Danica Patrick’s move to NASCAR
While Danica Patrick is reportedly in the final stages of finalizing a deal to move full time to NASCAR in 2012, many questions still remain about her racing future if she was to complete the transition to stock cars from the IZOD IndyCar Series.
Currently, Patrick is running a limited schedule for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports team in the Nationwide Series. When asked prior to the Brickyard 400 about Patrick making the full-time move, Earnhardt said that he had a good feeling about the contract negotiations.
“I feel confident that she’s content where she is and happy with what we’re doing” – Earnhardt said. “I think things are looking positive for us to put something together.”
But Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t field a Sprint Cup Series team.
So what are her Sprint Cup Series options?
JR Motorsports is affiliated with Hendrick Motorsports, but Junior has shown no interest – at least not yet – in fielding a Cup team. Hendrick is at the four-car limit — Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Earnhardt and Kasey Kahne (starting in 2012) — so it can’t field another car. That leaves Stewart-Haas Racing which, according to The Associated Press report, could field a car for Patrick on a limited basis in 2012.
That possibility is in contrast to what Stewart said back in May.
“To the best of my knowledge, I haven’t heard that she’s doing anything in the Cup Series yet” – Stewart said. “She’s learning in the Nationwide deal.”
He also said “anybody that’s got a Cup team that would have the availability would jump at the chance to do something with her. Obviously she is a great talent. … I hope we [hear from her]. You would be crazy not to entertain an offer like that and an opportunity for her to drive a race car for you.”
Danica Patrick.
Danica Patrick could still run the Indianapolis 500 even if she makes a full-time move to NASCAR, The Associated Press learned Tuesday.
Two people familiar with Patrick’s 2012 plans said she is in the final stages of a deal to run a full-time Nationwide Series schedule with JR Motorsports and limited Sprint Cup Series races with the team owned by two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart. The deal won’t be finished until she has secured a release from Andretti Autosport.
The talks include her continuing to run the Indianapolis 500 – one person said.
JR Motorsports co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. said last weekend he wants Patrick to run a full Nationwide schedule with his team. She has driven 19 Nationwide races for his team in the past two seasons and has six more scheduled starts this year.
Earlier this year, Stewart said he would love to work with Patrick but only in the Sprint Cup Series. He has wanted to expand his two-car Stewart-Haas Racing organization but had no interest in fielding a Nationwide car.
The potential to continue to race in the Indianapolis 500 is a new wrinkle, considering JRM co-owner Kelley Earnhardt has said that it would be difficult for Patrick to run that race and compete for the Nationwide championship. Running the Indy 500 requires drivers to spend most of the month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And NASCAR this year ran three Nationwide races during that span.
While women are still struggling to become a major force in motorsports, girls have practically taken over at least one form of car racing.
In soap box derby racing you have to look quickly to catch a 35 mph race that’s over in about 30 seconds.
But you don’t have to look far to see that the sport is now dominated by young ladies.
“It’s a rush to drive ‘em and it’s just really fun” – said Ambree Garren of Bremen.
This 17-year-old ought to know.
She’s been racing in soap box derbies since she was 12, a tradition that spans 4 generations of her family.
After dominating the sport in the Southeast, Garren did well in the National Derby Rallies in Akron, Ohio last week.
She finished 2nd in the nation in one race and 7th in another.
Like Ambree, most of the top finishers were girls.
“I like beating up on all the boys and everything and it might hit some of the boys a little harder that they’re beat by girls a lot” – Garren says with a laugh.
She believes girls do better because they concentrate more at her age.
As a rising Senior at Bremen High School, Ambree has played several sports and is hoping for a college scholarship in volleyball.
She’s considering possible careers in law or early childhood education.
But she also hasn’t given up on expanding her racing career.