to stun everyone after winning her first IndyCar race in 2008, becoming the first ever woman driver to win a race in the open-wheel circus in Indy Japan 300.

READ MORE: “I Did Okay”- Danica Patrick’s Reveals How Her ‘Perfectionist’ Attitude Gets the Best of Her During Ultimate Workout

The Twin Rings Motegi race gave the driver the push she needed, putting her on the map. And just 5 years later, she transitioned into NASCAR, where she stole the show in the 55th Daytona 500, grabbing the pole being the fastest during qualifying.

While her achievements on the racetrack are well documented and people still remember her for it, she continues to steal people’s attention even after her retirement!