Tony Stewart doesn’t think Danica Patrick is leaving NASCAR

While she won’t be racing for him next season, Tony Stewart doesn’t think we’ve seen the last of Danica Patrick behind the wheel in NASCAR.

Just because Danica Patrick is leaving the Stewart-Haas Racing organization doesn’t mean Tony Stewart doesn’t believe she has nothing left to contribute or that she’s retiring from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

The three-time Cup Series champion and SHR co-owner appeared on The Dan Patrick Show this week and was asked directly what the future might hold for Danica Patrick once her time in the No. 10 Ford is up at the end of this season.

Stewart pointed out all the things Patrick has going on besides racing but also suggested that keeping her NASCAR career going could definitely still happen (via NASCAR.com).

"“Good question. I don’t know. I don’t know what she has planned. She has so much stuff going on. She reminds me a lot of me. She’s got wineries, she’s got her yoga stuff, she’s got a clothing line she’s working on. But I don’t see her leaving the sport. She’s that driven and that competitive. She still wants to win.”"

The trouble, of course, is that Patrick hasn’t won and could find a breakthrough even tougher to come by after she leaves Stewart-Haas Racing. Any full time gig that she might land for the 2018 season is almost guaranteed to come with a team with less resources than SHR, particularly since the competition for open seats includes more accomplished drivers like Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and potentially current teammate Kurt Busch.

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Her status as a beacon for sponsors has largely faded over the last few seasons as well, unfortunately at a time when that aspect of a driver’s resume is as important as it’s been in this century. Stewart isn’t alone in thinking that Patrick in a Cup Series car in 2018 is a thing that could happen, but even his support and encouragement might not be enough to help it happen.