For all the open wheel and NASCAR people who are putting forth the conspiracy theories that Danica Patrick is coming to NASCAR, sorry to burst your bubble but she will not be coming to NASCAR.
Patrick has become less of a driver over the last few years and more of a marketing machine. She’s more famous for her looks then her driving and no doubt makes more money from her outside efforts then her racing. Yes she has won an IndyCar Series Race and has been and continues to be competitive in that series, but her talent behind the wheel seems over shadowed by her talent to smile for the camera. 
Danica’s contract with Andretti-Green Racing is set to end after this season and suddenly the rumors are flying that she is considering a jump to the World’s premier stock car racing body, NASCAR. Oh wait, that’s the same line that was written back in 2006 when she was in the same situation.
In 2006, Patrick dropped subtle hints that she might consider defecting to NASCAR. Her father even made a nearly covert visit to Chicagoland Speedway during the NASCAR weekend allegedly to speak with officials from Roush Racing. Turns out that Patrick did not come to NASCAR and her father’s visit was just that, a visit to a NASCAR race as a guest of Roush; in fact he never even spoke with any Roush execs.
When the dust settled in 2006, Patrick ended up with Andretti-Green, at a much larger salary then her old team no doubt, and life went on.
Fast forward to 2009.
Patrick’s contract is again up at the end of this season and again the subtle stock car hints are flying.
This past week on an Indy Racing League conference call Patrick added fuel to the fire.
"As drivers we like to challenge ourselves," she said. "If we've done something well, can we do the next thing well? It's the opportunity to show your ability.
"NASCAR has so many viewers and so many partners,” she added. “There are just lots of options both inside and outside the car. And it looks like fun. There are 40-odd guys that do it every year. Obviously, it's a good time. Oval racing is always fun. It's you racing against everyone else, it's very competitive.
But she also added that her main consideration is to be competitive no matter where she goes.
"I think the most important thing for me is to put myself in a situation where I can win as many races as possible and run up front and be in that competitive situation," Patrick said.
"Because at the end of the day, usually the best press comes when I'm doing things on track. That's really the most important thing for me as a driver. So that's where the ultimate focus is going to go.”
Patrick also acknowledged her value as a marketing tool.
"Then aside from that and after that there has to be thoughts to the brand side of the situation,” she said. “And being able to make the most of myself as an athlete and as an endorser of products and gaining exposure so that in due time I'm able to explore other things outside of racing. So, all of that comes afterwards. The most important thing is kicking butt out there."
At a time in NASCAR when even the mightiest of teams are struggling to stay afloat financially-this past week GM announced that they will be cutting support to Sprint cup Series teams only days after they said they would be pulling support from the Nationwide and Truck series teams-one of the biggest questions is; who could afford Danica Patrick? Yes she could bring some high-dollar sponsors along with her, but let’s face it in these troubling financial times can any NASCAR team come up with the kind of cash to pay such a high profile athlete?
There are rumors in IndyCar that one of Patrick’s options could be Ganassi Racing. That move, conspiracy theorists contend, could eventually lead to Patrick being in an Earnhardt-Ganassi stock car. Well let’s ask Dario Franchitti how that worked out. Franchitti is an Indy 500 winner and the 2007 IndyCar Series champion. His frustrating foray into NASCAR lasted less then a year after he missed making the field for several races and the team finally shut down due to lack of funds in the middle of last year.
As an open-wheel driver Franchitti has won more races and a championship-something Patrick has not. That doesn’t mean she won’t, but as of now don’t expect a NASCAR team to try and come up with the funds or sponsorship for her to even try. Not even Rick Hendrick’s Mastercard has a limit that high.
What Patrick is doing is posturing. She’s leaking hints in an effort to try and make herself more valuable to IndyCar owners; the same thing she did back in 2006.
Back in 2006 at about this point in the season Patrick said:
"It would be silly of me being my contract year not to look at all my options. My interest level right now is not really high,;’ she said. “It’s a little there just because it’s racing. The (NASCAR) schedule is sort of unfathomable."
Then this week she said:
"We've definitely had many conversations about what I'm looking for and my goals, but really, it's kind of about collecting information at this point and seeing what our options are, and then we'll talk deeper after that.”
Patrick ended up with Andretti-Green in 2006, the same team she won her first, and to date only, IndyCar race. It’s the same team she’s currently fifth in the IndyCar standings with. And while she may very well defect to another IndyCar team, NASCAR will be out of the equation.
"I want to do well in the series, I want to finish as high as possible,” Patrick said this week referring to not talking about her future too much until the end of the season. “I want to win as many races as I can, so I don't want to do anything that would take away from that being able to happen.”
One thing that would take away from having that opportunity to win and compete is defecting to stockcars.
Bottom line; Patrick just wants to be competitive something she’s proven that she can do in the IndyCar Series, not in NASCAR.
So everyone just move along, there’s nothing to see here. NASCAR is not in Danica Patrick’s future.
Comments
Greg,
Interesting that you have an opinion, but I must have missed the evidence that you were trying to share. Maybe it was that Patrick would have difficulity winning races on the NASCAR circuit. So what? Dale earnhardt Jr is about to be selected NASCAR's most popular driver (read: marketing genius)for the 7th straight year and has only one win in the last three seasons. Guess what? That is exactly the same number of wins as Patrick.
There is a Fact - just in case you did not recognize it.
Here's another Fact. Patrick and Earnhardt Jr are bothe mediocre drivers (look at results - it helps to establish Facts). But, these are two of the most recognizable faces in auto racing. That sells decal space, my friend, and that's what it all about.
Until results go out of style, you've got to come to the inescapable conclusion that no one really cares whether Danica Patrick or Dale Earnhardt Jr ever wins another race.
That would be another Fact.
I am glad Danica Patrick is not wanting in Nascar....I hate to say this but Nascar driving belongs to Guy and he I am a gal and think that. As for Dale Jr. maybe he should go to Indy. As for me it is Jeff Gordon all the way. MY pick this week is #1 Jeff Gordon #2Greg Biffle #3Mark Martin #4Tony Stewart, I think Dale Jr may come in the top ten taking a lot of chances but maybe he should change coffee or stay out of Whiskey River...LOL
"That sells decal space, my friend, and that's what it all about."
She'd get a helluva lot more sponsorship dollars in NASCAR than in Indy Car since no-one watches Indy except the Indy 500. She doesn't win in Indy and she seem to rake in the bucks. They keep saying they want to see the 8 car back on the track but have no sponsorship. Hmmm? And she talking with Ganassi Racing? She's in for the $$ too...come on where are the $$$$ at?
Ain't gonna happen. Patrick and her crew are using NASCAR to position themselves for the highest salary possible in Indy Cars. She'll get it. And she will continue to race with average results in the IRL.
And even if she did go to NASCAR, the buzz would last a year or two tops, then she would just be another back of the pack failure, dismissed as such, and relegated to a sort of has-been curiosity.
In thruth, the Danica "brand" has already Peaked, no pun intended, and she is about to begin the descent into irrelevance. It will take awhile, but it will happen. She's just not good, she is not as marketable as she and her camp think, and has had her time of fame in a society that tosses aside celebs much more quickly than in the past.
This is Danica's last hurrah.
you don't know whether or not she is going to NASCAR so I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the possibility. Furthermore, you should show a little more respect to her driving abilities in the IRL. She has progressed well and is running noticeably better and consistent. She's a top 5 or 6 driver in the series. That doesn't mean she can handle NASCAR, but your article makes her sound as though her only talent is for being sexy. How many other 100 lb girls do you know that could climb into one of those machines and go 220mph around a track for 200 laps? I'm betting most of you wouldn't make it around as a passenger once before soiling yourself.
just becaus Dario Franchitti didnt make it means nothing. What about Juan Montoya, Tony Stewart, and Jeff Gordon. They all came from the open wheel ranks. She may be trying to raise the price for her services, but just becaue some failed doesnt mean they all do
Danica will probably sign a 3-year IRL deal, with options/clauses allowing her to run NA$CRAP races on weekends the IRL doesn't race. 2013 seems to be the sink or swim year for the IRL. She won't lose $$$ by running part time Nationwide and Cup races for 3 years to gain experience. If she likes it she could go full-time in 2013. But I'm not looking forward to another OVER-HYPED, OVER-RATED AVERAGE AT BSET DRIVER LIKE DALE JR!
EVERWHAT..... you HAVE a GREAT IDEA! By putting DANICA in the Earnharht-Ganassi #8, you will have unlimited NA$CRAP marketing possibilities. Danica in the #8 and DALR JR. in the #88 could have the their own "Chase for the OVER-HYPED, OVER-RATED, AVERAGE AT BEST DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP". Both will automatically qualify for their chase, but NO WHINNING (Danica #8) or EXCUSES (Dale JR. #88) will be allowed. This way Dale JR. will have a 50 o/o chance of winning that chumpionship he so richly deserves.
Well, golly, what a shocker: Danica is NOT going to NASCAR. As if she was really going to (which, surprisingly I've said all along. I'll add she's NOT going to Formula 1 either (also not a shocker). Here's why:
NASCAR: What team would she go with? Ummm...Hendrick? And replace who? Yeah, right, Gordon, Johnson, Martin (though if Mark wins the Chase Championship he might retire, but then Kesolowski(spl) slides into that spot, so it's still moot). RCR? Ummm. No. Maxed out with drivers. Roush? Nope, not them either. See prior answer. Hmmm...Penske? Ha ha ha ha ha. Penske is too much the Captain to put with Danica's nonsense. Hmmm...Stewart-Hass? Don't think so. Gibbs? Yeah, there's a good idea: Bucsh, Hamlin, Danica Patrick (with little Joey wonder why he can't win at Cup level)? Let the prima donna wars begin. So, Nope, not Gibbs either? DEI/Ganassi? Hmmm...Montoya would love that. Not. Besides they'll only win once in a while, at best. Danica would never go to Ganassi in Cup. (con't)
(CON'T) NASCAR and Danica...hmmm...MWR? Ummm...no, Mikey couldn't stand to share the spotlight. Team Toyota, aka Red Bull? Geeez. They can't afford to have any more develop drivers and hat's what Danica would be...
Here's the thing: Indy cardrivers who've succeeded in NASCAR have done so because they've one thing in common: front engine sprint car racing. Danica doesn't have that. Montoya is a GREAT driver, he can win in anything, danica can't...
NASCAR and Danica? Out.
Formula 1?
Who would take Danica? All he front line cars are spoken for and besides, Formula 1 is going through some real troubling stuff right now and until that is resolved danica won't go there even if she could.
So, where will Danica go? The IRL and Ganassi, it's her only choice if she leaves AGR (which she'll do)...
I'm hoping Chip signs Dan Wheldon back and adds Milka Duno, wouldn't that be fun? Be fun to watch the sparks fly anyway.
Fact check: Danica left Rahal/Letterman to go to AGR.
NASCAR needs Danica. The author is right, no one in NASCAR can afford to pay her to switch. For her to race the taxicabs, the Frances would have to open their pockets to provide some money, and I don't see that happening.
IMO, the main reason drivers haven't had success switching to NASCAR is a lack of seat time in the feeder series. With the exception of Montoya, all the other open wheel guys came up through sprints, trucks and/or Busch/Nationwide. Someone said something negative about Logano, but he should still be in Nationwide til next year. Stewart just left Gibbs a year early. I think in a year he will be contending for top 5 and 10 finishes regularly.
So if Danica wants to go to NASCAR, she needs to spend 2-3 years in the feeders before moving to Cup. Would she spend that long at those levels to be competitive in Cup? NO WAY! She'd lose too much of her celebrity appeal. Career wise, she's better off to focus on being more competitive in the IRL.
Crazyfor24 needs to pull his sexist head out from under that rock. I'm a woman, and would like to see women getting into NASCAR. I'd like to see a talented woman come from a developmental program and really be able to compete, not just be a pretty marketing machine meant to appeal to the stereotypical NASCAR "guy" fan, if you'll excuse me, crazyfor24. In case you forgot, women make up at least 40% of NASCAR's fan base. We don't want to see any more GoDaddy.com commercials than you guys want to see Viva Viagra ones.
NASCAR doesn't need Danica, it needs someone like Ashely Force Hood. Mature, marketable, dedicated, talented, 'famous name,' and a strong and intellegent support system. Would she ever make the leap? Probably not. Would be cool if she did? Oh yeh. This lady knows how to drop the hammer, not sure if she can turn left but I'd like to see her give it a shot.
I bet alot of "experts" here (including Greg Engle) feel pretty stupid now, don't they? LOL
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