Patrick was hired by Stewart-Haas Racing to drive the No. 10 for the full 2013 schedule, making SHR the first team in NASCAR history to sign a female driver to a full Sprint Cup Series season. Danica would be competing with 2-time Nationwide Series Champion, and then-boyfriend, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year Timmy Hill for the Rookie of the Year award, priming to be the most competitive rookie battle since 2008. Because the No. 10 under SHR was a new entry, the team purchased the 2012 owners points of Robinson-Blakeney Racing to help ensure a starting spot in the first three races of the year. Patrick started the 2013 season winning the pole for the Daytona 500, the first woman to do so, and the first rookie to win the pole since Jimmie Johnson in 2002. Patrick also ran the fastest pole speed for the 500 in 23 years, timing in at 45.817 seconds. She ran in the top 10 for most of the day, became the first woman to lead a lap in the 500, and finished 8th. In addition to her Superspeedway prowess, Patrick posted strong finishes at Martinsville Speedway, finishing 12th in the spring race and 17th in the fall race. At the end of the year, Patrick ranked 27th in points, with only one top 10 and a dismal 30.1 average finish, finishing in front of Hill and ultimately losing out to Stenhouse for ROTY.