The fight between Danica Patrick and Sam Hornish Jr. at the Aaron's 312 race on May 5 did not last long. Patrick originally accused Hornish of deliberately blocking her during the race at Talladega Superspeedway and responded by pushing him into the wall in the cooldown lap. However, Danica Patrick later tweeted that she has made peace with Sam Hornish Jr.
Aaron's 312 Race at Talladega
As Joey Logano celebrated his victory, Danica Patrick used the cooldown lap to get her revenge on Sam Hornish Jr. At the conclusion of the Aaron's 312 race, Hornish stated, "I don't know what she had in her head, but she decided to right-rear us, wreck the car after the race was over. That's really frustrating." Danica Patrick responded, "I don't know what happened. Sam came up to me after the race and apologized[.]" Patrick's move at the end of the race was an obvious retaliation tactic.
Twitter Response from Danica Patrick
Fans may have expected the feud between Danica Patrick and Sam Hornish Jr. to continue, but it ended quickly. Patrick turned to her official Twitter account on May 5 to clarify the fight, "Just talked to @SamHornish and we are all good! He told me he had a flat right front which explains both incidences." Hornish has tried to explain that he did not deliberately try to block Patrick and had a deflated tire that prevented him from turning properly. It seems that Danica has accepted his explanation.
No Reaction from NASCAR
Although there was an intentional wreck at the Talladega Superspeedway on May 5, there has been no response from NASCAR. Fans have turned to Danica Patrick's official Facebook page to question the inconsistency in judging these types of issues because drivers have been fined for previous wrecks. However, Danica Patrick and Sam Hornish Jr. were not disciplined after the race.
Patrick, who finished in 12th place at the Aaron's 312 race, has received a mixture of support and hatred from fans. While some have condemned her actions as dangerous and foolish, others have pointed out that she is simply following an old tradition of retaliation on the track.
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Growing up in Indiana, Lana developed a love for motorsports at an early age. She follows NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula One. Follow @Lana_Bandoim on Twitter.
