Kentucky crash puts dent in Danica's chances

Patrick, who had posted the third-fastest speed in the first practice session for Saturday night's Meijer Indy 300, felt her IndyCar break loose before it took a hard smack into the second turn wall. She was quickly checked and released from the infield care center, but doubts her primary car will be ready for Friday night's qualifications. That means she will have to do her best with a backup car, which will likely keep her from seriously contending for a prime starting position.

"I was in the second lane going around and had run up there already and was up there flat out and then the car started to understeer a little bit," Patrick explained. "I started to turn into the corner, but it wouldn't turn and then I hit. I was wondering if it was the bottoming out of the car that made it lose the front grip or if it was dirty off line, but the fact it wouldn't turn at all when I tried to turn the wheel made me think something broke. That's what it felt like but I don't want to say that was it for sure."

Patrick said she experienced a side-impact and one of the tires hit her in the helmet.

"They have a lot of work to do to fix that car," Patrick said. "The car was fast in the first practice. Things had been going all right until that. It was a slam; a pretty hard impact. My helmet looks pretty bad because a tire came up and bumped it at the end, but I'm fine.'

Patrick was hoping to win a pole at Kentucky Speedway for the second time in her career. She won the pole here during her rookie season in 2005.

Last year, she was having a great race before spinning out in the pits during her final pit stop.

"I was running third or fourth when I came in and I spun coming out of pit lane and nearly hit the safety truck," Patrick said. "So I've had some bad luck here but in the past I've been fast. I hope I can continue that and have some good luck."