Is Danica Patrick coming to NASCAR?

May 24, 7:12 PMDetroit NASCAR ExaminerJosh Lobdell

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Could Danica make it in NASCAR? AP Photo/Darren Cummings

First and foremost I would like to take some time to congratulate Helio Castroneves on his third Indy 500 win. A month ago Helio was looking at an extensive jail sentence and today he is a three time Indy winner. Without a doubt the biggest feel good story of motor sports so far this year.

Danica had a fine showing in the Indy 500 finishing 3rd. She has a shot, however big, to win the biggest American open wheel race. There is no doubt that she is a talented race car driver, and a marketing force. In a large respect she is the Dale Jr. of the IRL.

However I don’t buy for a minute that she is going to jump ships to NASCAR. First and foremost is we have all witnessed this song and dance before. Danica uses the threat of jumping to Stock Cars to leverage herself into a contract with a premier IRL team. That is fine, that is what good business people do, but after awhile it gets a little redundant. Kind of like the Brett Farve saga sports fans have suffered through over the past few off seasons.

There are two big reasons why I think Danica will not make this move. The first is the lack of success the open wheel drivers have had in stock cars in recent years. NASCAR chewed up Dario Franchitti, broke his leg, and then spit him back to the open wheel ranks. Sam Hornish has struggled greatly until his team turned the corner this year, Juan Montoya won a couple of road course races but an oval win remains illusive, and Patrick Carpentier barely even got out of the NASCAR garage.

The only way a jump to NASCAR would work for Danica is if she could swallow her pride leave the premier open wheel series for a full time ride in the NASCAR Truck or Nationwide series. Of course she would be driving for an elite team, in elite equipment but not in an elite series.

That may be more than she is willing to swallow. Let us not forget racing in the Trucks or the Nationwide Series would also significantly affect her income level. Since these series offer less purse money than the IRL of NASCAR Sprint Cup series Danica would have to make less money for a season or so.