Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. have both dodged speculation that they are an item, while Brad Keselowski is still single and looking.
Less than 24 hours after celebrating Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Nationwide Series championship in the proverbial "little black dress," Danica Patrick announced her divorce. Now, she and Stenhouse are rumored to be an item.
When Danica Patrick announced her plans to divorce husband Paul Hospenthal Nov. 20, those in NASCAR circles immediately speculated that there was a reason behind it.
It had been rumored that Patrick, 30, had been spotted with two-time Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 25, while she was still married. It seemed a little ironic that Patrick would reveal her divorce a day after wearing the proverbial "little black dress" to the Nationwide year-end banquet in Stenhouse's honor.
Those bastions of journalism - the National Enquirer - quoted a source back in November that revealed the closeness of the relationship between the two drivers.
“Danica has spent more time with Ricky the past couple of years than with her husband. When he won the Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year in 2010, she was one of the first to congratulate him and gave him a big hug. It’s no secret Danica is infatuated with him.”
On Thursday, NASCAR's annual Media Tour stopped at Roush Fenway Racing, where Stenhouse is gearing up for his first full-time season in the Sprint Cup Series, driving the No. 17 Ford vacated by Matt Kenseth's departure to Joe Gibbs Racing.
With all the drivers available to a bevy of reporters, guess what they wanted to ask Stenhouse?
“I don’t like to talk too much about my personal life. This week is about … our season that we’re looking ahead to.”
Pressed again, Stenhouse used the "friend" line to describe NASCAR's resident sex symbol.
"We've got a great relationship. Obviously, it started when she came into the sport. We were both going to rookie meetings. It's been cool to work with her in the Nationwide Series. I've felt like she could come to me with advice with the experience I've had."
The friendship between Patrick and Stenhouse was a topic of discussion as far back as last July, when Patrick addressed it in a story for ESPNW.
"We got along from the very beginning. He's really respectful. He wants to help me. He makes me trust him. There's no bad intent. He's just protective and nice, a really good friend."
We shall see when and if this couple finally reveals itself.
Driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. talks to the media at a news conference during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Media Tour in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013.
POOR BRAD: At the press conference following his NASCAR Sprint Cup championship victory last November, Brad Keselowski made no secret that he hoped his new-found celebrity would raise his dating profile.
"I always wanted to date a celebrity, just throwing that out there. That would be pretty cool, don't you think?"
When the Media Tour stopped at Penske Racing on Wednesday, Keselowski revealed that he has struck out thus far. While "Bad Brad" has met Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and received a congratulatory tweet from Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, he has not heard anything from his celebrity crush - actress Jennifer Love Hewitt.
"Apparently she's busy," the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford joked, according to USAToday.com's Jeff Gluck.
There are three celebrities, however, that Keselowski would not consider.
"Not a Kardashian," he said back in November.
Good boy, Brad!