Danica allowed leadership debate

Daytona Beach, FL - Kevin Harvick had a little fun at the expense of Danica Patrick after winning a sprint unlimited Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.

"Yes, I think the most important thing is how we're going to get Danica and rivers on the first page [Sunday]?" Harvick joked about the relationship between Patrick and other Sprint Cup rookie Ricky Stenhauz Jr., who has dominated headlines here at the moment.


Well, this question is already answered.

Patrick came to be the way that the shadow of her social life, Win Harvick, enter "6 Gen" car and anything can happen in perfect something Speedweeks.She, not only on my first page of sports but on the first page of the newspaper , websites, radio and leading national talk shows.

She set the story.

30-year-old Stewart-Haas Racing driver has become the first woman to win the pole for the Daytona 500 pole - every race Sprint Cup, for that matter - with 196.434 miles / hour circle that beat four-time champion Jeff Gordon 196.292.

She made her at least temporarily silenced critics and those who spent the last month jokes about her meeting with the other drivers. The moment was so great that NASCAR president Mike Helton stopped to congratulate her and Communications Sports prevents device meets the media.

"In my Monday and Tuesday off," Patrick joked later. "I shall return."

Good luck with that. Even Harvick glad to see the drivers that will be his colleague in the next year to draw attention SHR.

"The right reasons," said Harvick, the last year in Richard Childress Racing. "It shifts the focus on what they do in the group and on the race track with the implementation. This is a great thing for our sport to have it in the forefront of the Daytona 500

"It certainly marks a new stage in our sport. Glad it for all the right reasons."

Patrick, for the record, I never took seriously comments Harvick Saturday.

"I know Kevin very well, like Ricky," she said. "So I can imagine what a big drum brother where we are kind of a joke. Persons who have heard jokes of my closest friends here in NASCAR».