Danica Patrick to Make NASCAR Debut at Fontana

Left to Right: Kelly Earnhardt, Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kelly Bires
Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

As promised, the press conference at JR Motorsports' Mooresville, North Carolina race shop delivered itself as an early Christmas present to fans of NASCAR. With many of JR Motorsports key people at the conference Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kelly Earnhardt, Danica Patrick, and the team's full-time Nationwide Kelly Bires were the key soundbites through the event.

With Danica Patrick dominating press and fan interests, some minor details were finally provided on the most anticipated debut in the NASCAR Nationwide series. Patrick's first race in the #7 Godaddy.com Chevrolet Impala will be at Auto Club Speedway on February 20th. She will then complete the following week at Las Vegas Speedway before rejoining her IZod IndyCar series team in Brazil for the season opening round. With plans to compete in 13 races in 2010, not including the Daytona International Speedway's season opening NASCAR Nationwide Series race on her limited schedule is a definitely apparent



Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images


Patrick's debut at the Auto Club Speedway has been dealt as somewhat of a curve ball considering the fact her planned stock car entrance will occur in the Daytona ARCA race. Indicating the reason for not running the NASCAR Nationwide Series 300 mile race at Daytona, Patrick responded "The race is basically a Cup race, some 30 odd drivers in Cup run in it. So, is that the right time for me to start or not? You only get one grand opening, so I've heard. We want it to be the right opportunity". It's still a odd decision to take Danica Patrick out of the heat of NASCAR Nationwide's most competitive race. It's conceivable this move might have been more to the pleasure of her sponsorship than her competitive initiation to NASCAR. The Daytona Nationwide Series race, a precursor to the Daytona 500, is also noted for its bulky qualifying lineup which can be pushed up to 50 cars for 43 spots. The Auto Club Speedway race usually features a more streamlined car count. Point being that her chances of running the actual would not be as hindered due to qualifying mishaps or weather which better serves her as well as godaddy.com brass who has brokered a lot on the most popular female racer.

Another distant possibly might circle on Danica Patrick's experience in a stock car. While the ARCA series may welcome her based on 5 years of open-wheel experience, NASCAR may not be completely comfortable putting Patrick into aggressive bump drafting with only one stock car race. However, Jacques Villeneuve and Juan Montoya possessed the same limited experience finding restrictor plate racing quickly with little incident.


Team founder Dale Earnhardt Jr was highly visible at the press event. Planning to drive the #5 JR Motorsports in some Nationwide Series races for 2010, Earnhardt Jr's ownership part in the team, while still valued, involves many of his family enjoying a voice on the operations of the race team. Whether putting JR Motorsports in the hands of his trusted family will improve his performance in the #88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet remains to be seen. However, Earnhardt Jr's presence regularly brings out a loyal and devoted following of JR Nation; a group guaranteed to be back for the entire 2010 season.


Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images


Lost behind the fanfare of Danica Patrick is the JR Motorsports technical #1 driver Kelly Bires. 25 years old, Bires takes over full season campaign inside the #88 Chevrolet. Succeeding Brad Keselowski, Kelly Bires performance is, in reality, more critical than Danica Patrick's. Much like the driver that preceded him, Bires has considerable stock car racing experience but his yet to taste splendors of victory in a major NASCAR touring series.

Danica Patrick/JR Motorsports Gifts NASCAR Media with Press Conference

Photo Credit: Godaddy.com

After a little more than a week since Danica Patrick's official announcement to joining JR Motorsports for a part-time Nationwide schedule, it is fair to say that Christmas definitely came early for the NASCAR media. Traditionally, the entire month of December would have usually been the dullest time in stock car racing allowing journalists to write holiday gift guides or year in review stories (XSL Speed Reporter has some of those stories prepared to post in the coming days). Thanks to an intense infatuation with Danica Patrick much of the motorsport media shares, December of 2009 will be one of the most active off-season breaks in NASCAR history.

On Thursday, 45 minute press conference has been scheduled at the JR Motorsports shop in Mooresville, North Carolina. Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kelly Earnhardt, Tony Eury Sr and Jr as well as the driver of the #7 Godaddy Chevrolet in the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series tour are slated to entertain the press before Patrick sets out on her first open test piloting an ARCA stock car in Daytona. Attendance at the event will include esteemed members of the press plus 20 JR Nation Fan Club members who can ask the panel questions (Danica Patrick's NASCAR Nationwide schedule for 2010 would probably be a leading question). A simple question and answer period without a significant announcement, live access will be unprecedented. Apart from a regular webstream which will be required on www.GoDaddy.com/Danica, cable television channel Speed and XM/Sirius satellite radio channels 128 are broadcasting the outreach event. On satellite radio, the press conference will be followed by up to 3 hours of analysis (yikes!).

With such attention drawn onto Danica Patrick, it is mildly disturbing that the appetite for the driver has preceded her stock car racing efforts at the track. As Danica Patrick attends the 3-day test at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the ARCA stock car series' debut, she may be learning more about the NASCAR media than racing a stock car. Of course Patrick has experienced five seasons under the brightest spotlight in IndyCar racing.

With all due respect to the ARCA Remax Series, the Daytona 200 mile event has historically been grounds for major NASCAR teams to run a one-off effort to showcase their latest drivers. Through testing and the race in early February, JR Motorsports will most certainly make use of Hendrick Motorsports cars and expertise putting Patrick several steps ahead even before hitting the track. When Danica Patrick finally gets a chance to leave the motorsport press behind, the first true display of the famous racing female's driving abilities in a full-bodied stock car should provide an intriguing 2010 Nationwide Series season.

Mark Martin with Hendrick through 2011

Through an announcement that website and Internet infrastructure company Godaddy.com was extending their contract with Hendrick Motorsports #5 Chevrolet, a subtle hint was passed on the driver lineup for 2011 post-Brad Keselowski. For the second time in his career with Hendrick Motorsports, 50 year old Mark Martin is committing to the elongation of his glorious Cup series run. Based on the 4 wins this season and a Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship birth, it is quite understandable to see Mark Martin agree to stay with the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team. What doesn't make sense is why did anyone expect Mark Martin to retire?

Initially planned a to step away from the Cup series in 2005 with his "Salute To You" tour, he has yet to make use of a rocking chair the Fox on NASCAR team had given Martin (In fact, Darrell Waltrip once inquired whether Martin should return to chair). Probably one of the fittest and most respected drivers on the NASCAR Circuit, Mark Martin couldn't apparently handle the part-time Sprint Cup schedule of two prior seasons as he jumped at the opportunity to drive for the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports organization. Intended to run the full 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season from the onset, Martin had 26 races for 2010 where the likelihood would have saw Brad Keselowski take over the #5 Chevrolet Impala. After some stumbles in the first races of 2009, Mark Martin returned to winning ways early at Phoenix. Convincing Mark Martin to commit to run a full season in 2010 also as three other wins followed, Hendrick Motorsports no vacancy sign led Brad Keselowski to Penske Racing leaving a full time replacement for 2011 difficult to locate for such a competitive team. Mark Martin staying with Hendrick through 2011 assures a solid foundation for the next two Sprint Cup seasons.