Danica Patrick passes 1 million Twitter followers, a NASCAR first

Danica Patrick has passed the 1-million mark in Twitter followers, something no other NASCAR driver has even come close to doing.

I will now pause for you hard-core NASCAR fans to make your snide comments about Patrick never even coming close to winning a race in the sport.

All right, got that out of your system?

Patrick passed the mark in the days leading up to the Daytona 500 on Sunday.

“It just shows what incredible and loyal fans I have,” she told the Associated Press before the race. “It’s pretty humbling that 1 million people are curious about what I have to say and what I’m doing. I really can’t thank everyone enough for their passion and interest.”

Twitter lists Patrick’s follower count at 1.01 million, well ahead of the next-highest NASCAR driver: Jimmie Johnson with his 541,000 followers.

Her boyfriend, fellow NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., has 129,000 followers. The top IndyCar driver on Twitter is Juan Pablo Montoya, with 800,000.

I have 19 followers.

Patrick also ranks among the top female athletes on Twitter, although she’ll have to gain about 3 million more followers before she reaches the level of Serena Williams.

Then again, she’d have to lose 999,982 followers to fall behind me, so she’s still in pretty good shape.

Twitter: @chewkiii