KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Danica Patrick can relate to many a Formula 1 driver after her day Sunday at Kansas.

In F1, a driver or two regularly doesn't make it through the first turn of a race because of a crash in the first corner. That happened to Patrick on Sunday, when her car was totaled after she spun and hit the wall in turn one on the first lap.

"I knew that going into the race based on practice and everything we've seen from practice in Cup to the Nationwide race, that losing grip was going to be not that hard to do," Patrick said. "And so I said that before the race even, I said 'make sure that we're on top of who is on my door and who is behind me.' And I knew all that was going to be happening on the start."

Patrick was referencing the 60 degree temperatures in Kansas City and the variable it provided with the race tires and track surface. Kansas Speedway was repaved last summer and new tracks mean smoother rides and faster speeds for drivers.

However, with the downforce generated with Sprint Cup Series cars, that also means that Goodyear, NASCAR's tire manufacturer, has a hard time creating tires that are durable enough for the loads that are applied on them and soft enough to give drivers grip. With the cool temperatures and new tire and surface, drivers didn't have much traction on the track. The race featured a track record 15 caution flags, including one for a bush fire outside turn one.

"And I had enough momentum to go to the middle because I got a run on the car in front of me but I had to wait past the start/finish line. I lifted going into turn one and all I can say is that I didn't try and do anything. I just found myself sideways in the middle of the corner and that was it."

Patrick collected David Reutimann and Cole Whitt in the incident and Kyle Busch, who started in the back of the pack after crashing in practice Saturday, also spun behind the accident. The three other drivers were able to continue while Patrick finished in 43rd and last place.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

at least she knows she sucks. the reason she left indy cars is because people were dying in crashes, and she knew she could be next.

thats why she went to the bumper cars.

look what just happened- dario just fractured his spine! http://msn.foxsports.com/speed/indycar/ ... -hospital/

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

Is she gonna have a ride next year? GoDaddy is re-doing all their marketing stuff.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

no doubt she will. isnt she still the 2nd highest money maker? even if she drops to 4th or 5th highest, thats still a good business move.

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

So saying that Rose hangs out with thugs is racist?

Saying that Danica is a lousy driver is sexist?

Feel free to jump to knee jerk conclusions that fit your narrative.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

I've got one knee jerk conclusion that fits any imaginable narrative: Danica looks better in a 2 piece bikini spread out over the hood of an automobile than you do, and you're obviously jealous of little miss marketing over there =D

once you realize the novelty of marketing a bikini clad nascar driver spread out on the hood of a car (cuz you have to be "in the club" to have those pictures of kasey kahne doing it) then you'll be like "aha.... so there is a place in this sport of moving billboards for a novelty chick who's at least 20 times more competent than milka duno" this whole danica thing will become that much easier to swallow, which very well could be part and parcel to the whole enterprise!

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