CONCORD, N.C. -- A week ago, Danica Patrick was wrecked while in the midst of what would have been her best NASCAR finish -- an unnecessary victim of bullying as far as she was concerned.
So this week, Patrick warned the guilty party, fellow rookie James Buescher, that he better not push the issue in Friday night's race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
"I think it's pretty safe to say I'm not going to make it my mission to take him out because I don't want to do anything to take away from my race,'' said Patrick, who will be making her ninth start in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet.
"But if he, in any way, starts to act up out there, yeah, I'm going to do something about it.''
"I hope that he thinks about what he did last weekend. If he plays well with others then you know we'll be able to carry on. But if he doesn't, there's going to be a need for something to happen because you can't get pushed around out there. You can't.''
Patrick was referring to an accident with nine laps remaining in last Saturday's race in Fontana, Calif., when she was on pace for her first top-15 finish. While running 14th in a tight pack of cars she was hit from behind by Buescher, ending her day while he went on and finished 17th.
As of Friday afternoon's practice session, the two had not spoken.
"He had the opportunity if he wanted to say something,'' said Patrick when asked if Buescher had apologized. "He had an opportunity at the rookie meeting today and we're pitted next to each other.''
Patrick had strong words for anyone who thinks she is an easy target because of her inexperience, profile ... or gender.
She told reporters a story Friday afternoon about advice she had given her NASCAR team owner Kelley Earnhardt Elledge's 10-year old daughter, who has started racing.
"In this series, you've got fenders all the way around and if someone makes you mad enough, for sure, you can just take them out."
-- Danica Patrick
"She's racing and talking about running into people and I'm like, 'Hey, if you can't get by someone, hit 'em into the corner and get 'em out of the way,' " Patrick said smiling. "Things I used to do when i was racing go-karts and trying to get by them, I'd just hit em' into the corner and get by. I don't want you to think I was a really rough driver, I just got through.''
While she can't employ the same strategy going wheel-to-wheel at 220 mph while racing IndyCars, Patrick said she just may have to rely on that approach a little more in the bulky stock cars.
"I like being able to make my own destiny a little bit with people out there and there's a lot of drivers in IndyCar that push you around and do things you can't believe; you know there are times I'm like 'Are you trying to flip the car?' " Patrick said. "If I didn't lift, that's what would happen.
"You know I don't want to put myself in that position in those cars all the time, so I might come across as a little more of a pushover over there. But in this series, you've got fenders all the way around and if someone makes you mad enough, for sure, you can just take them out.
"You make your own way, you don't have to be taken advantage of because someone is just more crazy than you.''
To her credit, Patrick was calm and cool despite the frustration and disappointment last week. Her message Friday, however, was a warning to her competitors not to push it ... or her.
"I think I'm starting to find the right way to handle situations,'' Patrick said. "In the past I just used to yell about it. I'd stomp down pit lane and go yell at somebody.
"What matters is what happens out on the track, so I've found the best thing to do is give people a taste of their own medicine out there. I've found you also gain respect in those situations, because you respect someone for standing up for themselves. ''
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