Danica Patrick, who finished second in the IndyCar Series race at Belle Isle last year, was one of a number of drivers who attended a news conference at the Detroit Yacht Club on Thursday.
She appeared relaxed and ready for Sunday’s Detroit Indy Grand Prix presented by Firestone and will be on track for practice today in the No. 7 Motorola Dallara/Honda for Andretti Green Racing.
“We had a great result here last year,” Patrick said. “Street courses are challenging — you’ve got to be a little rougher and more aggressive on them than road courses. We’ll see how the weekend shakes out, but we have a great shot here” at the win).”
Patrick, sixth in series points, finished fifth at Sonoma last Sunday and was happy enough with the performance. But she admits things have gotten harder this year with the arrival of Champ Car competitors to the IndyCar Series.
“Dang it, it’s tougher,” said Patrick, 26. “But the extra competition is good for the fans. Detroit is a hard place to pass, but we’ll be pushing.”
HELIO ENTERTAINS: Helio Castroneves was in his usual good form at the microphone. The Penske Racing ace won at Sonoma, snapping a 29-race losing streak, and is now just 43 points behind IndyCar Series leader Scott Dixon.
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Looking across at Dixon during the new conference, Castroneves, a two-time Belle Isle winner, cracked a big smile and asked the New Zealander: “Are you feeling the pressure, buddy?”
He later thanked the reporters, sponsors and fellow racers present for voting for him on “Dancing with the Stars” last year.
Dixon, who followed Castroneves to the microphone, looked at the Brazilian and shook his head.
“How do you follow that?” he asked. “Come on.”
BRISCOE BUSY: Penske Racing’s Ryan Briscoe will pull double duty this weekend.
Briscoe will drive in the IndyCar Series race Sunday and also in Saturday’s ALMS event, in the Penske Racing LMP2 Porsche RS Spyder he drove at Belle Isle in 2007.
Briscoe qualified for the pole last year but spun late in the race, finishing ninth overall and seventh in class.
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