Danica Patrick has been named in or party to four notable legal matters: a $31 million breach-of-contract lawsuit her NASCAR team Stewart-Haas Racing brought against sponsor Nature’s Bakery in 2017, an arbitrated pay dispute with her former IndyCar team Andretti Green Racing, her 2013 divorce from Paul Hospenthal, and a 2022 trademark refusal involving her “Danica” wine brand. A Danica Patrick lawsuit search almost always leads to the Nature’s Bakery case, which was the largest and the most public of the four.
The Nature’s Bakery Sponsorship Lawsuit
In late 2015, Nature’s Bakery signed a three-year deal worth roughly $15.2 million per season to serve as the primary sponsor on Patrick’s No. 10 car for 28 races a year.1ESPN. Nature’s Bakery Files Counterclaims Against Stewart-Haas Racing It fell apart fast. Before the 2016 season began, the company told the team it had cash-flow problems and asked to restructure payments. Stewart-Haas agreed to break larger installments into smaller ones, but Nature’s Bakery still fell behind by more than $1.3 million.2JeffGluck.com. Stewart-Haas Racing Lawsuit Against Nature’s Bakery
On January 19, 2017, Nature’s Bakery sent a formal notice of termination, walking away with two years left on the contract.3NBC Sports. Stewart-Haas Racing, Nature’s Bakery Reach Settlement That Includes Race Sponsorship Two weeks later, on February 3, 2017, Stewart-Haas Racing filed a breach-of-contract suit in North Carolina Superior Court seeking more than $31 million to cover the two lost seasons.4ESPN. Stewart-Haas Racing, Nature’s Bakery Tentatively Settle Lawsuit The team said it had “delivered on all aspects of our agreement and more.”1ESPN. Nature’s Bakery Files Counterclaims Against Stewart-Haas Racing Patrick herself was not a named party; the lawsuit was between the team and the sponsor, though her endorsement conduct became central to the fight.
The Counterclaims and the Settlement
Nature’s Bakery filed counterclaims on February 25, 2017.3NBC Sports. Stewart-Haas Racing, Nature’s Bakery Reach Settlement That Includes Race Sponsorship5New York Post. Sponsor Fires Back: Danica Patrick’s Team Couldn’t Control Her6Nevada Appeal. Nature’s Bakery Counters Suit Over Danica Patrick’s Sponsorship1ESPN. Nature’s Bakery Files Counterclaims Against Stewart-Haas Racing
Stewart-Haas answered that Nature’s Bakery’s own social accounts had “liked” the very posts the company later complained about, and that concerns about Patrick’s endorsements only surfaced after the sponsor started missing payments.5New York Post. Sponsor Fires Back: Danica Patrick’s Team Couldn’t Control Her
The case did not go to trial. On May 24, 2017, the parties told the court they had a tentative settlement.4ESPN. Stewart-Haas Racing, Nature’s Bakery Tentatively Settle Lawsuit Two days later the terms were announced: all lawsuits between the parties were dropped, and Nature’s Bakery agreed to sponsor four Cup Series races in 2017, split between Patrick and teammate Clint Bowyer. Any additional financial terms were not disclosed.3NBC Sports. Stewart-Haas Racing, Nature’s Bakery Reach Settlement That Includes Race Sponsorship Stewart-Haas president Brett Frood called it “gratifying to see a difficult situation get resolved in a professional manner that suits all parties.”7Daytona Beach News-Journal. Stewart-Haas Reaches Agreement With Ex-Danica Patrick Sponsor
The Andretti Green Racing Pay Dispute
Patrick has also spoken about an earlier legal fight from her IndyCar career. Her compensation at Andretti Green Racing (later Andretti Autosport) was structured as profit sharing, and Patrick has said the team was “not paying me what I was supposed to get paid” under that contract.8Yahoo Sports. Danica Patrick on Andretti Green Racing Dispute
She described “legal battles behind the scenes” running through roughly the last year and a half of her time with the team, and the matter ultimately went through arbitration.9The Mirror. Danica Patrick IndyCar, NASCAR Career Patrick called it “a stressful and frustrating situation to be taken advantage of” and cited it among the reasons she left IndyCar for NASCAR in 2012.8Yahoo Sports. Danica Patrick on Andretti Green Racing Dispute The outcome of the arbitration was not made public.
The 2013 Divorce From Paul Hospenthal
Patrick filed for divorce from Paul Edward Hospenthal on January 3, 2013, in the Superior Court of Maricopa County, Arizona, after signing the petition on December 31, 2012. She cited the marriage as “irretrievably broken.”10USA Today. Danica Patrick Files for Divorce From Paul Hospenthal11ESPN. Danica Patrick Cites Irretrievably Broken Marriage as Cause for Divorce
The couple had signed a prenuptial agreement on November 11, 2005, that defined their separate property. Neither party sought alimony, and Patrick paid all court costs. Community property acquired during the marriage was divided through mediation.12USA Today. Danica Patrick Divorce Finalized A judge signed the consent decree on April 15, 2013, and it was filed on April 17, 2013, finalizing the divorce.13ESPN. Danica Patrick Divorce Finalized, Judge Signs Consent Decree
The “Danica” Wine Trademark Refusal
In December 2019, Danica Patrick Brands, LLC applied to register the mark “DANICA” for wine with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The examining attorney refused registration on likelihood-of-confusion grounds, citing an existing mark, “DANIKA RANCH,” registered in August 2017 for alcoholic beverages excluding beer.14USPTO TTAB. In Re Danica Patrick Brands, LLC
Patrick’s company appealed to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. After an oral hearing, the Board affirmed the refusal on January 24, 2022. It found that “DANICA” and “DANIKA” are essentially variant spellings of the same first name, that “RANCH” was merely descriptive and subordinate in the cited mark, and that the goods were “legally identical” because wine falls within alcoholic beverages generally.14USPTO TTAB. In Re Danica Patrick Brands, LLC Patrick continues to run her Somnium wine brand and its 24-acre California vineyard, but without a registered trademark on “Danica” for wine.