Sprint Cup rookie says he doesn't want to talk about his personal life. 
Danica Patrick, left, talks with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on pit road during qualifying for a NASCAR Nationwide series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 3, 2012. (Photo: Randy Holt, AP) Story Highlights - Stenhouse and Patrick have been close friends since they raced as rookies on the Nationwide circuit in 2010
- Stenhouse says they went to PBR event over the weekend
- Both drivers will race each other on the Sprint Cup circuit this season
CHARLOTTE -- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said he wants to keep the focus on his upcoming rookie season.
He got several questions about his personal relationship with fellow Sprint Cup rookie Danica Patrick instead during Thursday's Roush Fenway Racing stop on a preseason media tour.
When he was asked, "Are you and Danica dating or .. ?" he responded:
"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.
"But, you know, I don't like to talk too much about my personal life. I think this week is about Roush Fenway, the Gen 6 (car), our sponsors and our season that we're looking ahead to. It's going to be fun racing her in rookie of the year. I think it's going to be very exciting. I've never raced a friend for a championship, for rookie of the year."
Patrick, who filed for divorce earlier this month, was unavailable for comment Thursday.
PATRICK: Marriage irretrievably broken
On Monday during Patrick's media session with Stewart-Haas Racing, she referred to him as a good friend.
Stenhouse acknowledged attending a Professional Bull Riders event with Patrick on Saturday (the two could be seen in pictures posted on a Stenhouse-related Tumblr page), though Stenhouse said they went with a group of friends.
"It was a lot of fun," he said. "I think it was her first rodeo ever."
PHOTOS: Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 
Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. came onto the Nationwide Series circuit together, in 2010."We got along from the very beginning,"Patrick says of Stenhouse. Rainier Ehrhardt, Getty Images Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who won the past two Nationwide titles. Danica Patrick finished 10th and won the most popular driver award on that circuit in 2012. Michael Hickey, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse will compete against each other on the Sprint Cup circuit this season. Each will be a candidate for rookie of the year. Nick Wass, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick (7) battles Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (6) and Mike Wallace (01) for position on the backstretch during the Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway in 2010. Douglas Jones, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick jokes with Tony Eury Jr. (right) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. during qualifying for the Nationwide Series race in Concord, N.C., May 26, 2012. Mike McCarn, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick runs past Ricky Stenhouse Jr. before practice for Saturday's History 300 Nationwide Series race in Concord, N.C., May 24, 2012. Chuck Burton, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse raced in the Nationwide Series' inaugural event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in May 2012. She finished 35th; he was ninth. Tom Pennington, Getty Images Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. shared time with fans before a race at Iowa Speedway on May 19, 2012 in Newton, Iowa. Rainier Ehrhardt, Getty Images Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick, left, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. share a laugh before practice for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26, 2012. Brian Czobat, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick (7) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (6) race side by side during the NASCAR Nationwide Series STP 300 at Chicagoland Speedway on June 4, 2011. Jason Smith, Getty Images for NASCAR Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick, left, said of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. last July, "He's just protective and nice, a really good friend." Ronald Martinez, Getty Images Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick (7) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (6) both crashed in their first NASCAR Nationwide Series event, the Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13, 2010. Sam Greenwood, Getty Images Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., right, chopped his mullet because Danica Patrick suggested it. Patrick wrote a note to Stenhouse crew chief Mike Kelly stating: "Please let Ricky cut the mullet. He's much hotter with a nice, clean cut." Jerry Markland, Getty Images for NASCAR Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick, left, talks with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on pit road during qualifying for a NASCAR Nationwide series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 3, 2012. Randy Holt, AP Related story Fullscreen Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries: Replay 
Autoplay Show Thumbnails Show Captions Fullscreen Last Slide Next Slide Asked whether he worried his personal life could become a distraction this season, Stenhouse said he would stay focused on racing.
"The fans can focus on whatever they want," he said. "I stay focused on what I've got to do for my career, what I gotta do for me to make a living."
Will Stenhouse race Patrick any differently on the track, given they are close?
"Heck no, we're going for rookie of the year," he said. "People always say, 'I'd wreck my mom to win,' and that's a racer's mentality. I want to win rookie of the year just as badly as she does."
In the wake of Patrick announcing Nov. 20 that she intended to divorce Paul Hospenthal after seven years of marriage, several other gossip blogs speculated whether Stenhouse might have factored into the split. None of the reports offered any proof that Patrick and Stenhouse were dating.
Patrick, 30, and Stenhouse, 25, grew close during the 2010 season when they were both rookies helping each other in the Nationwide Series. At rookie driver meetings, Stenhouse often offered his seat to Patrick along with tidbits of driving advice, and Patrick convinced Stenhouse that he should cut his infamous "mullet".
"We were at an autograph session in Chicago," Stenhouse told USA TODAY Sports in a November 2011 story. "And she (asked), 'Man, what's it going to take for you to cut your hair?' "
READ THE DOCUMENT: Patrick's divorce filing
Stenhouse said he didn't want to ruin a run of good fortune under new crew chief Mike Kelley after crashing in five of his first 12 races. So Patrick took the suggestion to Kelley by writing on an autograph card, "Please let Ricky cut the mullet. He's much hotter with a nice, clean cut." Stenhouse chopped the long locks within a few days.
They shared a hug on ESPN after Stenhouse completed a postrace interview at Kentucky Speedway last September.
"We got along from the very beginning," Patrick told ESPNW.com for a story last July. "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."
PHOTOS: Danica Patrick and Paul Hospenthal 
Danica Patrick wed Paul Hospenthal in 2005, three years after they met. She announced on her Facebook page Nov. 20 that they are divorcing. Alan Mermelstein Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick wipes a tear during her wedding ceremony to Paul Hospenthal. Alan Mermelstein Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick and husband Paul Hospenthal dance at their wedding. They met in 2002 when Hospenthal, a physical therapist, helped Patrick recover from a hip injury. Alan Mermelstein Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick takes a break on the shoulder of her then-fiance Paul Hospenthal before doing an interview with CNN in 2005. Matt Detrich, Indianapolis Star Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick leans on then-fiance Paul Hospenthal after her fourth-place finish in the Indianapolis 500 in 2005. Patrick became the first woman to lead the race. Matt Kryger, Indianapolis Star Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick and Paul Hospenthal take in the crowd during the IPL 500 Festival Parade in Indianapolis, the day before the Indianapolis 500. Kevin Martin, Indianapolis Star Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick receives a kiss from husband Paul Hospenthal before the start of the Indy Firestone 400 at Michigan International Speedway in 2006. Greg Griffo, Indianapolis Star Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick and Paul Hospenthal share a quiet moment before the start of the Indianapolis 500 in 2007. Robert Scheer, Indianapolis Star Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Danica Patrick and her husband attended the Key to the Cure fundraising gala benefiting St. Vincent women'’s cancer research in Indianapolis in 2009. Here, they enjoy the fashion show at Saks Fifth Avenue. Matt Dial, Indianapolis Star Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
The IndyCar turned NASCAR driver says she relied on her husband to help keep her grounded. Darron Cummings, AP Related story Fullscreen
Danica Patrick, left, talks with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on pit road during qualifying for a NASCAR Nationwide series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 3, 2012. (Photo: Randy Holt, AP) CHARLOTTE -- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said he wants to keep the focus on his upcoming rookie season. He got several questions about his personal relationship with fellow Sprint Cup rookie Danica Patrick instead during Thursday's Roush Fenway Racing stop on a preseason media tour. When he was asked, "Are you and Danica dating or .. ?" he responded: "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. "But, you know, I don't like to talk too much about my personal life. I think this week is about Roush Fenway, the Gen 6 (car), our sponsors and our season that we're looking ahead to. It's going to be fun racing her in rookie of the year. I think it's going to be very exciting. I've never raced a friend for a championship, for rookie of the year." Patrick, who filed for divorce earlier this month, was unavailable for comment Thursday. PATRICK: Marriage irretrievably broken On Monday during Patrick's media session with Stewart-Haas Racing, she referred to him as a good friend. Stenhouse acknowledged attending a Professional Bull Riders event with Patrick on Saturday (the two could be seen in pictures posted on a Stenhouse-related Tumblr page), though Stenhouse said they went with a group of friends. "It was a lot of fun," he said. "I think it was her first rodeo ever." PHOTOS: Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Asked whether he worried his personal life could become a distraction this season, Stenhouse said he would stay focused on racing. "The fans can focus on whatever they want," he said. "I stay focused on what I've got to do for my career, what I gotta do for me to make a living." Will Stenhouse race Patrick any differently on the track, given they are close? "Heck no, we're going for rookie of the year," he said. "People always say, 'I'd wreck my mom to win,' and that's a racer's mentality. I want to win rookie of the year just as badly as she does." In the wake of Patrick announcing Nov. 20 that she intended to divorce Paul Hospenthal after seven years of marriage, several other gossip blogs speculated whether Stenhouse might have factored into the split. None of the reports offered any proof that Patrick and Stenhouse were dating. Patrick, 30, and Stenhouse, 25, grew close during the 2010 season when they were both rookies helping each other in the Nationwide Series. At rookie driver meetings, Stenhouse often offered his seat to Patrick along with tidbits of driving advice, and Patrick convinced Stenhouse that he should cut his infamous "mullet". "We were at an autograph session in Chicago," Stenhouse told USA TODAY Sports in a November 2011 story. "And she (asked), 'Man, what's it going to take for you to cut your hair?' " READ THE DOCUMENT: Patrick's divorce filing Stenhouse said he didn't want to ruin a run of good fortune under new crew chief Mike Kelley after crashing in five of his first 12 races. So Patrick took the suggestion to Kelley by writing on an autograph card, "Please let Ricky cut the mullet. He's much hotter with a nice, clean cut." Stenhouse chopped the long locks within a few days. They shared a hug on ESPN after Stenhouse completed a postrace interview at Kentucky Speedway last September. "We got along from the very beginning," Patrick told ESPNW.com for a story last July. "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." PHOTOS: Danica Patrick and Paul Hospenthal Story Highlights
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