When the divorce of Danica Patrick became official in January (it was announced in November), the Danica Patrick Ricky Stenhouse Jr. relationship that had likely been going on for some time went public. Wow a romantic relationship between two NASCAR drivers, how’s that going to play out? Of course, Danica Patrick Ricky Stenhouse Jr (I don’t have a cute hybrid couple name for them yet) was a popular topic at NASCAR media day.
From Memphis Commercial Appeal:
“Initially, it was a little bit of a mental hurdle of like, ‘We compete against each other,’ ” Patrick said of the relationship, which she likened to “Romeo and Juliet.” “It’s like the Capulets and Montagues with (me in) Chevy and (him in) Ford; this just doesn’t work. But you can’t tell your heart who to like or not like. And so in the end, it ended up being something that I just didn’t think was a big deal at all.”
A Romeo and Juliet reference? This is the real deal. Now read the next paragraph. Read between the lines as it implies a specific reason for Danica’s divorce:
The two spent the last two seasons racing in the Nationwide Series, and Patrick leaned on Stenhouse, the two-time Nationwide champion, for friendship and advice after her move to NASCAR. She said the relationship grew deeper, and they went public after she filed for divorce in early January from her husband, Paul Hospenthal. She and Hospenthal announced in November they were splitting up after seven years of marriage.
But I love Stenhouse’s widely quoted response when asked what he saw in her: “she’s hot!”
Brad Keselowski, the reigning season points leader, has joined all the other famous racers in helping promote the start of the new season, and the new generation 6 cars. He got a lot of time on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption. And yes Michael Wilbon asked his opinion of the Danica Patrick/Ricky Stenhouse Jr. romance.
“In my opinion, I don’t think the news story is them lasting together; I think the news story is: What happens if they fall apart?” he said. “Because that’s going to be way better of a story.”
Keselowski didn’t stop there. He wondered aloud what would happen when they raced around each other after a breakup. Would they wreck each other?
“Like, ‘Last time I was around, you didn’t take the laundry out and that’s why we broke up and I’m going to wreck you,'” he said. “Or ‘You stuck me with the bill.’ I mean, that kind of stuff, to me, is going to be way more exciting than them actually dating.”
h/t USA Today
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