NASCAR: Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are dating

Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are dating off track, the Associated Press reported.

While on track they will be rivals this year, the two Sprint Cup drivers have acknowledged they have a romantic relationship.

“We are dating, and I know there’s been a bit of a runaround this week at the media days and poor Ricky got grilled (with questions). It was out of respect to NASCAR, to all the manufacturers, the new cars, the teams, the sponsors, just to allow all the news of the day to be about racing and not let anything interfere with that,” Danica Patrick told AP.

The Stewart-Haas driver also acknowledged the relationship on Friday via Twitter, retweeting the AP story and thanking her fans for their nice messages. Earlier this month, Patrick filed for divorce from husband Paul Hospenthal after seven years of marriage. She announced the split via Facebook on November 20, 2012.

In Friday’s report, Stenhouse also acknowledged he is seeing Danica Patrick. “Yes, we are dating.” Both drivers will be battling on track for Sprint Cup’s „Sunoco Rookie of the Year” title this season. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. We’re ready to go out there and win it, and that’s our plan,” Stenhouse said of their rivalry.

“Both of us are running for rookie of the year, and I’m sure we both want that,” Patrick said. Interesting times ahead…