Danica Patrick: Full-time racing career ends early with crash

HOMESTEAD, Fla. --- Danica Patrick's final race ended like about a third of her races in what turned out to be her final season as a full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver: early. 

Patrick's car rolled to a stop in flames after she blew a tire and she was run into by   Kasey Kahne near the midway point of Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400. She hopped out of her car uninjured, the 11th time this season she failed to complete a race during the 36-race schedule. 

"It's kind of just the story of the year," Patrick said in a televised interview after she was released from the infield care center.

Patrick was two laps down when the incident happened and finished 37th. 

“We had a tire rub,” Patrick said. “There was smoke in the car. They (her crew) thought it would be alright, but it wasn’t. ... It was fun for a little while there at the end."

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Patrick announced Friday that she would no longer compete in racing on a full-time basis, although she also made it public that she would run the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 next year. 

“It was a little bit emotional, but I’ve been working through levels of that,” Patrick said. “I have been kind of looking forward to the end. 

“There’s still racing in my future. There’s still a thousand miles to go.”

Sunday's race was the 10th in which Patrick has been forced out due to a collision. She also had to retire early due to an engine issue. Her 11 DNFs were the second-most this season in Cup behind Jeffrey Earnhardt (14).

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