Patrick 'not scared of change' in crew chief swap

Perhaps her mood was light on the heels of a race at Talladega that, despite a 19th-place finish, saw her leading and poised to battle Jimmie Johnson for the victory when a late caution fell.

Or maybe it was being back at Martinsville, a track where Patrick had one of her best NASCAR showings with a 12th-place effort in her first attempt at the 0.526-mile paper-clip oval in the spring of 2013.

“I have a lot of fond memories of my first race here in Martinsville,” she said. “I had to start in the back for an engine change, and I spun and I was two laps down … but then I got ’em back and finished (12th), so I had an awesome first race here.”

And she thinks she knows why. Egged on by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Patrick — a self-professed health nut — tried one of Martinsville’s famous hot dogs before that race.

She hasn’t had one since, but plans to change that.

“I just walked by the concession stand and said ‘I’ll be back for a hot dog (Saturday),’ ” Patrick said. “I don’t want to risk eating it on race day. I’m not sure if that’s a good idea. They don’t look like regular hot dogs, but maybe that’s because they don’t have the regular effect of a hot dog. Maybe they help you in the race car.”

And so it went, with Danica peppering one-liners, jabs and a healthy dose of humor into her answers. Often, she was introspective and informative before turning the tables.

That was the case when she was discussing her impending crew chief swap with Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kurt Busch.

“I’m very open-minded and I’m not scared of change, and I definitely am someone that believes you can’t know if something can be better unless you try it,” she said of “I’m ready for the challenge and the change and the possibility of it being better than what it is.”

“I am afraid of changing my hairstyle, though,” she said after a pause. “I have never done that.”

In other words, don’t expect Danica to show up to the track with a bob anytime soon.

She even needled a reporter when answering a question about whether or not she’s comfortable being a role model.

“Sorry,” she said after moving on. “I’m always hard on the young ones.”

The next question, asked seconds later: “We were just talking to Ricky (Stenhouse Jr.) out there …”

“Speaking of a young one,” Patrick, 32, dead-panned, before breaking into a grin at the mention of her 27-year-old boyfriend.

Then she delivered an impassioned answer about the No. 17 missing the race last week at Talladega.

“I enjoyed being in here,” she quipped when her session was done.

If Patrick eats a hot dog, then maybe she’ll return to the media center after Sunday’s race.

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