NNS: Patrick Makes Her Move To NASCAR

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NNS: Patrick Makes Her Move To NASCAR

IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick will drive a limited Nationwide Series schedule in 2010...

SceneDaily.com | Posted December 08, 2009 Charlotte, NC

Danica Patrick (Left), Go Daddy CEO Bob Parsons (Center) and Vice President and General Manager of JR Motorsports Kelly Earnhardt (Right) during a press conference announcing Patrick's move to NASCAR. (Photo: Getty Images)

Danica Patrick will begin her stock car racing career in an ARCA test at Daytona international Speedway later this month. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

IndyCar driver Danica Patrick confirmed today in a news release that she will make a foray into NASCAR racing next season, driving for JR Motorsports in select Nationwide Series races in 2010.

Photos: Danica Patrick Announcement

Patrick plans to debut with the team in the Automobile Racing Club of America Series at Daytona.

Patrick, who competes full time in the Izod IndyCar Series for Andretti Autosport, will be sponsored by GoDaddy.com. The team and driver made the announcement Tuesday in her hometown of Phoenix. She will drive the No. 7 Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series.

“It has been a long time coming, but the stars finally aligned for me with GoDaddy and JRM,” Patrick said in a news release 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.”

Patrick plans to participate in an ARCA test Dec. 18-20 at Daytona International Speedway. She likely needs to participate in the ARCA race to be eligible to compete in the Nationwide Series event at the track in February.

“One of the things JRM has to offer is proven NASCAR experience,” JRM General Manager Kelley Earnhardt said in the release. “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.”

Patrick said last week that her focus would remain on her IndyCar schedule and most of her NASCAR events would be before and after the IndyCar season, which runs March 14-Oct. 2. Patrick, who was fifth in the IndyCar standings this year and recorded a victory in 2008 in Japan, has a two-year contract with Andretti that includes a mutual option for a third year.

In five years of IndyCar racing, she has one win, which came last year in Japan, 46 top-10 finishes and 16 top-fives. She has finished in the top 10 in the series standings each of the last four seasons.

Financial terms of the sponsorship were not disclosed.

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