# Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring



## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

Danica Patrick made her return to American Le Mans Series competition Tuesday afternoon for Andretti Green Racing. She drove approximately 20 laps at Sebring International Raceway in the team's Acura-powered Courage LC75 with a best time of 1:52.4 around the 17-turn, 3.7-mile circuit. It was Patrick's first prototype experience in the Series and her first appearance since Petit Le Mans in 2003 when she drove a Prodrive Ferrari 550 Maranello in GTS.
Patrick shared her initial thoughts on returning to the Series, its challenges, her impressions of the Courage-Acura and running at Sebring:
The Sebring circuit:
"It's almost like a giant road course and almost two minutes around here. It's been about six years since I was here last. I definitely forgot most of it when I got on the track. It quickly came back. Either that or I quickly adapted. As a driver that's what we're supposed to do is get used to things and adapt. We have a little ways to go but I think it's going good."

Tuesday's test was the first for Patrick in a Series prototype.
The challenges of the American Le Mans Series:
"It's obviously going to mean more traffic, but I think that's fun. Overtaking and having lots of things going on at once is exciting and fun. It definitely keeps you sharp. For sure a 12-hour race would get boring if you were out there by yourself. I think that's what's needed in such a long race.
"I know what it's like racing sports cars. It's pretty fun and it keeps you sharp. It's good to have cars around you and keeps you focused with traffic going by and making passes with the different classes of cars. There are a lot of great places to pass here. That's a good thing to have the discrepancies in speeds between the cars.

Patrick competed at Petit Le Mans in 2003 for Prodrive in a Ferrari 550 Maranello.
The Acura-powered Courage LC75:
"The car is really good. I'm excited to get back to an engine with traction control and a lot of things I'm used to with an Indy Car. It's fun to work on that stuff. It'll be a challenge and a terrific learning experience for me."
"Bryan (Herta) and Dario (Franchitti) did a lot of the setup work so I came in on the back end of that. But it's important to be a part of the Acura development program. I wasn't sure how comfortable I'd be with Bryan and Dario being so much taller than me. But there are still some other things we need to work out.
"I did about 20 laps and was a little off of Bryan and Dario. But I don't think it's so much that I can't make up with more time in the car."


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## .:RDriver (Oct 4, 1999)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring ([email protected])*


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring (.:RDriver)*

Nice Jimmy. So she's going to run in ALMS this season for them?


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## .:RDriver (Oct 4, 1999)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring ([email protected]ude)*

Not sure yet. Kim Green of Andretti Green Racing said that she was there to try out the car and to see if they would be able to configure the seat for her, while still allowing it to work for the other guys, since she is so small compared to them.
They wanted to test her in the car and see how things went, then they would see if they could fit her in at some point, I imagine as only a third driver for the longer events as Dario and Herta are already slotted as the two main drivers for the team.
I think she was about 4 seconds off the pace of the other drivers.


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## .:RDriver (Oct 4, 1999)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring (.:RDriver)*

Looks like Danica didnt make the cut as Franchitti, Herta and Kanaan get the nod from AGR.
http://www.speedarena.com/news...shtml


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring (.:RDriver)*

Too bad. Her attendance at Sebring would have brought nice exposure for the series. Now if Jeff Gordon would just come and race a Vette with little Dale.


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## chernaudi (Oct 6, 2006)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring ([email protected])*

Jr tried to run a Vette in '04 at Sears Point and nearly got his unmentionables toasted in a collsion enduced fire in a practice session.


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## .:RDriver (Oct 4, 1999)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring ([email protected])*


_Quote, originally posted by *[email protected]* »_Too bad. Her attendance at Sebring would have brought nice exposure for the series. Now if Jeff Gordon would just come and race a Vette with little Dale.

I think they wanted to win more than help the attendance.







She was like 4 seconds off the pace at testing.
To this day I think that the TV ratings for that Infineon race where Jr. got toasted are still the highest in the history of the series and he didnt even start the event.


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## 16v (Aug 4, 1999)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring (.:RDriver)*


_Quote, originally posted by *.:RDriver* »_
She was like 4 seconds off the pace at testing.


and Dario has a better body


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring (16v)*


_Quote, originally posted by *16v* »_
and Dario has a better body
















Says you. Ashley maybe. Dario... no.


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## 16v (Aug 4, 1999)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring ([email protected])*

Danica and Dario wear the same bra size 
HA!!









Ashley looks better in a fire suit than both of them put together


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## .:RDriver (Oct 4, 1999)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring (16v)*

Yeah...I forgot about Ashley. Maybe we'll get lucky with Dario running this year and get to see her in a firesuit hanging out in the pits. If we're lucky she'll even unzip it a bit on those really hot days during the summer.


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## 16v (Aug 4, 1999)

*Re: Danica Patrick Tests Acura at Sebring (.:RDriver)*


_Quote, originally posted by *.:RDriver* »_Yeah...I forgot about Ashley. Maybe we'll get lucky with Dario running this year and get to see her in a firesuit hanging out in the pits. If we're lucky she'll even unzip it a bit on those really hot days during the summer.










one can only hope.......


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