Wheldon, Patrick avoid penalties

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indy Racing League will take no punitive action for the on-track collision or the subsequent postrace confrontation between Dan Wheldon and Danica Patrick at Milwaukee on Sunday.

Patrick, who started 17th in the 18-car field in the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225, went low on the track in an attempt to pass Wheldon on the 88th lap. The cars touched, sending Patrick’s car spinning into the infield grass. The collision bent her suspension and forced a long pit stop for repairs.

Patrick placed eighth and Wheldon went on to finish third, behind winner Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti.

Afterward, an angry Patrick approached Wheldon in the pits, grabbed his arm, voiced her complaint and gave him a light push as she walked away.

Neither event was enough to warrant a penalty, IRL vice president John Griffin said.

Patrick told reporters after the incident, “I just came up to him, looked up at him, put my arm around him, started walking and said, ‘What happened? What was that for? Did you not see me? Why didn’t you back off?’ And he didn’t say anything.

Wheldon disagreed with Patrick’s view of the incident.

“She obviously thought she was past me,” he said. “She wasn’t. She’s probably feeling the pressure of not winning races when her teammates are,” Wheldon said. “She’s just feisty. … She’s messing with the wrong person if she wants to get feisty.”