The spotlight was bright in Daytona for Danica Patrick. She started strong but didn’t end up with the hoped-for results. Although she is down, she isn’t out. One driver who can attest to that is Elliott Sadler, who faced nearly the same circumstance last season following the season opener at Daytona.

Patrick, a Phoenix resident, became just the second woman in national series history to win a Coors Light Pole when she did so in Daytona. But a potential strong run was cut short when her JR Motorsports teammate, Whitt, tapped her from behind, causing extensive damage to her No. 7 Chevrolet. She was able to return, but finished 38th. She comes home 26th in points.

In the 2011 opener at Daytona, Sadler – the media favorite to unify the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and owner championships – finished 38th due to an accident. At the time, Sadler was 27th in the series standings, 35 points behind the leader. Ten weeks later, following the 11th race of the season at Dover International Speedway, Sadler had reached the summit, taking the standings lead for the first time in 2011.

Patrick has the opportunity to do the same. She has made three starts at Phoenix International Raceway, posting a best finish of 17th in this event last season. She almost mimicked her spring performance in the fall on the newly resurfaced Phoenix International Raceway, finishing 21st, six positions ahead of now-standings leader Sadler, who finished 27th.

Incidentally, Patrick is 35 points behind Sadler – the same deficit Sadler faced last season. Watch for Patrick to start to make her rebound over the next few weeks. Following Phoenix is Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the track where Patrick posted her series career-best finish (fourth).