Patrick Will Start 27th in 56th Daytona 500

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In: NASCAR Cup Series News

Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), finished 13th in the first Budweiser Duel qualifying race Thursday night at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

The Budweiser Duel consists of twin qualifying races that set the 43-car field for the season-opening Daytona 500, and Patrick earned the 27th starting position for Sunday’s race. However, because the GoDaddy team changed an engine earlier in the week, per NASCAR rules, Patrick will drop to the rear of the field before the green flag drops on the “Great American Race.”

Despite having to drop to the rear of the field, Patrick and the GoDaddy team escaped any significant damage in the Budweiser Duel, a concern for drivers and teams every year.

“I think every time there is a chance that something could happen, then you worry that it could happen,” Patrick said. “From a couple of days ago, it was really more the mentality ‘Let’s just go out and race,’ and ‘Let’s just see if we can make something happen.’ ‘Let’s see what happens when we try various different things.’ That is kind of what I did out there. I kind of keep getting the same results when I try things as in like when I try this, this happens. When I try that, that happens. That’s all good information for Sunday, to be honest.”

Patrick knows she will have to come from the rear of the field but is confident in her ability to do it.

“It could be challenging, but I think if you get a few people behind you, I think it will be fine,” Patrick said. “I know my GoDaddy pit crew is really good, so I know when it comes to pit stops, they’ll help get cars behind me. They are awesome. I know that (crew chief Tony) Gibson will try strategy to get me track position. With those two things, we’ll get in the thick of it. From there it will be a matter of using those things that I have learned over the last week and put them to good use.”

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