In a shocking twist, and following the end of her career in NASCAR, this well-known racing star called it quits after five years with fellow NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
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Danica Patrick has been one of the most visible and best-known drivers in recent NASCAR history – building a massive following of fans and notching her name in the history of the sport as one of the most successful female drivers.
Since early 2013, just prior to each of their rookie seasons in NASCAR’s Cup Series, Patrick and Stenhouse have been a public couple, and for the entirety of their relationship, they’d raced for the same teams, in the same cars. Each found difficulties in earning great finishes on the track and Stenhouse brought himself to the foreground with two great wins in the 2017 season.
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Unfortunately, Patrick experienced some sponsorship troubles in her tenure with Stewart-Haas Racing and she chose to exit NASCAR after not signing a new contract for the 2018 season. The last few months have been a series of ups and downs for Patrick; this break-up being another notable point in this new chapter of her life.
In early November, an official documentary about Patrick’s life was released, titled Danica. Patrick, who is 35, is also preparing for the launch of her first book about creating and living a healthy lifestyle on December 26th. Stenhouse, 30, has secured his contract for 2018 and will continue to compete in the Cup Series.
As was often common with Patrick, she would post photos of the couple on her Instagram page, but there hasn’t been anything shared of her relationship since early November. Recently, she posted a photo with a seemingly-pointed caption that many think it has something to do with her break-up.
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In a public statement to the Associated Press, a spokesperson for Patrick confirmed the couple’s unexpected split, by saying the two are “no longer in a relationship” and both requested privacy during this time.
A spokesperson for Danica Patrick says Danica and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are “no longer in a relationship” and ask for privacy regarding the situation.
— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) December 18, 2017
Our thoughts and prayers are with Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as they move through this difficult part of life and we wish them the best in their future endeavors.