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Danica Patrick Booed by Indy Fans in Qualifying

Danica Patrick will start the famous Indy 500 race at the Brickyard from a poor 23rd place, a situation that she has never encountered in her previous years in the series. While disappointed with her own performance in the qualifying session, the Andretti Autosport racer insisted that it was mainly the poor car that kept her away from a Top 10 spot, rather than her input during qualy.

I think it was absolutely awful,” said Patrick about the way qualifying went last weekend, during an interview broadcast on the track's public address system. While admitting the car can be fast with a good setup, she insisted that its balance is what prevents the team from making it any quicker.

(...) The balance and the car itself is so bad, we can't even trim it out to go faster. By the sounds of the trim numbers, I think we're pretty excessive anyway, but... I'm very, very disappointed. I've never been bad here before. I've never been outside the top 10 on a finish or qualifying, so... it's not my fault. This car is not good,” said Patrick.

It was the moment when several fans started booing her for blaming it on the car rather than herself. Commenting on that reaction, Patrick admitted her shock.

I say one confident thing out there that it's not me, and everybody boos me. I'm blown away. These people, I mean, I don't know, maybe they all booed me before. I would think that some of them have probably cheered for me before, and I'm not a different driver than I was five years ago. (...) I can drive a loose car but this is beyond,” added the Andretti Autosport racer.

Patrick was not the only Andretti Autosport driver who struggled in qualifying last weekend, as the team's best placed drivers Marco Andretti and Ryan Hunter-Reay will start the races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 16th an 17th respectively. Additionally, John Andretti and Tony Kanaan had to wait until the Bump Day to secure their places on the grid, finishing the weekend in 28th and 32nd place respectively.
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