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Danica Patrick retaliates against Dale Jr. at Kentucky

After being accidentally dumped by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Patrick looked to even the score.

Danica Patrick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

Danica Patrick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

Action Sports Photography

Danica Patrick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Danica Patrick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet helmet
Danica Patrick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

It wasn't the result that Danica Patrick had hoped for at Kentucky Speedway.  

But was baffled her more was when Patrick's former boss Dale Earnhardt Jr. plowed into the back of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevy on Lap 207 at Kentucky Speedway. 

Little did Danica know that the No. 88 Chevy's brakes failed early into the evening.

I mean as hard as I hit her (Danica) what the hell did she think I was doing trying to wreck her?

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Patrick, who made her 100th Sprint Cup start in the Quaker State 400, restarted 23rd following the ninth caution on Lap 192. Earnhardt lined up 28, but from the start of the race he battled without proper brakes.

As Earnhardt gained positions and Patrick dropped back, the No. 88 Chevy had a run and slammed into the No. 10 car in Turn 4. 

Failing brakes on the No. 88 

Junior had no excuse — other than the inability to slow his car.

“We cooked the brakes real fast, the first run they went to the floor,” Earnhardt said. “We bled them, you saw all that work going on.  They got worse and worse and worse and I probably shouldn’t have been racing as hard as I was when we ran into the back of Danica. But I went into that corner and mashed the brakes to the floor. I pumped it three times all the way to the floor and then ran into her.  

“There wasn’t anything I could do. It sucks. I don’t like running into Danica because it gets a little too much attention, but I’m sorry for that.”

Patrick lost control of her car, slammed into the wall and ended up in the front stretch grass. Both cars ended up on pit road on Lap 208 — with Patrick delivering a nudge to Earnhardt showing her disapproval.

While the team later advised Patrick that the No. 88 Chevy had no brakes, she asked over the radio why the driver didn’t select a different lane.

“What am I supposed to say other than the truth,” Earnhardt said. “We didn’t have any brakes going into the corner.  I know better than to run into her because it gets so much attention. There wasn’t nothing I could do. I mean as hard as I hit her what the hell did she think I was doing trying to wreck her?

“We ain’t got no problem. It’s not like we were having a problem out on the racetrack with her  It’s not like I just drew her name out of a hat and decided she was the one I was going to run into tonight.

Danica will 'chill out'

“It makes me mad because I didn’t have any brakes. I didn’t do that on purpose. I don’t know. She will chill out.  It happens to all of us. I’m not too worried about it. I got a pretty good friend so I think we will be able to talk it out.”

Earnhardt, who won last weekend at Daytona, salvaged a 21st-place finish. Patrick settled for 34th but was far from happy after the race.

“This was a disaster, an absolute disaster,” Patrick said. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver declined comment following the race.

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