Kyle Petty does not believe in the ability of Danica Patrick.
Appearing on SPEED’s NASCAR RaceHub program, the FOX Sports/TNT analyst and former NASCAR driver described Patrick as a “marketing machine” instead of a race car driver.
“Danica has been the perfect example of somebody who can qualify better than what she runs,” said Petty. “She can go fast, but she can’t race. I think she’s come a long way, but she’s still not a race car driver. And I don’t think she’s ever going to be a race car driver.”
Patrick is currently competing in his first full season in the Sprint Cup Series. She finished eighth in the season opening Daytona 500 after winning the pole for the event. Since that time Patrick has recorded just two top twenty finishes in 15 races.
In 60 career starts in NASCAR’s second tier Nationwide Series Patrick recorded just seven top-10 finishes.
Petty won 8 races in his Cup career but does not believe he was a star either.
“I was not a great driver, and I’ll be the first to admit it. I was a journeyman driver. Just like in the NFL or any sport, there are journeyman players.”
