Danica Patrick has confirmed today that she will race with the number thirteen in her final race before retiring from motorsport. Patrick confirmed last month that she would be racing with Ed Carpenter Racing in the 2018 Indianapolis 500 that takes place at the end of May.
The number thirteen has long been unused in motorsports across the world. Perhaps most notoriously was the absence of a number thirteen car in Formula One for many years until personalized driver numbers were introduced for 2014. This all stems from the superstition that thirteen is an unlucky number.
Patrick, however, is embracing the superstition for her final outing in May. She will drive the #13 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet which will see her long-term sponsors GoDaddy return for one last hurrah with their now-iconic green livery.
“Back in the day, the colour green was also said to be bad luck in racing,” Patrick said. “I think it’s cool. I’m a firm believer that superstitions are only real if you believe them.”
“I love how everything is coming full-circle,” Patrick said. “I am going to close out my racing career at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the place where so many amazing things have happened for me. I’m back in GoDaddy green and joining a great team. Ed Carpenter Racing is consistently competitive at Indy. I can’t think of a better way to finish out my racing career than at the Indianapolis 500 with this team and GoDaddy.”
Danica’s participation in the Indianapolis 500 will be the first time she’s gotten back behind the wheel of an IndyCar since leaving the sport at the end of 2011 to race in NASCAR. Patrick made seven starts at the Brickyard during her IndyCar career and finished inside the top ten in all but one of those races. She even led the famous race and took home a best finish of third place in 2009.
Patrick will be hoping that by joining Ed Carpenter Racing – who have been competitive over the last few years when they raced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – she will have given herself a shot at finally taking the Indy 500 crown that she came close to all those years ago.
Patrick will also have her fingers crossed that the race goes better than the first part of her “Danica Double”, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 that took place last month. Patrick was involved in a crash halfway through the race which took her out of contention.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – to be the team to power Danica in her final race and to do it together here in Indianapolis is especially significant for ECR,” said team owner Ed Carpenter. “When you consider the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is where Danica first made her mark in racing, it’s easy to see why this is the perfect way for her to end her career.”
Practice for the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 will begin on May 15, followed by two days of qualifying on May 19-20. The race itself will take place on May 27. In the meantime, the Verizon IndyCar Series continues to prepare for it’s season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg that will take place this weekend on March 11.
