Danica Patrick announces that she will retire following next season's Indianapolis 500

[pwaldo]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-Indy-500.html

Danica Patrick has known for at least a month that she will end her career next season at the Indianapolis 500, a decision that will bring her full circle and return her one last time to the storied track that made her famous.

Discussing her decision with The Associated Press, Patrick was giddy with excitement and thrilled at the chance to take one more spin around Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

When it came time to announce her plans to the world, with her mother, father, sister, brother-in-law, boyfriend and support team watching from the back of a crowded room at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday afternoon, Patrick broke down in tears.

She paused several times to compose herself to announce that she will race only in the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 and then she will walk away from the sport where success was elusive even as she became one of the most recognizable female athletes in the world.

Patrick told AP it took her many months to come to the realization her career is all but over.

Once she accepted it, the idea of ending her career at Indy popped into her head. She told her agent, and she's been working on putting together 'The Danica Double' over the last several weeks.

'Nothing that was being presented excited me, then about three weeks ago, I just blurted out, 'What about Indy? Let's end it with the Indy 500,'' she said. 'This ignites something in me. But I am done after May. Everyone needs to put their mind there. My plan is to be at Indy, and then I'm done.'

Patrick would not reveal who she will drive for in either race next year, but Chip Ganassi Racing is the likely ride at Indy.

[bakemeister52]

She will be missed but it is time!