Danica Patrick’s Best 2018 ESPYS Hosting Moments

Former professional race car driver gets behind the drivers wheel when she entertains athletes at the annual award show

By Cydney Contreras Jul 19, 2018 3:07 AMTags

Danica Patrick hit a home run when she hosted this year's ESPYs.

The former race car driver is the first female to host the ESPN award show and much was expected of the NASCAR star, but she proved she has the chops to kick it with the big guys.

Throughout the show, the 36-year-old honored the countless women who have dominated the world of sports. From Serena Williams to Mikaela Shiffrin, there were plenty of moments acknowledging the female athletes and their accomplishments.

Not to forget the funny jokes that Danica effortlessly delivered. She even managed to get in a dig at Fergie's now-infamous rendition of the national anthem. 

Check out all of Danica's most jaw dropping and hilarious moments:

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ESPYS 2018 Red Carpet Fashion
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

The National Anthem Controversy:

Danica didn't waste any time in bringing up one of the most cringe worthy sports moments of the last year. After pausing for dramatic effect, the racer said, "We have to mention the elephant in the room. We have to talk about the national anthem controversy."

Laughter erupted as the crowd recalled Fergie's unique rendition of the national anthem at the NBA All-Star Game.

"I don't know what Fergie was thinking either, but we all have bad days," the host lamented.

"Me, Danica":

What fans may not realize about the now-retired NASCAR driver is that she shares an eerily similar history to former ice skater Tonya Harding.

In a parody of the film, I, Tonya, the 36-year-old played nearly every character from the biopic, save for her boyfriend Aaron Rodgers, who her "mother" described as a "bad influence" on the mustachioed athlete.

The hilarious video depicted the moment Danica confronted the race car judges after she lost an important race. "I'm the best driver my sport has ever seen but the freaking judges were always against me," the star said angrily.

Later in the video the host says, "Turns out racing doesn't have any judges."

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Everything You Need to Recreate Danica Patrick's ESPY Awards Makeup
ABC

The Rap Goddess:

Want to know how the race car driver landed herself this hosting gig? It was her mad rap skills.

In a skit, the emcee showed off her sick beats and even shabbier style, which drew the attention of the show's producers. One of them told the cameras, "Is Danica a good rapper?  No, but neither was Kobe but nevertheless he persisted."

And while it caught the eye of the right people, Patrick said, "This was never about the rap, this was about the people getting scared of the raps."

ABC

Role-Playing:

Danica channeled her inner Daenerys from Game of Thrones for a skit that was unfortunately cut for time. And while Kareem Abdul Jabbar was bummed that he got all gussied up in perfect cosplay attire, her boyfriend, Aaron Rodgers, couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of his girlfriend as the Mother of Dragons.

The host joked that she would sneak home the costume, considering the fact that the football player's favorite character from the show is the Queen of the Andals.

Congratulations to Danica on a successful hosting gig!