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Danica Patrick: Toughened by Europe, Launched by Indy, Mellowed by Love

When you look back over Danica Patrick’s hyper-documented career — as Patrick herself did recently in a feature for the CBS Morning show (above) — turning points start to emerge. Like toughness tempered by a difficult European experience, fame launched by a “magical day in Indianapolis,” and private joy that takes the edge off professional disappointment.

European-Made Mental Armor

From when she first sat in a go kart through last Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup ride at Kansas Speedway, Patrick’s career is among the most documented in sports history.

Kansas Speedway President Open to IndyCar Return, Expects New Banking to Age Well

Pat Warren, the president of Kansas Speedway since 2006, said he's very open to talking about the return of IndyCar to the mile-and-half tri-oval opened in 2001, and that a repaving project completed in 2011 is improving with age as expected.

"Absolutely we're open to (the return of IndyCar)," said Warren Saturday. ”I think the last conversation I had with (IndyCar) was several months ago. It’s just the economic model hasn’t worked for us. But we’re completely open to having them back. We’d love to do it. We think we have a great facility for it. Frankly, the reason we are a mile-and-a-half tri-oval is that we wanted to run both stock cars and IndyCars when we were built in 2001. If we were built just for stock cars, we wouldn’t be a mile and a half long. We’d probably be shorter. Even with our new configuration, our banking isn’t as steep as some of the places (IndyCar) runs. They've (IndyCar officials) sent someone out to inspect the track to make sure it met all their standards and everything -- it did of course -- and we’re completely open to it and would like to have that conversation.”

Uncle pressdog’s Fireside Chat — Live from Kansas Speedway

Kevin Harvick put it on the pole for the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas.

Greetings from a chill (literally) Kansas Speedway. Yesterday (Friday) it was about 85 in the afternoon here; today we’re looking to knock 20 degrees off that high. Cue the Festival of Sweatshirts. I personally prefer 65 to 85.

Let’s chug some Starbuck’s dark roast (LARGE, cream is for the week) and talk about this and that.