Danica Patrick Net Worth: From High School Dropout to One of NASCAR’s Richest Drivers—How Much Does She Really Make?
At first glance, racing may not seem that complicated. You press on the pedal to go faster than the other cars, right? I’m sure Danica Patrick would frown upon hearing that statement.
After all, she dedicated her entire life to that sport. You already know that, don’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here. Have you ever wondered how much money that dedication got her, though?
Well, I did, and I didn’t just settle for wondering. I did the research. So, sit tight because I’m covering Danica Patrick’s net worth.
How Does Danica Patrick Make a Living?
Before I delve into Danica’s enormous net worth, I want to show you how she accumulated her fortune over the years.
1. Open-Wheel Car Racing
Most people reading this post may not watch open-wheel car racing, but Patrick is one of the most successful women in that sport. She dominated those tracks in a way only a few women could.
1. Early Fascination
Fun fact: Despite being a force to be reckoned with in the racing world, Danica never had any interest in the sport growing up. Isn’t that ironic?
She didn’t have any particular aspirations when she was a child. She thought she could be a singer, a veterinarian, or a secretary. Talk about randomness.
Then, how did it all start? Well, her sister’s friend allowed her to drive his go-kart for fun, and she enjoyed it. Afterward, both sisters asked their parents for a go-kart so they could continue racing with their friends.
You’re probably thinking: “For such a successful race driver, I’m sure her first race was magical.” No, she crashed into a concrete wall because her brakes stopped working.
Don’t worry. She wasn’t injured, but the excitement of that incident fueled her fire. Over time, she improved her leg-eye coordination and won 10 regional titles and the World Karting Association Grand National Championship. That wasn’t enough, though.
2. Taking Racing Seriously
Realizing she wanted to pursue racing professionally, Patrick enrolled in the Lyn St. James Foundation Driver Development program. She refined her driving skills and learned the different racing business ventures she could pursue.
It wasn’t long before John Mecom Jr, the Mecom racing team leader, acknowledged her potential and decided to sponsor her on one condition. Patrick had to go to a professional racing school.
She ended up attending two: The Track Speed School and the Formula Ford Driving School.
3. Pursuing Racing Professionally
After receiving her father’s approval, Patrick dropped out of high school and traveled to England to start racing professionally.
Yes, the experience was overwhelming, but she wasn’t alone. Three-time Formula One champion Jackie Steward was always by her side, and she received financial support from the Ford Motor Company.
Still, Patrick was an American woman in a male-dominated sport with only a few Americans playing it. She faced a lot of opposition.
Our girl boss didn’t let that stop her, though. She competed in Formula Ford and Formula Vauxhall and wasn’t doing half-bad.
However, she wasn’t dominating the track like her family expected. That changed when she secured second place in the 2000 Formula Ford Festival.
She received the Goreseline Scholarship Award for being the year’s most promising racing driver. Things were finally looking up—but that didn’t last long.
Returning to the U.S.
After three years of racing in the United Kingdom, FordU terminated their partnership with Patrick, suspecting she was abusing the money they gave her. Again, Patrick didn’t let that stop her and competed in various races when she returned to the U.S.
She may have performed her best at those races. She secured first place in the Toyota Atlantic Series’s opening in Monterey and second place at the finale in Miami.
She also participated in the Grand Prix of Atlanta for the first time and secured fourth place in class. Maybe that partnership termination was a blessing in disguise.
4. IndyCar Series Career
At this point, Patrick had established herself as a competent race driver, but she didn’t get the opportunity to show the world what she was truly capable of. That’s when the IndyCar Series of 2005 came in.
She was one of the leading competitors of that series and secured top spots in each race she participated in. She took three pole positions at Kansas, Kentucky, and Chicagoland Speedway.
That’s the most pole positions a driver has ever taken in their rookie season. So, it’s nothing to scoff at.
Unfortunately, she didn’t keep this up forever. Her 2006 IndyCar season was modest for the most part.
She secured a place in the top 10 in most of her races and advanced to the top four in the last few runs. Her 2007 season wasn’t that different.
However, everything changed in the 2008 series. Patrick secured her first win in that series at the Indy Japan 300, making her the first woman to win a high-level open-wheel racing competition.
The 2009 season was also prominent in her career, as she finished third in the Indianapolis 500. That’s the highest place a woman has ever taken in that race.
5. Stock Car Career
After establishing herself as a dominating force in the IndyCar Racing Series, Patrick decided to switch to Stock Car racing in 2010. Unfortunately, her first season was rough, as she couldn’t even secure a place in the top 10 spots in most races.
The following couple of seasons weren’t any different. She got in more accidents than I could count. That slump didn’t last long, though.
She made quite a comeback in 2013, leading the Daytona 500 for five consecutive laps. You may not think much about that, but it’s more impressive than you think,
Patrick continued dazzling racing fans with her incredible performance until 2017, when she announced she would stop racing full-time.
She made one final appearance in the 2018 Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500, then retired after a long, celebrated career. She came back six years later for one last run, though.
So, how much money did she make from all this? Patrick received $10 million a year at the peak of her racing career. So, her wallet is pretty full.
2. Sponsorships and Endorsements
As you can see, Danica Patrick was one of her generation’s most successful female race drivers. Of course, companies were racing to sponsor her.
The woman has worked with all sorts of brands. Some of them were small, like Meijer and AirTran Airways. Others were global, like Motorola, Coca-Cola, GoDaddy, and more.
3. TV Appearances
Believe it or not, Patrick has made several proT.V.nent TV appearances throughout her career. Her debut was in CSI: T.V., where she played one of the murder suspects.
She also N.Y.peared in The Simpsons, where she voiced herself in an episode called “How Munched Is That Birdie in the Window.” It sounds self-centered, but can you blame her?
She’s one of the top female race drivers in the world, after all. You might have seen her on the reality-based cooking show Chopped. If you think Patrick was only good at racing, you should’ve seen her crush her opponents and win that competition.
She also had a few cameos in music videos of Jay-Z’s, Maroon 5’s, and Cardi B’s songs.
4. Publications
Yes, Patrick published a couple of successful books back in the day. The first one is an autobiography called Danica Crossing the Line. It delves deep into 14 years of struggling to prove herself as a female race driver.
The second one isn’t as intense. Pretty Intense: The 90-Day Mind, Body, and Food Plan that Will Change Your Life is an instructional/motivational book.
As the title suggests, it introduces a 90-day program with intense workouts, a healthy eating plan, and psychological exercises that will improve the readers’ lives.
5. Podcast
Additionally, she hosts a podcast called “Pretty Intense.” Since her retirement, Patrick has dedicated a significant amount of time to it. Danica Patrick’s podcast typically revolves around intriguing and often puzzling topics.
Surprisingly, one frequently discussed topic is the existence of aliens. Yes, aliens. While some of her racing career rivals like Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Clint Bowyer have appeared on the show, the fringe personalities are more common.
According to YouTube, the most famous episode of Patrick’s show featured far-right figure Jordan Peterson as a guest. A clip from that episode has garnered over 4 million views.
What Is Danica Patrick’s Net Worth?
Danica Patrick has accumulated a net worth of $80 million through her years as a race driver, an author, and a TV personality.
Final Thoughts
Danica Patrick’s net worth shows you how hard she’s worked to get where she is today. Despite facing overwhelming opposition, she kept moving forward, proving she was among the most talented and skilled race drivers.
