Danica Patrick crashes in Daytona qualifier

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Danica Patrick was calm, collected and even cracked a joke after she got caught in a wreck and hit the wall hard in her qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday.

Her ride didn't fare quite so well.

Racing in the first two 150-mile qualifying races Thursday, Patrick got spun out on the last lap, then hit the inside wall on the backstretch. The wreck demolished the front end of Patrick's car, and she'll have to use a backup in Sunday's Daytona 500.

Daytona 500: Danica Patrick in spotlight

After being released from the infield medical care center, Patrick said she hoped her backup car might be even faster than her primary car. Maybe, she joked, the accident will turn out to be a "blessing in big disguise."

Tony Stewart won the race.

[varigdc10]

This pretty girl should get out of racing before she hurts herself and cause troubles for all other racers, do a reality show, pose nude, do porn movies, something else.

[toosmart4u]

Danica is still a no talent a$$ bag. I hope she eats a wall even harder than that next time and doesn't come out of it alive!!!

[AmazingGrce]

Yeah Pretty easy to tell with them it's ready, fire, aim (aiming being optional witht them)

It was interesting to see that other videos don't show those drivers taking their hands off the wheel. Evidently that's a carry-over habit from Indy car racing. I could imagine the forces generated by an impact could snap a steering wheel out of your hand and/or snap a wrist. She's a tough cookie but apparently smart enough to know how to avoid getting hurt needlessly.

[frank_farmer]

Now THIS totally explains why Godaddy webmail was down for most of the day today...

[gruven13777100]

Let me guess...it was someone else's fault.

[AmazingGrce]

Oh don't bother to look at the video it might prove you WRONG!

Danica handled it as well as anyone male or female could have. Even had the sense to get her hands off the steering wheel before she hit the inside retaining wall. Smart lady, unlike clueless gruven...

[gruven13777100]

It was a joke. Take a few Prozacs and try to get over it.

[stupa5]

women should not speed!