Patrick compares career to Tebow

NASCAR driver Danica Patrick has likened her popularity and public criticisms to that of NFL quarterback Tim Tebow.

Patrick said her husband, Paul Hospenthal, made the initial comparison between her and the Denver Broncos pivot based on the media frenzy and scrutiny surrounding the two athletes.

"He said, 'He's very much like you and how your situation has gone down,'" Patrick told USA Today. "When stuff happens so quickly and you become popular so quickly, it becomes polarizing. Everyone has an opinion without really knowing you."

Patrick raced in the IndyCar Series from 2005-11, earning the Most Popular Driver award six times, despite winning only a single race in her open-wheel career. She has also been criticized for using her use of sex appeal to raise her profile, from appearing in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue to racy commercials for her sponsor, GoDaddy.com.

"People judge you and think you don't deserve all the attention, but your story is interesting to the public," Patrick said to USA Today. "It's something that just gets bigger and bigger. (Tim) Tebow is experiencing the same thing. What can you do about it as an athlete? It has advantages, but people judge it. It's just there. It's a story that interests people, but some people judge it negatively."

Patrick is competing full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this season as well as 10 races in the elite Sprint Cup Series, including the Daytona 500.