Why Danica Patrick Could be a Good Candidate for NASCAR’s Le Mans Project?

For a while, NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports have been working on an ambitious project. Over here, they would field a NASCAR Next Gen car in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Now, amid all the preparations, attention will soon turn to who will actually drive the car or cars. It’s all very well for NASCAR to build and develop a car, but it still needs someone to pilot it. Of course, since Hendrick Motorsports is helming the project, the obvious answer is that one or more of their drivers will be recruited.

However, there are some racers who have had experience in endurance racing, like Danica Patrick.

All the way back in 2003, the Wisconsin native tested an American Le Mans Series car. Barely a week later, the Prodrive Racing team recruited her for the Chevy Grand Prix of Atlanta at Road Atlanta.

As a result, Patrick got her hands on a Ferrari 550 Maranello in the GTS class. Of course, since this was an endurance race, she could scarcely race alone for hours on end. So, she partnered former F1 driver Anthony Davidson in the #80 Prodrive Ferrari.

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Danica Patrick had some familiar faces in the team

It is interesting to note that Patrick has raced against Davidson in her career. This was because he managed to defeat her in the 2000 Formula Ford Festival. Despite the disappointment, she could take comfort in the fact that hers was the highest finish ever by an American driver. In the other Prodrive car, Tomas Enge and Peter Kox shared driving duties in the #88 machine.

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As it happened, it was just a one-off drive, as she competed only in the Grand Prix of Atlanta. Since then, she has primarily competed in IndyCar and had a few stints in NASCAR as well.

Owing to her experience, the 40-year-old could be a good choice for the NASCAR-Le Mans tie-up. However, the choice is entirely up to NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports, since they are also heavily invested in this.