Danica Patrick gets new sponsor, Stewart-Haas contract extension

The NASCAR Sprint Cup series’ only fulltime female driver announced Tuesday that she has signed a contract with Stewart-Haas Racing. Throughout her three-year full-time Sprint Cup Series career, Patrick has six top-10 finishes. Team co-owner Tony Stewart said the specific length of contracts is never revealed, but that Patrick’s is a “multi-year” contract. The loss of funding meant SHR needed a replacement sponsor in order to keep Patrick, who could also have tried to sign with another Cup team. “This is where I wanted to be, and I didn’t get to that point, really, so I’m thankful for that”.

Patrick is now at a career-best 21st place in the Sprint Cup standings for the 2015 NASCAR season. “I’ve been extremely fortunate in my career to not have to think about that”.

“They have ambitious goals and they’re going to rely on me and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing to deliver”, she said. She finished 25th in this past weekend’s Pure Michigan 400. Nature’s Bakery is a new corporation to NASCAR. Growing up in the bakery, Dave passed his passion and skills along to his son, Sam, whereupon the two combined their knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit to form Nature’s Bakery. “We’re proud of what she does behind (the wheel of) the race auto”.

Doug Rice, head of the Performance Racing Network, says Patrick is a good bet for sponsors and that improved results on the track would be even better. GoDaddy announced in April that it is refocusing its marketing efforts and will step away from primary sponsorship but that Patrick will remain a spokesperson.

“We think Stewart-Haas Racing and Danica for believing in us because we had a dream and we believe we are the up-and-coming Fortune 500 company”, Marson said.