Danica patrick After a productive morning practice, during which Patrick was second-fastest, she was supposed to qualify second -- before the rain figured to come. But her car failed technical inspection for an unapproved part. That meant she had to move to the back of the lineMeanwhile, the driver who got her spot, Graham Rahal, qualified easily before a biblical storm rolled through and brought the first rain delay at 12:10Then, at 2:20, the drivers returned to the track and quickly filled the 33-car field. As Patrick waited her turn, the skies began to darken -- again. Paul Tracy was on the track at the time, ripping off an incredible run, when he noticed his visor filling up with raFinally, good timing for Tracy.
You think this place owed him one? Or a hundredWhen he finished, the track went yellow at 3:13. And there sat Danica, peering helplessly out of her helmet, motionless, as her team covered her car. One driver left to qualify, just Danica, and now she was somewhere between anger and grief, looking lonely.If the rain washed out the rest of the day, she was toast. No Danica in the 500? That would have been page-one stuff.I was just thinking, 'Maybe it's not meant to be,' " she said laterAfter her car returned to the garage, Patrick hopped on a bike and pedaled toward her hauler. There, she waited, checked the weather and tried -- emphasis on tried -- to relaMeanwhile, her father, T.J. Patrick, stood outside the Andretti garage and fretted. Race steward Brian Barnhart had told Danica around 3:45 that it would take at least an hour and 15 minutes to dry the track when the rain stopped. But the rain wasn't stopping, not yet. On one end of the track, the sun was shooting crepuscular rays through the clouds.
On the other end, the skies were darkening. A distant rumble of thunder sounded.Indy in MayI can't imagine what she's going through," T.J. said. His eyes welled and he bit his lip. "Just thinking about it makes me emotionalSomebody asked T.J. if he had spoken to heHe smiled, shook his head, "No," he said, laughing. "I know when to stay awayA few moments later, John Andretti emerged from his garage. He didn't know there were crazy rumors flying around that if Danica didn't qualify, she might drive his car in the race. Chris Widlic of WISH-8 asked the question, and the mild-mannered driver snapped -- understandably.
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