Danica Patrick Interview
About this episode
Danica Patrick sits down with Harvick and Buxton to trace her path from karting and a move to England, through open-wheel goals and IndyCar’s early success, then into NASCAR. She explains why lap times make progress obvious, what it takes to stay focused at 225 mph, and how her go-kart “understeer, oversteer” language had to change. Off track, she talks about sponsorship, being seen as more than “the girl in IndyCar,” and handling social media pressure and backlash.
open-wheel
"To NASCAR, because if you're having fun, and you're where you want to be in 0-9, the best open-wheel year of your career, very soon afterwards, you made this huge transition."
Open-wheel race cars have the wheels sticking out where you can see them. That usually means the cars drive and handle differently than other types of racing cars, so switching series can be a big adjustment.
“Open-wheel” describes race cars where the wheels are exposed outside the bodywork, unlike most production-based cars. In motorsports, open-wheel series typically have different driving demands and car setups than stock-car racing, which can affect how a driver adapts when switching disciplines.
road courses
"I think that the series was shifting towards a lot more road courses. Maybe we were about to meet that breaking point of... Before I left, there was more road courses than ovals."
Road courses are race tracks with lots of turns, not just going left around an oval. They can require different driving and setup, so qualifying can be harder even if you do well during the race.
Road courses are tracks made of a mix of left and right turns, often with elevation changes and braking zones that resemble real roads. Compared with oval racing, road courses demand different braking points, cornering technique, and qualifying strategy—so a driver who excels in races may still struggle to qualify if the car/setup doesn’t match their strengths.
ovals
"Before I left, there was more road courses than ovals. So that was a little bit of it, and I struggled."
Ovals are tracks where you mostly turn one direction—usually left—and you keep high speed. Cars are set up differently for ovals than for twisty tracks, which can affect how well someone qualifies.
Ovals are tracks with predominantly left-hand turns and a layout designed around sustained speed, often with banking in the corners. Drivers and teams typically set up cars differently for ovals versus road courses, and qualifying performance can vary depending on how well the car’s balance matches the track’s demands.
qualify
"I always had good races on road courses, but I didn't always qualify as well, which was frustrating."
Qualifying is when drivers race against the clock to decide where they start on the grid. Starting up front can make the race easier because you’re not stuck in traffic.
In racing, “qualifying” is the session where drivers set their starting position for the race based on lap time. Strong qualifying matters because it determines track position at the start, which can heavily influence how much clean air and passing opportunity a driver has.
oversteer
"I was like, oh, well, the car is looser, it's tight, [734.4s] and I was like, understeer, oversteer!"
Oversteer is when the car rotates too much in a turn. It can feel like the back end is sliding out or “getting loose.”
Oversteer is when a car turns more than the driver expects—often because the rear tires lose grip before the front. It can feel like the back end wants to step out, and drivers may counter it with steering and throttle/brake adjustments.
understeer
"I was like, oh, well, the car is looser, it's tight, [734.4s] and I was like, understeer, oversteer!"
Understeer is when you turn the steering wheel and the car doesn’t rotate as much as you want. It feels like the front end is “pushing” wide in the corner.
Understeer is when a car turns less than the driver expects—typically the front tires lose grip first. The car tends to push toward the outside of the corner, so the driver may need to adjust speed, steering input, or setup to get the front end to bite.
seat-fitted
"I remember going to Charlotte and getting seat-fitted"
Seat fitting is the process of positioning a driver in the cockpit so they can reach the steering wheel, pedals, and controls comfortably and consistently. In racing, small changes in seat position and alignment can affect steering leverage, braking/throttle control, and how effectively the driver can manage grip.
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