Couric joins Patrick for spin at IMS

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (AP) - Katie Couric feels bad for Ann Curry.

The former co-host of NBC's "Today" show was in Indianapolis on Tuesday to take a drive around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with Danica Patrick. The feature will air sometime after Couric's syndicated talk show, called "Katie," debuts in September.

When Couric left "Today" to go to CBS, Curry was passed over for the top job for Meredith Vieira. And Curry was recently replaced as a co-host by Savannah Guthrie after about a year on the job.

Asked about Curry, Couric first said: "That is such old news. Are you guys really still writing about that?"

"I felt bad for Ann and I felt bad for the whole team on the show," she said. "Transitions like that are really tough. But I know she'll go on and do great things."

Patrick said she was happy to make a visit to the Speedway. She is set to run the 400-mile Brickyard on July 29, her first race here since deciding to be in NASCAR full-time after leaving the IndyCar Series.

"It's good to be back here," Patrick said. "I didn't think my first lap in a stock car around here would be a school stock car, but I thought it was a good lead into a couple of weeks from now when we're actually here for the real deal."

Couric said her interview with Patrick won't be part of the show's debut, but it's "going to be early in the season."

Patrick also took Couric on a trip around the famous track.

"We were riding together out there on the track, we were learning about racing," Patrick said. "Even I was still learning about racing. We were just having some fun."

Driving at the higher speeds isn't something Couric is used to.

"I was very, very, very quiet," Couric said. "I was nervous at first, but I had a lot of fun. I'm a huge fan of Danica's and have watched her career for many years now."