CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Danica Patrick will join NBC Sports’ inaugural insurance of the Indianapolis 500 as an analyst along host Mike Tirico. Patrick retired from racing after last yr’s Indianapolis 500. Her eighth look in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” prepped her for a go back as a television personality. She informed The Associated Press racing at Indy closing year after 8-12 months run in NASCAR refreshed her understanding financial institution and offers her masses to discuss. Patrick can be a studio analyst on race day and contribute to NBC Sports’ pre-race, in-race, and submit-race insurance. She can also be part of the broadcast group for qualifying on May 19 and will sell the race across NBCUniversal systems.
“This is an occasion which means a lot to me,” she said in a smartphone interview in advance of Wednesday’s declaration. “I am so happy I did the 500 ultimate years because my records are tons greater modern-day and relevant. I suppose it’ll be pretty a chunk of labor — I’ve constantly thought being a part of the printed team is a specific form of work — there is a variety of practice there.” Her homework started in earnest with the IndyCar season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida, weeks ago while Patrick tuned in to observe the race.
“I notion, ‘Oh, my God, I’ve were given to recognise all the names.’ I’ve were given to recognise who is the man who has momentum and who would not,” she said. “I want to appreciate the event and the location that I’m in. It’s so vital for me to be updated on the entirety.” NBC Sports this season snagged the entire IndyCar broadcast bundle and with it the crown jewel Indy 500, which had been aired solely through ABC on account that 1965 inside the 2nd-longest-going for walks partnership of its kind. NBC has made the race a part of its “Championship Season” advertising and marketing campaign that capabilities excessive-profile events from May to July that consist of horse racing’s Triple Crown, Premier League Championship Sunday, the French Open, the Stanley Cup Final and the Tour de France. In treating the race as a prized property, NBC Sports is constructing a strong team for its debut broadcast that is expected to consist of in some function superstar NASCAR analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr. And Steve Letarte. Patrick is a wonderful addition. It will mark her go back to a race song for the first time when you consider that she crashed and completed 30th ultimate May. Patrick has previous analyst enjoy from 3 Xfinity Series races with Fox Sports, and final July she became the first girl to host the ESPYs.
“Danica has a angle unlike some other motive force in the records of motorsports and might be a splendid addition to our first-ever insurance of the Indy 500,” said NBCSN executive producer Sam Flood. “She has validated to be as fearless with her reviews and evaluation as she was in breaking boundaries whilst racing inside the maximum aggressive motorsports circuits in the world.” On the tune, Patrick is the only woman to steer laps inside the Indy 500 and win an IndyCar Series race. Her 0.33-area end at Indy in 2009 is the highest for a woman. She moved to NASCAR and became the primary female to win the pole for the Daytona 500, and she concluded her profession last year with the “Danica Double” of racing in one final Daytona 500 and Indy 500. Besides the ESPYs, Patrick has had a lower profile due to the fact her final race and has centered much of her time on non-public travel and her line of wine.
