Danica Patrick told to ‘shut up and race’
She was frustrated with some bad luck and frustrated with the way she was raced, including a tough battle with David Gilliland, who later said Patrick should “shut up and race." Patrick finished a lap down in 25th in the STP 400 for her third-best finish of the eight-race season. But that was little consolation as she thought she had a better car. She had to pit under green because of trash on the grille of her car, and then made contact late in the race with Marcos Ambrose, which left her angry at Ambrose as well as with Gilliland.
“He tries to take me out every time," Patrick said over her in-car radio about Gilliland, a communication that was broadcast on the Fox telecast. “Tell his spotter that I’m coming after him if he does it again. In fact I might just do it right now."
Gilliland, through a spokesman, had a brief response: “Shut up and race."
Patrick did not speak to reporters after the race — typically she will do a brief interview if media are at her car after the race — but released comments through a spokesman.