Harvick discusses struggle to transition from open-wheel to stock cars for Danica
Kevin Harvick cites Danica's racing background as a hurdle that his SHR teammate may not be able to overcome this late in her career.
Stewart-Haas Racing cars of Danica Patrick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet, Kurt Busch, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet and Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet
Covy Moore
Kevin Harvick talked to Fox Sports regarding his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, Danica Patrick. Since she hasn't been racing stock cars her entire life like himself or champions like Jimmie Johnson, he believes that she will not be able to reach her full potential considering how late to the stock car game she was.
Harvick stated that although she's very good at digesting information and learning, "You're never going to make up that experience in knowing that if the track slows down, you're going to have to do this or you've been in this position before and you have to move up the race track or down the race track."
"She will always be behind," he also said. "She's never going to catch up to what I do or what Jimmie Johnson does. She's never going to overcome those hurdles, because we've all done this for 20-some years."
More of what Harvick had to say - CLICK HERE
He makes a valid point. Although Danica Patrick has showed marginal improvement in 2014, running competitively in more races, she's still struggling to reach her full potential.
The struggle to transition from open-wheel to stock cars
Many other open-wheel stars who've made the switch from single-seaters to stock cars have failed to reach the top as well. In recent years, Juan Pablo Montoya is the only driver to show any kind of consistent speed, and even he wasn't a constant threat.
From IndyCar legend Dario Franchitti to Formula One World Champion Kimi Raikkonen, open-wheel stars have struggled to find quick success in NASCAR. It's a process, as one driver has learned. Sam Hornish Jr. is one of the few who has refused to give up, despite multiple failures and even a demotion to NASCAR's secondary series.
After eight years of effort, he is finally getting a second shot at the Cup level, replacing Marcos Ambrose in the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford in 2015. Last year, he came within arm's reach of NASCAR's second-biggest championship.
Whether Danica will ever reach Victory Lane in NASCAR remains to be seen, but according to Kevin Harvick, her lack of stock car experience prior to 2010 will preclude her from reaching a level she could have if she was a stock car racer from the start.
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