Danica Patrick is turning to pets for social media content after spending much of the week focusing on Donald Trump’s run for the Oval Office, transgender athletes and a number of other political issues.
“I really need some funny cat videos and sweet dog stories to balance out my feed,” Patrick wrote on Instagram before posting a series of pet-related photos and videos.
There are a few photos of Patrick with her dog Ella and the driver’s sleeping father in the background. However, Patrick neglected to share photos of cats.
The retired NASCAR and Indy Car driver may have been looking for a more unifying topic after speaking out about the presidential election and other political issues.
Patrick previously criticized transgender athletes on social media, insisting that men competing against women is “completely unfair.” The post comes amid the ongoing row over whether some trans women have an unfair advantage over biological women in sports due to strength and testosterone that many built up during puberty.
Patrick has competed in a male-dominated sport for years, and her victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300 remains the only win by a woman in IndyCar history.
Patrick posted a photo of herself with her dog, Ella, and her sleeping father in the background
Patrick has stayed busy since his retirement. In this recording she is seen analyzing Formula 1 for Sky Sports
However, she insists that men should not compete with women in any physical sport.
‘I was a girl in a man’s sport. “There are some real hormonal physiological reasons why men shouldn’t compete in women’s sports,” she told former Wall Street investor Codie Sanchez.
“When it comes to strength, when it comes to power, size… those things are really different.
‘If men have at least ten times as much testosterone as women, something that helps build muscle mass and gives you size, mass and strength, that is completely unfair.’
There were two trans athletes at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris: American runner Nikki Hiltz and Canadian soccer player Quinn, both 29. Both identify as transgender and non-binary.
But swimmer Lia Thomas was unable to compete after losing a legal battle and New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the last Olympics, was also absent.
There were two trans athletes at this summer’s Olympics: American runner Nikki Hiltz (left) and Canadian soccer player Quinn (right)
Swimmer Lia Thomas was unable to participate in the Paris Olympics after losing a legal battle
There was also anger at boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, who each won gold in the French capital.
Both insisted they were born female and neither identified otherwise, but both fighters were disqualified from competing in the World Championship after failing a gender test.
Weeks later, visually impaired Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo, 50, became the first ever transgender Paralympic athlete after qualifying in the T12 200m and 400m in Paris.
Earlier this week, Patrick delivered a six-word message to America’s critics as he endorsed Donald Trump for president.
The current Formula 1 analyst’s response to those critical of America left no doubt as to where her loyalties lie. She said, “You can leave if you want.”
Patrick announced that she was moderating a panel this weekend as part of Trump’s ‘Reclaim America Tour’ in Las Vegas.
The former NASCAR and IndyCar driver analyst has leaned right in the past and has followed that path in choosing her endorsement.
The panel moderated by Patrick included former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., both of whom have pledged their loyalty to Trump despite recently belonging to different political parties.
Patrick’s past interviews with Kennedy, as well as with conservative commentators like Charlie Kirk and Tucker Carlson, have shown her long association with those who want Trump re-elected.
Over the course of her NASCAR career – and beyond – Patrick, 42, has had a number of high-profile relationships.
She dated fellow NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and then-Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers for a two-year stint from 2012 to 2017.
Patrick supported Trump and gave her response to the American critics: ‘You can leave if you want!’
Trump is hoping for a second chance in the White House after his previous four years as president
Patrick posted a photo on social media earlier this month of her kissing a mystery man.
While attending Burning Man in Nevada this year, she uploaded the photo to her Instagram account with several images from the festival.
The footage included her kissing an unknown man, surrounded by the dust of the Black Rock Desert.
Another image showed the silhouette of Patrick hugging someone while sitting on some Playa swings at sunset.
It is not clear whether the person she is kissing is a friend or someone she recently met at the festival.