Danica Patrick’s return to an IndyCar broadcast put her back in front of a national television audience Sunday. It also put the former NASCAR and IndyCar star directly in the middle of a firestorm on social media.
Patrick joined Chris Myers and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves for Fox Sports’ expanded pre-race coverage of the inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C. The 90-minute show preceded the historic IndyCar race through the streets surrounding the National Mall.
But it was Patrick’s commentary during the broadcast, including her praise for President Donald Trump and others involved in making the event happen, that quickly drew a wave of criticism from viewers.
Danica Patrick Praises Trump During Freedom 250 Coverage
Patrick pointed to the group responsible for turning the unusual idea of an IndyCar race through the nation’s capital into reality.
“Between the vision of [Fox CEO] Eric Shanks and [Penske Corporation President] Bud Denker, with the help of, of course, Secretary [of Transportation Sean] Duffy and President Donald Trump with that executive order, I think it really embodies what it is to live in America, land of the free, and anything is possible,” Patrick said during the broadcast.
“That this race was gone from concept to reality as quickly as it was, and as well as it’s been done, I think that is the perfect embodiment and celebration of 250 years of this country.”
Trump signed the executive order that paved the way for the race, which was staged as part of the celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary. He attended Sunday’s event with first lady Melania Trump, took a ceremonial lap in the presidential limousine and waved the green flag to start the race.
The event itself was unprecedented. IndyCar raced on a 1.7-mile, seven-turn temporary street circuit around the National Mall, with Kyle Kirkwood ultimately winning the 147-lap race.
But Patrick’s comments became a storyline of their own.
Fans Unload on Danica Patrick
Some viewers took to social media to criticize Patrick’s praise of Trump, while others used her appearance to voice broader frustrations with her work as a motorsports broadcaster.
“To watch Danica Patrick and the whole Fox crew verbally [expletive] Trump, is nauseating,” one user wrote on X, as captured by the Daily Mail.
Another viewer took aim at Patrick’s place on the broadcast altogether: “Of course @IndyCarOnFOX brings out the small guns (Chris Myers and Danica Patrick) today!”
“Oh boy, that idiot Danica Patrick and the others are going to make this unwatchable,” another post read.
Patrick’s role had actually generated criticism before she ever went on the air Sunday. When Fox announced its Freedom 250 broadcast lineup, some fans objected to her inclusion in the pre-race show and threatened not to watch.
Sunday’s reaction only intensified the conversation.
One social media user criticized Patrick’s credentials as a commentator, writing, “Nothing worse about an Indy Car broadcast than hearing Danica Patrick. So many more well accomplished, deserving drivers with higher accolades, and this is who they chose to fill in that slot.”
Another wrote, “Danica Patrick on TV showing a lack of understanding about American history while she does a podcast where she discusses right wing conspiracy theories. Absolute [expletive] clown and a joke on the international motorsports community.”
The reaction wasn’t limited to Patrick, either. Some of the criticism was directed more broadly at Fox’s pre-race presentation and the political elements surrounding an event that was both a major IndyCar race and part of the country’s 250th birthday celebration.
Patrick Has Become an Increasingly Polarizing Figure
Patrick has remained highly visible since retiring from racing in 2018, moving into broadcasting and media work after a driving career that made her one of the most recognizable figures in American motorsports.
Her racing résumé remains historic. Patrick became the first woman to win an IndyCar Series race with her victory at Motegi in 2008 and finished third in the 2009 Indianapolis 500, the best finish by a woman in the event’s history. She later moved full time to NASCAR and became the first woman to win a NASCAR Cup Series pole when she qualified first for the 2013 Daytona 500.
In recent years, however, Patrick has also become increasingly outspoken about politics. Her public support for Trump has drawn considerable attention and, at times, strong reactions from both supporters and critics.
That history made her appearance at the Freedom 250 a talking point before Sunday’s coverage even began. What she said once the cameras were rolling ensured the conversation wasn’t going away.
Patrick was brought in to help Fox cover one of the most unusual and high-profile motorsports events of the year. By the time the cars took the green flag in Washington, her appearance had become one of the day’s most divisive storylines.
Danica Patrick Faces Fierce Backlash From Fans Over Fox Broadcast