Danica Patrick cooks & chats in Darlington
Danica Patrick pipes deviled eggs under the watchful eye of local chef Dale Barth at South of Pearl.
Photo by Samantha Lyles
NASCAR luminary Danica Patrick traded her driving suit for an apron last Tuesday, joining guest chef Dale Barth in the kitchen of Darlington venue South of Pearl. Patrick helped prepare a delicious meal for a media luncheon sponsored by the Darlington Raceway and NASCAR in advance of the Bojangles’ Southern 500 Labor Day weekend. The feast included pulled pork barbecue, baked beans, potato salad, fried oysters, deviled eggs, and blackberry cobbler.
Patrick offered thanks for the great luncheon turnout and observed that this kind of strong community support – and the legendary toughness of the Darlington Raceway – help make the Southern 500 a truly special event.
“It’s obvious why the track has been around for so long, and that’s also what makes the race itself so prestigious to do well at and win at,” said Patrick. “Because it is too tough to tame sometimes. It’s a difficult track and it’s probably the most physical track that we go to.
Later that afternoon, Patrick visited Darlington High School and helped volunteers from the Carolina Kids organization pack take-home food supplies for kids at risk of going hungry. Patrick then held court in the DHS cafeteria with Darlington Raceway president Kerry Tharp, taking questions from fans of all ages.
Danica Patrick answers questions at Darlington High School with Darlington Raceway Track President Kerry Tharp
Photo by Samantha Lyles
Inquiries ran the gamut from serious to silly, and Patrick gamely joked around with the crowd. She noted that her future Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Clint Bowyer is “quite the character” who will keep team leader Tony Stewart busy in retirement next year. She also explained how it feels to pilot a high-powered NASCAR machine – and how frustrating it is when a fellow racer gets too aggressive and wrecks her car.
“Jerks,” Patrick grumbled, spurring laughter from the kids.
Patrick received cheers from DHS Marching Band members when she revealed that she played the recorder and flute in her high school band.
“Looking back, I probably would have rather played the drums, though. That would have been a really good outlet for my frustrations,” Patrick said, to even louder applause.
Asked by one student which NASCAR race was her favorite, Patrick replied that has yet to be determined, though she wouldn’t mind taking her first checkered flag at Darlington.
“There have been times that I both loved and hated Darlington,” said Patrick. “But my favorite (track) of all time will be the one I win at.”
Tickets for the Sep. 3 NASCAR XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 and Sep. 4 Bojangles’ Southern 500 are on sale now. For more information, visit www.darlingtonraceway.com. Mobile users, to view more photographs please click link: Danica Patrick in Darlington
