Danica Patrick created a stir when she led the Indianapolis 500 before finishing fourth on debut in 2005, but such is her standing now that a career-best third overall did not raise as much dust in 2009.


Pat Sullivan - MC
It was a good team. Danica, you had one hell of a race. I was thinking about your rookie year when you had that battle with Dan Wheldon, and you two you were out there the latter stages of the race. We heard you talk; we thought perhaps an adjustment here and there, a chance to win, but awfully good day.

Danica Patrick:
I was happy with my car the last run and the run before that, once I cleared a couple cars in the second to last run, and I think I got up to sixth or something at that point. I was just running flat-out all the way around, which I'm happy with because it didn't happen that much in practice. But that was as a result of us being more in the proactive side of keeping the car on the ground and being ready for longer runs, being ready for traffic, being ready for lapped traffic. So we were pretty good. And then on the last stop the guys got me another couple of spots, and I was up to fourth. I knew there was something going on with Briscoe because he had been a good chunk back, and all of a sudden he was at the front. So that was what I thought was going to happen, something on fuel.

So when he pulled in, that was third, and I wish it would have been green the whole last run. Our car was really good on longer runs. Had a great restart on the last restart and awesome run out of [turns] three and four and went instantly went to the outside of [turn] four. It was that good of a run. I just kind of stalled out, I just didn't have enough. I think that was the difference. That was kind of us being ready for the whole run, the whole race and not just the last run. So it seemed Dan was a little more trimmed out maybe because it just kind of run side by side all the way down into [turn] one. I thought I was going to pass him completely on the outside, but that did not happen. But it was a good job. Dan did a good job. He looked like he had a handful in front of me, and obviously with Helio winning, that's great for him and everything that's been going on with him for the last sort of, well, I don't know, year or years. So I'm happy to see him happy. And he's great for the sport. So congrats to Helio, he had this standout month, really. If you'd ask me who was going to win, I would have said Helio.

Q:
Danica, it's maybe unfair for you to compare 2005 because you had a shot at the win but after the race you were not very happy, but now you've moved up.

Danica Patrick:
Which one, '05 or this one?

Q:
'05, that's my question. You've improved: This is your best Indy 500 finish. Can you compare how you've changed?

Danica Patrick:
I think that I did my best to stay calm the first year, for sure. I'd have to say there are lots of parallels, actually. Once the car got to the front in '05, I was good there, I was fine. But back in traffic, I remember in the very beginning of the race I had some engine cuts happening and I dropped back to tenth, and I was nothing special back there. I was just hanging out. That's kind of the way it was this year. Once I was back in the pack, it wasn't anything special, and that's how I felt for the first half. But I think once the track grip came up enough where it came into me being able to be flat out there, I think that's when it made the difference out on the track and I could make passes happen. So, you know, and my crew did a good job. The pit stops were good. I mean, I'm happiest I've ever been with my team there.

But, you know, I mean, I have mixed emotions about both of them, obviously. I was happy with the day, I was happy with the '05 day with what happened, but to miss a win here -- and it's enough to just have a chance. If you can be there, that doesn't happen that often, but to miss it is even more like, oh. But, you know, what can I say? Helio was really fast and Dan did a good job, too. So they actually remember very similar.

Q:
Danica, maybe as a third-place finish at Indy, does that fulfil the promise of the fortune cookie?

Danica Patrick:
No, no, a win would have fulfilled. How many times do you get a fortune cookie tell you a four-wheel adventure is going to bring you happiness? Why would they even write that? Who has four-wheel adventures, I guess on a four-wheeler, but how great could that be? I would love to get a road course win, so maybe that's somewhere down the line. Actually, I love Milwaukee, which is coming up in a few days. So I think it was a good day. I'm really happy. I wish it would have ended up a little bit better than what it did, but that's the way it goes here, and that's what makes this place so awesome and frustrating.

Q:
The way the cookie crumbles.

Danica Patrick:
Cookie crumbled at the third.

Q:
For Dan and Danica. Can you guys even begin to imagine what Helio's emotions have been like this month-and-a-half, what he's gone through?

Danica Patrick: