In 2018, Tony Stewart stood by the start-finish line at Daytona with admiration in his voice and pride in his eyes. His longtime protégé, who he brought her into NASCAR under the Stewart-Haas banner, Danica Patrick, was preparing for her final Daytona 500. The now 43-year-old’s career began two decades ago when she debuted in the 2005 Indy500 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. From that point on, she made her mark, finishing fourth and leading the race for 19 laps, doing “something no other female has ever done at this level.” As the first woman to lead the race at Indianapolis, she earned the Rookie of the Year title for both the Indy 500 and IndyCar championship that year. After 13 years of breaking and making records, Patrick finally bid adieu to her racing career in a full circle moment. Her final race was an Indy500 in May 2018.

Patrick wasn’t just another racer retiring; she was a pioneer who had braved two of motorsport’s toughest disciplines, IndyCar and NASCAR. And Tony knew, “She’s one of the most fearless people I’ve ever met. She has never backed down from a challenge. In fact, she’s sought out new challenges throughout her career, and that’s what brought her to NASCAR and Stewart-Haas Racing.” And even when she left the garage for good, she continued pushing boundaries, maybe not behind the wheel, but certainly within the sport’s ecosystem– the broadcasting path. Since then, she’s been a regular face in the booth.

First with NBC, then Sky Sports for F1, and now FOX Sports. The latter previously announced its broadcasting crew for the qualifying on May 17 and 18 and the race on May 25. Patrick will be reuniting with Stewart to cover FOX’s first broadcast of the Indy 500. Yet despite her long list of achievements and industry knowledge, fan reaction has been anything but warm and there are reasons why.

This year’s Indianapolis 500 is not just another race. For the first time, FOX is broadcasting the event, and they’ve gone big on their pre-race coverage. The network announced that both Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick will join veteran broadcaster Chris Myers in the secondary booth. Stewart, the 1997 IndyCar champ and three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, returns with past broadcasting experience. Patrick, with her trailblazing record in IndyCar and five seasons in NASCAR, is also a familiar face in the media scene. FOX’s plan is clear: combine racing legends and media pros to give viewers an exciting broadcast.

Big media names like Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi join the lineup, while NFL stars Michael Strahan and Rob Gronkowski will make race-day appearances. Even Tom Brady will be part of the crew at one point. On paper, it’s an all-star team. But in practice, fans seem to have different opinions, especially about Patrick.

According to the popular belief, Danica Patrick doesn’t prepare enough or add useful insight even though she is breaking down and analyzing something she has done firsthand. At one point, they mocked her fashion, tone, and even her questions. And honestly, she knows that she is being judged and has a clever way to look over those noises.

“Great… it’s part of the drama of television. It’s also me triggering people, which has nothing to do with me. And I think that when I work as hard as possible, and do the best job I possibly can and take the job seriously, whatever job that is, I know I’ve done everything I can.

“And so criticism is, I probably already know it, if it’s true, right? I probably already know it. So, I’m pretty aware. Even while I was driving, I always tried to make sure that I didn’t leave room for the criticism to be able to get to me… I always tried as hard as I could and did everything I could.” 

“And if something wasn’t working, I tried new approaches. There’s lots of layers to criticism and where it comes from. But I feel like I’ve done pretty well with it, because it was kind of the name of the game for me.”

But it’s not what the motorsports fans believe. There have been previous stints on CBS’s SRX broadcasts and Sky Sports F1 coverage where Patrick missed key details, like not knowing Bill Elliott’s nickname or even basic race rules. Her critics say she doesn’t do the homework required of an analyst. Then there was the time when she wrongly suggested Hamilton won a title he didn’t and for appearing disinterested during NASCAR analysis which she once even confessed, “the races are way, way too long.” However, this type of criticism isn’t new for Patrick.

No one can deny her influence. Patrick’s 2008 win in IndyCar made her the first woman to win a race in the series. She also holds the best Indy 500 finish for a female driver, third place in 2009. Stewart once said, “She has shown so many female racers that it can be done.” Certainly, her biggest legacy might not be in stats, but in the hope she gave to a generation of racers. She broke through in a world that wasn’t always ready for her. Patrick became a role model for young girls who never saw themselves in the driver’s seat before. Yet, fans have enthusiastically welcomed Tony Stewart’s return to the broadcast booth.

After two years of calling races for NASCAR on FOX, he’s built a reputation for delivering clear analysis and lively commentary. He brings rare expertise in both open-wheel and stock car racing. Fans trust him because he’s done it all, and they know he’ll deliver. Notably, he comes with some blistering accolades in his NHRA career. With his IndyCar and NASCAR knowledge, he balances technical understanding with fan-favorite status. In contrast, Patrick’s return has amplified a divide in fan opinion. As FOX moves toward race day with its new lineup, the growing noise around Patrick’s role may continue to build.

Fans sound off on Patrick’s return

The reaction to FOX’s Indy 500 broadcast team has been explosive with Patrick facing open hostility. One fan on social media didn’t hold back: “Someone attending the Indy 500, please show up in a lizard suit and stand behind her on pit road.” While harsh, this reaction reflects widespread dissatisfaction.

One viral post read: “Who are the dingbats that keep having this idea that adding Danica to a broadcast is a good idea?” That statement echoed across racing forums, where many pointed to her history of broadcast errors and said she lacks insight compared to veterans like Stewart.

Another harsh takedown: “When NBC used her, she added NOTHING. She was clueless as a FOX guest Cup analyst… she didn’t know the race rules and was oblivious to ‘Awesome Bill from Dawsonville.’” That user pointed to her SRX stint as proof that she doesn’t prep or understand the culture deeply enough. This has been a big problem for Patrick as an analyst. During a Formula 1 race in her initial days, she called Lewis Hamilton the winner when Max Verstappen dominated the track.

Another user echoed the sentiments and said, “Jesus Christ, to Danica! She’s an awful analyst! Maybe worse than she was a Cup driver! Smoke is great, on the other hand!” The contrast fans see between her and Stewart is stark. While Stewart is viewed as authentic and insightful, Patrick is seen as out of touch. Even her presence outside of IndyCar draws fire: “Ugh, Danica. She is awful in F1 prerace and adds 0 to the conversation. 500 miles of listening to her is going to be awful.”

Fans argue that her role across multiple platforms shows that networks care more about name recognition than substance. The numbers reflect the mood. Across social platforms, sentiment toward Patrick’s Indy 500 role has trended heavily negative, while posts featuring Stewart get hundreds of likes and shares praising his insight and presence.