Danica Patrick is dating fellow driver Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. to make NASCAR's "first" couple. The two confirmed the relationship after the annual Charlotte Motor Speedway media tour.
Danica Patrick is one of the most recognizable racecar drivers in the world and her upcoming season in NASCAR is one of the most anticipated in recent memory.
On Friday though, she made headlines for a different reason, as she confirmed to the Associated Press that she has a new love in her life. According to the AP, Patrick and fellow driver Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. is a couple.
"I have a boyfriend, his name is Richard," she said during an exclusive telephone interview with AP, ending the speculation in the media about the relationship.
"I think I am just finally excited to tell someone about this," Patrick laughed, sounding almost giddy as she said the two-time Nationwide champion's middle name is Lynn and he prefers she use his first name
The two decided to wait until after the weeklong media tour at the Charlotte Motor Speedway to go public, hoping to keep the focus on racing. The two first started off as friends while racing on the Nationwide Series circuit, but developed a romantic relationship later on.
"We are dating, and I know there's been a bit of a runaround this week at the media days and poor Ricky got grilled (with questions)," she said. "It was out of respect to NASCAR, to all the manufacturers, the new cars, the teams, the sponsors, just to allow the news of the day to be about racing and not let anything interfere with that. So, it's Friday now, so that's why we waited until the end of the week to be up front about each other."
Stenhouse confirmed the relationship.
"Yes we are dating," he said. "I don't normally say too much about my private life, always been focused on the track. I didn't want to confirm at media day so that we could keep the focus on the season, the Gen-6 (car), my sponsors and team. That's what it's all about for me."
The two aren't the only high-profile couple in sports, as news came out about Tiger Woods dating Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn.
Patrick is one of the most popular drivers in NASCAR and took home the Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver award last year. Patrick usually does not talk about her personal life, but things became public earlier this year when she finalized her divorce from her husband Paul Hospenthal after seven years.
Patrick filed the divorce papers on Jan. 3 in the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County, according to documents obtained by ESPN.com on Monday. The news first came out in November after Patrick announced on Facebook the decision to divorce her husband. It came just one day after being named most popular driver in the Nationwide Series.
"I am sad to inform my fans that after seven years, Paul and I have decided (to) amicably end our marriage," she said at the time, according to the Associated Press. "This isn't easy for either of us, but mutually it has come to this. He has been an important person and friend in my life and that's how we will remain moving forward."
"My marriage is irretrievably broken and there is no reasonable prospect of reconciliation," Patrick said in the filing that she signed on Dec. 31. According to the documents, Patrick and Hospenthal signed onto a prenuptial agreement prior to their marriage in 2005 that defined property interest. She stated no alimony will be necessary from Hospenthal.
While Patrick and Stenhouse will be in a relationship, they will also be competing on the track as rookies in NASCAR. She says there won't be any issues while they are racing.
"Obviously, we've been racing together for a couple years now, him and I have always gotten along, we've always had a lot of respect for each other on the track, there's never been an issue out there," she said. "I always say I'll race people how they race me until they do something to make me change my mind. I don't anticipate that changing at all, or us having any issues on the track."
Stenhouse echoed that attitude.
"It won't affect how I race on the track. I want to go out and win, I race everyone hard," he said.
Stenhouse has won eight races over the last two seasons and took home two straight Nationwide titles. He was promoted to replace 2003 NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth for the Cup Series in 2013.
Patrick also made news earlier this year when she announced she would not be racing in the Indy 500 so she can focus fully on her NASCAR season.
"I can confirm to you today I will not be doing the Indy 500,'' the Stewart-Haas Racing driver said to the Associated Press during the first of a three-day Sprint Cup test at Daytona International Speedway. "The team and I decided to focus on Cup. It's going to be plenty of work as it is."
Patrick currently is preparing to race a full schedule on the Sprint Cup series, becoming the first woman to do so. She will drive for Stewart-Haas Racing. She was testing at Daytona International Speedway last week and spoke about rumors of her racing in the Indy 500 this year. Patrick confirmed to reporters that she will not be racing in the Indy 500 and will instead fully concentrate on her season in the Sprint Cup Series. She said that she would not rule out future races, but that this year she will not head to the track.
During her run in the Nationwide series last year Patrick finished in the top 10 four different times and earned over $750,000. She earned 838 points while starting in 33 races and won one pole, finishing 413 points behind the points leader. Patrick also competed in a limited amount of Cup races last season and finished in the top 20 just once after placing 17th at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Phoenix. She also led 40 laps in the Nationwide circuit.
Patrick finished the year 10th place in the standings, the best result for a female driver ever. She will also be making a mark when she hits the track this season as the first woman to compete in the Sprint Cup Series full time. She will drive the No. 10 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing.
Patrick is one of the most popular drivers in auto racing and will be in the spotlight when she takes the wheel at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach on February 24, 2013.
