Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse have called it quits after five years together, according to a statement given to Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press.
A spokesperson for Danica Patrick says Danica and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are “no longer in a relationship” and ask for privacy regarding the situation.
— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) December 18, 2017
Patrick, per the AP, was absent from the NASCAR Cup Series Awards in November when Stenhouse was honored for advancing to the NASCAR playoffs after wins at Talladega and Daytona.
The duo had been dating since 2012 after Patrick made the jump from IndyCar to NASCAR. Patrick announced on her Facebook page in September that she would not return to Stewart-Haas Racing for 2018, though she plans to run at the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500.
Despite never winning a race in her Monster Energy Cup Series career, Patrick achieved multiple milestones. She is the first woman to qualify on the pole for a Daytona 500 and the first to lead in NASCAR's biggest race. She also had her share of success in IndyCar, becoming the first woman to win a race and being named the most popular driver from 2005-10.
"I don't care if you remember me as a girl," Patrick said after wiping away tears at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. She also noted that she hopes to remembered as a good driver.
Here is a look back at Stenhouse and Patrick in happier times:
