Danica talking to Hendrick about NASCAR ride UPDATE 2 MWR?: Danica Patrick and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., may soon be involved in a limited NASCAR arrangement, NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick confirmed to SI.com. The other side of the Patrick puzzle may soon fall into place as Hendrick said Sunday afternoon that Patrick's agent at IMG has met with the team about a limited schedule of ARCA and NASCAR Nationwide Series races to go along with the IndyCar Series contract she signed to remain at Andretti Green Racing. According to Hendrick, the plan would be to put Patrick in the JR Motorsports team that is owned by Hendrick driver Earnhardt, Jr. with sponsorship from GoDaddy.com. "We have no deal but she has spoke with Kelley Earnhardt [Dale Jr's sister who handles that teams business affairs] about a limited number of NASCAR races in that car," Hendrick told SI.com. "I have had some conversation and Kelley Earnhardt has had some conversation with that but Kelly is heading that up. GoDaddy.com would be involved because of their involvement with Danica and with JR Motorsports. Kelley talked to her in the last week. We are looking at how it matches up with her IndyCar schedule. We are interested and think it would be neat but it has to work out for both sides." Patrick signed a three-year IndyCar Series contract with team owner Michael Andretti two weeks ago but has remained quiet on that subject because of sponsor demands who want to have a major press conference to announce the signing. According to IndyCar Series sources, one of Patrick's sponsor contracts in IndyCar is about to expire so that announcement will not be made until the sponsor is ready to make the announcement. "She has signed the contract, they just want to make sure the sponsor is ready to make the announcement," said an IndyCar Series official Saturday afternoon. While details of Patrick's new contract have not been disclosed, Andretti indicated there are limits to how much racing she can do outside of IndyCar. Andretti wants his high-paid driver to focus on what he signed her to do -- try to become the first female driver ever to win the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series title. So if Patrick signs with JR Motorsports or another team, look for her to run in fewer than 10 stock car events next season. In fact, five races next season would probably be a nice, logical step for her before she attempts to increase that schedule in 2011, if she likes the progress she is making.(SI.com)(10-5-2009)
UPDATE: Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, the president of JR Motorsports that is co-owned by Sprint Cup star Dale Earnhardt Jr., said on Monday she is exploring options that could put Danica Patrick in a limited number of Nationwide Series races next year. "There is a natural fit at JRM with Dale Jr. and Danica both serving as spokespersons for GoDaddy.com," Elledge said. "As a female managing one of the top Nationwide Series teams in the sport, I would be excited to have Danica within the JR Motorsports fold if she decides to enter the world of NASCAR." Elledge said Patrick would split time with Earnhardt and several other drivers in the #5. Kelly Bires recently was signed to replace Brad Keselowski in the #88 car next season. "Kelly bires will run 88 full time," Elledge said in a text. "So she will be part time in 2nd car."(ESPN.com)(10-6-2009)
UPDATE 2: Add Michael Waltrip Racing to the list of NASCAR suitors for IndyCar Series star Danica Patrick for 2010. Team owner Michael Waltrip said on Tuesday he's met with Patrick and given her a tour of the team facility. He is willing to put her in limited number of races in the Nationwide and Truck Series, "whatever she wants,'' he said. "We've certainly talked to her and are interested in what she's going to do,'' Waltrip said. "We have sort of done that without a whole lot of people knowing. She knows we're interested when she knows what she's going to do." Waltrip doesn't believe the rivalry between Japanese car manufacturers will be a stumbling block. Patrick drives a Honda in the IndyCar Series; Waltrip's team fields Toyotas."There's not a Honda over here [in NASCAR], so she's going to drive something besides that,'' he said.(ESPN.com)(10-6-2009)
UPDATE: Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, the president of JR Motorsports that is co-owned by Sprint Cup star Dale Earnhardt Jr., said on Monday she is exploring options that could put Danica Patrick in a limited number of Nationwide Series races next year. "There is a natural fit at JRM with Dale Jr. and Danica both serving as spokespersons for GoDaddy.com," Elledge said. "As a female managing one of the top Nationwide Series teams in the sport, I would be excited to have Danica within the JR Motorsports fold if she decides to enter the world of NASCAR." Elledge said Patrick would split time with Earnhardt and several other drivers in the #5. Kelly Bires recently was signed to replace Brad Keselowski in the #88 car next season. "Kelly bires will run 88 full time," Elledge said in a text. "So she will be part time in 2nd car."(ESPN.com)(10-6-2009)
UPDATE 2: Add Michael Waltrip Racing to the list of NASCAR suitors for IndyCar Series star Danica Patrick for 2010. Team owner Michael Waltrip said on Tuesday he's met with Patrick and given her a tour of the team facility. He is willing to put her in limited number of races in the Nationwide and Truck Series, "whatever she wants,'' he said. "We've certainly talked to her and are interested in what she's going to do,'' Waltrip said. "We have sort of done that without a whole lot of people knowing. She knows we're interested when she knows what she's going to do." Waltrip doesn't believe the rivalry between Japanese car manufacturers will be a stumbling block. Patrick drives a Honda in the IndyCar Series; Waltrip's team fields Toyotas."There's not a Honda over here [in NASCAR], so she's going to drive something besides that,'' he said.(ESPN.com)(10-6-2009)
Good thing she only had 1 uniform to pick from.
