Coping with NASCAR’s demands isn’t easy. After all, there is a lot of difference in competing for 36 races across a Cup Series season in comparison to the 17-19 races of the IndyCar Series. However, Danica Patrick was forced to get accustomed to this change when she left Andretti Autosport in 2011 to join Stewart-Haas Racing the following year. What started as a part-time gig with just 10 appearances in her debut season soon evolved into a full-fledged NASCAR career.

The career change not only forced Danica Patrick to adjust physically but mentally as well, to cope with NASCAR’s high expectations. Sharing her thoughts on Instagram, Patrick highlighted the change in her attitude after the first few races in the Cup Series.

An important lesson from Danica Patrick’s early NASCAR days

After spending seven years at IndyCar, she decided to switch to NASCAR in August 2011 to ply her trade in the highest level of stock car racing. The Wisconsin native earlier had said that pit strategies and racing on different track types were what interested her to pursue a career in the Cup Series, while speculation indicated that difficulty securing sponsorships may have motivated her move.

However, she quickly realized that the transition would be far from smooth, as coping with the relentless demands of NASCAR’s schedule would be a difficult task.

Speaking to Codie Sanchez for the bigdeal.podcast, Danica Patrick highlighted her initial challenges as she transitioned from Indy to NASCAR. Patrick Said in the Instagram post shared by Sanchez, “So when I got to NASCAR from IndyCar, there’s race after race. IndyCar was a much shorter season. NASCAR was basically every single weekend. The energy of one weekend would spill into the next one very easily, and that’s what I let it do when I first got here. Then it fully spiraled when it was like the second or third race in a row.”

Further revealing how it took a toll on her, Danica Patrick revealed, “That was bad early in the season and it was at Phoenix and it was my sponsor’s hometown race and I was just like a b-tch about it. And I realized after that I was like, ‘Whoa, I better learn how to get over this stuff really fast so that I can reset the next weekend and bring a better attitude and a better mood because I’m always on.’”

Despite securing an impressive 8th-place finish at the 2013 Daytona 500 in her first race as a full-time Cup Series driver, Danica Patrick had an underwhelming start in NASCAR. She finished the subsequent race at Phoenix International Raceway in 39th place, and the result of her season continued in a similar vein. Patrick undoubtedly found adapting to the challenges of the Cup Series difficult, as she finished no higher than 24th in her five full seasons at NASCAR’s highest level.

Danica Patrick is what one can consider to be a true trailblazer. She has the highest finish by a woman in the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500, a testament to her versatility as a racing driver. She was also the first female driver to win an IndyCar Series race at the 2008 Indy Japan 300 and get a pole position in the NASCAR Cup Series.

While her adaptability in stock car racing left much to be desired, Patrick can take solace in the fact that she paved the way for future generations of women to follow in her footsteps and make a career in two of the biggest motorsports competitions in the world.

Patrick opens up about mental health and self-belief

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It’s no secret that Danica Patrick has had to deal with adversity throughout her racing career. Whether it was when she transitioned from IndyCar to NASCAR or having to break stereotypes in an industry where women haven’t traditionally been represented, Despite hanging up her helmet for good, the 42-year-old is a successful entrepreneur, using many lessons that she learned on the racetrack in her many business ventures.

Reflecting on her racing days, Danica Patrick said, “Obviously, my job was stressful but as far as mental health, I feel super grateful that I just didn’t have a lot of those anxieties or spirals where I struggled. Whenever I had times that were harder and I had doubt in myself, I would have to remember the things I had accomplished. You have to rely on that deep passion and belief that it will work out. Having a lot of faith that something is going to work is also very important, and I have that.”

Patrick’s versatility as a racer and her ability to adapt to different motorsport disciplines are a testament to her impressive mental strength. She may not have won a Cup Series race but has a lot to be proud of, being one of the most successful women in American open-wheel racing. Her journey highlights just how important having a good attitude can be in achieving success, as well as the importance of staying resilient in the face of challenges.