Report: Danica may jump to NASCAR

[mikeyb]

First Juan Montoya. Now Danica Patrick?

Fresh on the heels of Formula One star Montoya jumping ship to join up with NASCAR comes a report that suggests Patrick is considering doing the same.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that it's possible Patrick, the woman who almost stunned the racing world last year by nearly winning the Indianapolis 500, could leave the Indy Racing League for NASCAR as early as next year.
"I'm trying to get her (into NASCAR)," Patrick's father, T.J., said.
He would later add, "I don't know if she's coming around to the idea, but all the arrows point this way."
T.J. Patrick, who manages his daughter's career, was at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday, site of the Nextel Cup USG Sheetrock 400, where he held exploratory talks with some Cup teams and sponsors about the possibility of Patrick leaving IRL for NASCAR when her contract with Rahal-Letterman Racing expires at the end of this season.
The Patricks were garage guests of Roush Racing, but it might be a bit early to read anything into that.
"Not at this point," T.J. Patrick said. "We're just talking to everybody and seeing what's shaking here."
The elder Patrick admitted the length of the NASCAR season — 36 races, more than twice as many events as in the IRL — is a concern for Danica.

"There's just so many races," he said. "That's what scares her more than anything. It's 38 weekends."
But T.J. Patrick dismissed any concerns that the 5-foot-1, 100-pound Patrick would have any problem converting from a 1,600-pound IndyCar to a 3,400-pound stock car.
"Strength-wise, it's probably easier to drive one of these because they have power steering, where we (in the IRL) don't right now," he said.
http://www.sharkspage.com/jpgs2/dp1.jpg
http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/magazine/specials/sportsman/2005/11/22/danica.patrick/t1_danica_t2.jpg
http://wizbangblog.com/archives/danica_patrick.jpg http://vietnamnet.vn/dataimages/original/images702928_1Danica-Patrick.jpg

FOXSports.com

[Titanium-99]

No boobs but (hitit)

[Roywhitep5]

i dont understand the popularity of nascar. its just cars going around in an oval. the only races worth watching are the road course races and alot of the regular nascar teams get special drivers specifically for them

[mp3moose]

I think she brings a lot of spotlight to IRL, but I've never thought of it as good attention. Nascar, on the other hand, has plenty of spotlight already....I say take her nascar.

[vindication]

all the hillbilly fans in nascar will be so irate it wont even be funny....actualy, it'll be hilarious (evil)

[Pirana]

She will be hitting the walls every weekend.

[justanotheradikt]

whats the deal with all the open wheel drivers wanting to go to nascar? yes its going around in ovals and its still racing but i mean come on...not as exciting or the same skill level as F1 or IRL. i just dont understand.... all about how much press you get i guess....more attention in nascar and maybe more money but its WAY different styles of racing. just dont get it. esp from F1 to nascar...that is just insane

[Titanium-99]

I say Japan gt series racing is where its at! and lamans and all that shit. forget about nascar and irl those guys couldnt make a right hand turn if there life depended on it. now cars like the lock-tite skyline, motul 350z that shit is awesome. hell even gt racing in the us is pretty cool witht he vipers and z06's.

[mp3moose]

I say Japan gt series racing is where its at! and lamans and all that shit. forget about nascar and irl those guys couldnt make a right hand turn if there life depended on it. now cars like the lock-tite skyline, motul 350z that shit is awesome. hell even gt racing in the us is pretty cool witht he vipers and z06's.

Uhh, I think IRL drivers are pretty damn good.

[Titanium-99]

Yeah I guess your right IRL is pretty cool even though F1 is better but still Nascar is just flat boring!

[rjmhotrod]

nascar...its still racing but i mean come on...not as exciting or the same skill level as F1 or IRL. i just dont understand....

(peep)To me the Indy 500 is by far the most boring race out there.

In NASCAR, you get 40 cars bunched together in rush hour traffic closeness and they're running nearly 200mph. One slip up by a single driver can cause race, season or life-ending crashes. To say it's not as exciting is a matter of preference. To say it's not the same skill level borders on ignorance. That's like saying football players have more skill than rugby players. Yes IRL and F1 race at higher speeds, turn left AND right and have to be more cautious about contact but there's a high level of skill involved in properly executing a bump draft or getting underneath somebody just enough to take air off their rear spoiler and get them loose enough to pass them but not so loose that they wreck themselves (and you).

Sorry justanotheradikt, not picking on you in particular. Just defending a racing series that I thoroughly enjoy.

[justanotheradikt]

(peep)To me the Indy 500 is by far the most boring race out there.

In NASCAR, you get 40 cars bunched together in rush hour traffic closeness and they're running nearly 200mph. One slip up by a single driver can cause race, season or life-ending crashes. To say it's not as exciting is a matter of preference. To say it's not the same skill level borders on ignorance. That's like saying football players have more skill than rugby players. Yes IRL and F1 race at higher speeds, turn left AND right and have to be more cautious about contact but there's a high level of skill involved in properly executing a bump draft or getting underneath somebody just enough to take air off their rear spoiler and get them loose enough to pass them but not so loose that they wreck themselves (and you).

Sorry justanotheradikt, not picking on you in particular. Just defending a racing series that I thoroughly enjoy.

i watch nascar and go to atleast 2 races a year...i was not bashing nascar but im saying going from f1 to nascar is kinda stupid to me. its like going from a ceo to a part time employee. its fun to watch the wrecks and whatnot but not as much actual driving skill as in f1 or even sprint cars for that matter. i have driven oval track dirt and oval track concrete... concrete is way easier... the old saying "dirt if for racing, concrete is for driving".....same concept to nascar IMO, but all in all i watch it due to it being on pretty much every weekend, and i support it b/c it brings noobs to racing which leads to a larger number of fast cars out in this world.


sorry if none of that names sense

[Pirana]

Everyone wants to tap the American market...you havent made it unless you famous here...$$$. I do watch NASCRAP, what I dont like is that if they dont like you, they will put you on the wall...oops, you out-a-here...example...the only black driver in Nascar was put out on every race until no more sponsors, hes out. Same will happen to Danica...no women here baby.:bs:

[spike blue]

i watch nascar and go to atleast 2 races a year...i was not bashing nascar but im saying going from f1 to nascar is kinda stupid to me. its like going from a ceo to a part time employee. its fun to watch the wrecks and whatnot but not as much actual driving skill as in f1 or even sprint cars for that matter. i have driven oval track dirt and oval track concrete... concrete is way easier... the old saying "dirt if for racing, concrete is for driving".....same concept to nascar IMO, but all in all i watch it due to it being on pretty much every weekend, and i support it b/c it brings noobs to racing which leads to a larger number of fast cars out in this world.


sorry if none of that names sense

im totally agree with you!!! what montoya did is so stupid and more because he is not racing anymore this year!!! Well i guess im going to ferrari and schumacher!!! F1 is the best motorsport i ever seen then indy!!