Posted: December-09-2009 at 9:00am | IP Logged

Danica Will Run Nationwide Limited Schedule

At last, the long-awaited announcement is official -- Go Daddy is taking Danica Patrick to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010. Danica will drive the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet in a partial Nationwide schedule next season, plus one ARCA race. The Go Daddy Girl will be racing as a member of the JR Motorsports (JRM) team owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Rick Hendrick, Kelley Earnhardt and Tony Eury, Jr. through 2011. -- "It's been a long time coming, but the stars finally aligned for me with Go Daddy and JRM," Danica said just before making her announcement. "I have always said I love to drive, and if I could make it work to race in both IndyCar and NASCAR -- with the right sponsor, like GoDaddy.com and the right team, like JRM -- then I'd love to drive in NASCAR!" -- Danica's NASCAR races would take place before, after and in between her IndyCar schedule. Michael Andretti, owner of Danica's IndyCar team, Andretti Autosport, addressed that issue. "Danica and I are both working hard for a win at the Indianapolis 500 -- keeping the race schedules separate will help keep her focused," Andretti said. Dale, Jr.'s sister, Kelley, is VP and GM for JRM and was at today's news conference. She expressed her excitement to have a woman join the team. She also pointed to JRM's experience as a key asset in Danica's foray into NASCAR. "One of the things JRM has to offer is proven NASCAR experience," said Earnhardt. "This is a team sport, and our team will help Danica get up to speed quickly. She's slated to begin working with our crew starting with the upcoming ARCA tests."  ...More 

(from InsiderRacingNews.com)

Posted: December-09-2009 at 9:35am | IP Logged

On the day that Patrick's extended IRL deal was announced, the picture below appeared on the GoDaddy.com web site for just a short time, then was quickly replaced by the correct image of Danica in her IRL driving suit. Somebody had posted the wrong image. Now, this one is OK. Notice that the driving suit in this image has the NASCAR Nationwide, JR Motorsports and Chevy logos.

Posted: December-09-2009 at 12:59pm | IP Logged

And in the meantime there is a local racer, somewhere, that would give his or her soul at the chance to drive in the Nationwide series in this car or any other car for that matter. A racer that is willing to do what it takes to grab the brass ring, to roll up their sleeves and put in the late nights at the shop if necessary. But unfortunately, he or she doesn't have the money to bring to the table that Danica does.  Therefore, the local racer will never get the chance.

It makes me want to puke.

Please support your local short track. Not because it's where the stars of tomorrow come from but because it's where the stars of today still race!!!!!

Posted: December-09-2009 at 5:12pm | IP Logged

Well sir I don't know that she has any to tell you the truth. I don't think she's getting this ride with JR Motorsports just because she'd make a nice poster in the garage (don't think the wife would understand that one) but it sure aint gonna hurt her either. All she has here is an opportunity and what she does with it I guess we'll all see. There is alot of us out here that envy her and I'm sure there's alot of folks that may think that they deserve a shot at the big leagues more than her, and maybe so. But I'm always glad to see people that work hard at what they do get a shot at fulfilling there dreams. Lord knows I still got mine.

Posted: December-10-2009 at 9:29am | IP Logged

I agree with both of you guys, but that doesn't mean it's good for the sport and that is my whole point. Racefans are being cheated on Sunday afternoons, those are NOT forty three of the best racers in the world. Sorry guys, I'm just an old school short track fan and extremely proud of it too!

Posted: December-10-2009 at 10:02am | IP Logged

But..... and just to look at it from another vantage point...... how many weekly track championships did Dale Jr win, or Jimmie Johnson, or Juan Pablo Montoya, or Joey Logano, ....or even Dale Sr for that matter?

Danica just took a different route than most of what we consider the Saturday night racers. She started racing karts at the age of 10, and she won numerous WKA events and titles. She went to England at the age of 16.... moved there..... (that is commitment) to compete in Formula cars, and was quite successful there. She raced in Formula Ford and Formula Vauxhall, earning a second-place finish in Britain's Formula Ford Festival, the highest finish ever by a female in the event. She then moved back to the United States in 2002 and started racing in the Barber Dodge Pro Series then in 2003 moved to the the Toyota Atlantic Series. Each step in her career was a move up to a faster and "bigger" class of race car... and she did very well in every endeavor. That first year in Toyota Atlantic, she did not win a race, but was a consistent podium (top 3) finisher. In 2004 she was 3rd in final Toyota Atlantic point standings, and got the offer to go IRL racing. She has done far better in the IRL than the majority of her competitors. She has won only one race in the IRL so far, but that is one win... and is one more than most current IRL drivers have.

She has earned her way to where she is... albeit via different route than the typical Saturday night racer. She is marketable, and brings big sponsor dollars with her because she knows how to represent sponsors.

Posted: December-10-2009 at 11:05am | IP Logged

Okay, so I can tell I'm not going to win this one but I still don't like it. I don't care if she raced go carts on the moon at age 16, I'd still rather see someone from a local short track scene get the chance.....and Dale Jr. not winning anything in late models is exactly my point. Van, how much did the ARCA ride cost Jake? No way was it free....and Jake is a very good racer, for a guy such as him he SHOULDN'T have to bring any money to the table but my guess is that he was required to by the Venturini's. What about Brad Teague, he's certainly qualified. Danny O'Quinn? That's a no brainer, he deserves a chance at a top quality ride too. Wade Day?  Phillip Morris? Absolutely....and that just covers some of the drivers in our area, we're not even taking into consideration the Carlolina's, upper midwest and the West Coast. What do those guys not have that Danica has?

So do you guys think that JR Motorsports, or any of the top level teams for that matter, care more about signing a driver with potential sponsor appeal or for potential for winning races? You're easy answer is to say "both" but my gut feeling is that once all the fluff is peeled away the sponsor appeal will trump everything else.

Posted: December-10-2009 at 11:54am | IP Logged

I'm not saying that I don't agree with you on how I would like for it to be.... but, the bottom line is that drivers today have to bring sponsorship to the table, and have to be able to keep the cash flow coming in. It takes both driving talent and money... and in today's world, money will trump talent every time.

My point is that Danica Patrick has earned her way. She just didn't do it in the "good old boy weekly racer" scenario. Her parents didn't buy her way in. She didn't get there because of her last name. She has been a dedicated racer for over 17 years. She has worked hard at her chosen profession. She has raced her way up through the ranks ..... it just happened to be the open-wheel ranks. The issue is that probably 99% of race fans never heard of her until she burst on the IRL/Indy scene, and they said, "Where did she come from and why is she in the IRL?" She is there because she can drive a race car. She didn't bring big money to Bobby Rahal. He recognized her abilities. One of those abilities which Bobby Rahal saw was her ability to be an outstanding product spokesperson. She has the ability to represent sponsors extremely well. She is a marketing and PR person along with being a talented driver. She may not ever win the Indy 500... but she has come very close on a couple of occasions. She most likely won't ever win the Daytona 500... simply because the odds are against her. But then, most other racers who have run Daytona haven't won either.

She will be the first female racer in NASCAR with good sponsorship and a truly competitive car. She may surprise a lot of people.

Posted: December-10-2009 at 12:42pm | IP Logged

Streetstock and Speed, I don't disagree with you guys at all.....I just don't like what the sport has become. And unfortunately we now see it even in the late model ranks where there are now a ton of "rental" and "driver development" deals out there where as 5 years ago there were very few. I've followed the short track scene since the 1960's sitting in the stands at Smoky Mountain, 411, Atomic, Nashville Fairgrounds (among others) and as a racing fan I find it very disheartening. I will give props to another member of Danica's family though, here sister Brooke is a Univ. of Tenn graduate!

Posted: December-11-2009 at 6:59pm | IP Logged

Robbie Henry wrote: Van, how much did the ARCA ride cost Jake? No way was it free....and Jake is a very good racer, for a guy such as him he SHOULDN'T have to bring any money to the table but my guess is that he was required to by the Venturini's.

Robbie, You know darn well that's classified information ;)

I spent a good part of Thursday with Venturini Motorsports reps in Orlando at the PRI show. Jake did a radio/Internet spot for The Venturini Power Hour while we were there. It's all about getting his name out and making him marketable enough for someone to put money behind him. He definitely has the talent to succeed at the next level, but we need a sponsor behind us in order to get the chance to prove it. Wish us luck!