NASCAR Legend Danica Patrick Reflects on Escaping ‘Burning Man’ Festival 2023

Former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick was among the attendees at this week’s Burning Man festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert who were trapped in muddy conditions and largely unable to leave after a series of rain storms this summer.

Patrick spoke about her time at the festival in a post on her Instagram Stories:

“Made it out. Stuck three times and it took four hours… but on pavement.

“The challenge from weather really helped show everyone’s true nature at BM and it was to step up and help each other. It is an alternate reality where everyone gives what they can and no money is exchanged. 

“Too bad that couldn’t be our full reality but for now… It’s one magical week in the desert. Or swamp this year.”

Heavy rain on Friday and Saturday led to swampy conditions and flooded roads, making it impossible for most of the 70,000 attendees to leave. Some people hiked through the muddy desert and hitchhiked to the closest town or city like Reno in an effort to escape the festival.

Burning Man is an annual arts and music festival that places an emphasis on self-reliance and trading goods among the attendees or gifting rather than the exchange of money. A temporary city is built for the event and a giant sculpture of a man is ceremoniously burnt to end the event.

Patrick, 41, is a former NASCAR and IndyCar driver. She had one win and seven podium finishes in her IndyCar career and seven top-10 finishes during her time in NASCAR. She is the only woman to ever win an IndyCar event.