Danica Patrick wins NASCAR Fan Vote

NASCAR Superstar Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick was revealed to be the winner of the Sprint Fan Vote on Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway following the Sprint Showdown.

That will put Patrick in the field for Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (9 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM).

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver is the first person to win the Sprint Fan Vote twice, earning the honor in 2013.

Earlier in the week, Miss Sprint Cup revealed that Clint Bowyer (Michael Waltrip Racing), Kyle Larson (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates), Patrick (Stewart-Haas Racing), Martin Truex Jr. (Furniture Row Racing) and Josh Wise (Phil Parsons Racing) were the top-five vote getters.

Since the Sprint Fan Vote was instituted in 2004, only one driver — Kasey Kahne in 2008 — has won the vote and gone on to win the race. The 11 fan vote winners have averaged a finish of 14.27 in the Sprint All-Star Race.

DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 MOBIL 1/ASPEN DENTAL CHEVROLET SS – Joins Sprint All-Star Race line-up via Fan Vote:

“I have great fans. I know I didn’t make it in last year, but I heard that they voted even more last year than the year before that and so I’m sure that this year was nothing different. I think I got close at the end and they came through. They always come through. I am lucky to have such great fans.

“I just really hope that we can learn enough tonight to make the car better tomorrow so that we can start throughout the segments because I think there are like five, right? Sometimes we might stay out. Maybe we’ll only take two (tires). Maybe only fuel. It would be cool to be able to have a car good enough to march our way forward and then ultimately see how good we can get it for the 600. But, thanks to Sprint, too, for giving this platform for a driver like myself who has great fans but didn’t win the race to get in. That’s my ultimate goal. We’re working toward it but these things all help. All the laps on track help."

HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE TO WIN AFTER BEING VOTED-IN BY YOUR FANS?

“That would be the ultimate. There is nothing better than redeeming yourself for not racing your way in, by winning it. That would be the best-best case scenario. To be honest, even cooler to get voted in and then win. So, that would be great. I think it’s going to be tough. But, anything can happen; especially in this crazy format."