Danica's best finish with full race at Texas
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Danica Patrick's first Sprint Cup race with her new crew chief has to be considered a success.
Patrick had her best finish in nine Cup starts this season, finishing 24th at Texas on Sunday and running every lap for the first time. Her No. 10 Chevrolet was the last car on the lead lap in the race won by points leader Jimmie Johnson.
Multimedia
Tony Gibson was Ryan Newman's crew chief for Stewart-Haas Racing, but is moving to Patrick's team next season. They're getting a head start with her final two races this season, at Texas and then at Phoenix next week.
"We had a really nice first weekend," Patrick said. "It was really steady from the beginning. ... Tony Gibson did such a good job. I'm really looking forward to next year."
Twice, Patrick took advantage of the wave-around to get back on the lead lap. And she was running at times with Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin.
"To come here and run on the lead lap, and a shot at a top 20, was pretty impressive," Gibson said.
___
BUMPED FROM THE SKY: Kevin Harvick's crew had to make repairs to the No. 29 Chevrolet even before the engines started Sunday. The car was hit from above.
The driver's side of the car sustained a huge dent when a parachute jumper landing in the infield as part of pre-race activities swooped over the car. A weighted bag trailing the jumper and holding a huge Texas flag in place slammed into the car on the upper half of the numeral 9.
Harvick, who is winless in the Sprint Cup series this season, tweeted a picture of the damage with the message, "Never good when the day starts with a parachute weight hitting your car. Welcome to 2012."
(MAY 2013): If You Pay For Car Insurance You Better Read This...
www.ConsumerFinanceDaily.com
(Video) Man uncovers scientific research that destroys his diabetes.
DisarmDiabetes.com
Prev
 — Danica Patrick's first Sprint Cup race with her new crew chief has to...){kind=link}