Interview
NASCAR Cup
Danica Patrick on how she remains calm while racing
Danica Patrick has found a way to bring Zen into “the zone” — with yoga.
Lee Spencer
Edited: Jul 16, 2016, 1:50 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Patrick participated in a private session at Renew Yoga in Daytona Beach prior to Wednesday’s Sprint Cup practice sessions at Daytona International Speedway.
Patrick, who qualified 29th for the Daytona 500 and will start 14th in the second Can-Am Duel on Thursday, says being able to focus and being able to breathe properly helps her tune out distractions on the track.
Staying calm and focused inside the car
In her most tense moments in competition, the driver of the No. 10 Nature’s Bakery the driver has learned to incorporate the breathing techniques from her practice into the cockpit.
“Breath is the one thing I really do use from yoga in the race car,” Patrick told Motorsport.com. “When things get tense, it’s in through the nose and out through the mouth. It’s longer breaths and that inevitably calms your heart rate down and calms you down. So, I by all means use breath in the car which is something that I learned in yoga.
“I started doing yoga way, way, way back when I was in lived in England. I was probably about 19 years old when I first started — and I’m pretty sure Madonna was responsible for the inspiration, back when it became real cool. That’s how long it goes back.”
Patrick is starting her seventh season in NASCAR. In 2013, she began dating fellow Sprint Cup rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr. But the couple that races — and lives together — does not do yoga together.
“Ricky has done one class with me,” Patrick said. “I think it was at the ESPYs last year. I signed up for an online program that has a bunch of classes. We did one on there. But he just couldn't get over the whole Zen chat that they have during the classes. So, it’s just not for him.
“But he came into my woman cave a couple months ago and did about five minutes of stretching before he said, ‘OK, I’m done. I’m bored.’ So baby steps.”
Bringing the boss around
Prior to Tony Stewart’s accident on a sand rail last month where he suffered a burst fracture of his L1 vertebra, Patrick watched a healthy transformation of sorts from her co-owner and teammate in anticipation of his final season in NASCAR. Stewart was working out again and had structured his diet accordingly.
Patrick believes Stewart’s recovery time will be expedited due his lifestyle changes he made before the mishap.
“Honestly, I feel he’s in great spirits,” Patrick said. “I heard from him before the Sprint Unlimited telling me ‘good luck’ and asked him how he was doing. He's in a great mood and I don’t know, maybe some of that came from all the endorphins he was producing when he was working out.
“He had done some yoga and pilates and all kinds of different things, so good for him. He was really on a great track and I imagine that if he has a great recovery and keeps his attitude up and stays positive with it all it probably stems from getting healthier before it all happened. I can only hope that he comes back 100 percent and as healthy as possible.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Multi-car wreck mars Wednesday's final Cup practice
Next article Bayne optimistic despite Duel setback
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Lee Spencer
Harvick reflects on career after Atlanta win, honors Dale Earnhardt
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Atlanta
Harvick reflects on career after Atlanta win, honors Dale Earnhardt
Chase Elliott: "We have a lot of work to do" after Atlanta showing
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Atlanta
Chase Elliott: "We have a lot of work to do" after Atlanta showing
Harvick leads veteran charge at Atlanta Motor Speedway
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Atlanta
Harvick leads veteran charge at Atlanta Motor Speedway
More from
Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick breaks silence on Sky Sports F1 exit after five years
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Danica Patrick breaks silence on Sky Sports F1 exit after five years
Is the F1 superlicence a help or a hindrance for women racing drivers?
IndyCar
IndyCar
Is the F1 superlicence a help or a hindrance for women racing drivers?
Jimmie Johnson to join Danica Patrick on Indy 500 coverage
IndyCar
IndyCar
Indy 500
Jimmie Johnson to join Danica Patrick on Indy 500 coverage
More from
Stewart-Haas Racing
The most unexpected driver and team breakups in modern NASCAR Cup history
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
The most unexpected driver and team breakups in modern NASCAR Cup history
Sheldon Creed debuts a partnership on the cutting edge of brain optimization
NASCAR O'Reilly
NASCAR O'Reilly
Pocono
Sheldon Creed debuts a partnership on the cutting edge of brain optimization
Sheldon Creed 'paid the tax' and breaks through in NASCAR O'Reilly
NASCAR O'Reilly
NASCAR O'Reilly
Atlanta
Sheldon Creed 'paid the tax' and breaks through in NASCAR O'Reilly
Latest news
Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
3 h
Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 4 h
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
5 h
Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics
Dale Jr. explains why he doesn't use 'Earnhardt' in his signature
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 6 h
Dale Jr. explains why he doesn't use 'Earnhardt' in his signature
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe