The Indy Racing League is licking it’s wounds today as it’s most famous driver at the moment, Danica Patrick, announced her move to Nascar full time starting with the 2012 season. Bob Parsons, the founder and CEO of GoDaddy.com was by her side today in Phoenix as they announced that they would be the primary sponsor on her number seven JR. Motorsports Nationwide car. Gee, that really wasn’t a surprise was it? Danica will also compete in eight to ten Sprint cup races with Stewart/Haas Motorsports but those dates are yet to be determined. All of this hoopla is just the official release of information that the entire Nascar world already knew. I guess red tape gets in the way of everything, not too much stays hidden in this world of Nascar racing.
Here is some of what she had to say at the press conference.
Danica said climbing out of the ARCA car at Daytona in 2010 was “the most fun I had ever had in a race car.” So making the transition to stock cars was the next natural evolution in her career.
“The experience was something I’ve really, really enjoyed,” Patrick said. “The time is now. The opportunity is now. Bob and GoDaddy have made that possible. I want to do it.
“I don’t want to wait years. I want to do it now. And I’m lucky enough to have a sponsor that will stand behind me and allow me to go.”
When asked about starting her cup career with next years Daytona 500 Danica had this to say.
“We’re definitely considering that, but the schedule right now for the Sprint Cup races next year is not set,” Patrick said. “It’ll probably be about eight to 10 races. But the actual races themselves have not been chosen yet.”
I heard Claire B. Lange on Nascar radio ask Tony Stewart if Danica would start her cup career with him in the Daytona 500 and he too hemmed and hawed about the dates. I’m going out on a limb right here and now and say that she will start the Daytona 500 for Stewart/Haas racing. They just won’t announce it yet because they haven’t finalized the paper work yet i.e. her contract with Stewart Haas, or they want another big press day to announce her Daytona 500 debut with her in front of the car, which probably hasn’t been built yet. I’d still put money on her starting the 500 next February.
In other Nascar News, Kevin Harvick won the truck race last night at Bristol in what was an exciting, tempers flaring race. Kyle Busch has been dominant at Bristol in just about all three series but last night he got shut down by Elliot Sadler and his own temper. Now I have watched the video of that incident between Kyle and Sadler and I have to tell you that I think Kyle was wrong here. He was not clear and he ran into Elliot Sadler when he tried to get into the top groove. The retaliation after the fact should get him a penalty from Nascar but you and I both know that wont happen. They would rather have the television ratings first and hope nobody gets hurt later.
At any rate this makes three in a row for Kevin Harvick in the truck series. He can’t compete for the championship points in that series as he has declared that he is of course running for the Sprint cup, but he is eligible for the owners points in the truck series. Actually his wife Delana owns the truck team so in the end if they win the owners point’s championship it will be her name on the trophy. Kyle was heard in a post race interview after being asked why saddler dumped him and Kyle’s response was “Where does his paycheck come from?” meaning that Elliot Sadler works for Kevin Harvick. That may be true in the nationwide series but that truck that Elliot was driving for Joe Denette last night, not Kevin Harvick. Joe Denette was just a normal race fan, and then he won the lottery and decided to start a Camping World truck series team. The Truck Sadler was driving was built by Kevin Harvick Inc. but it was owned by Joe Denette Motorsports.
When Kevin Harvick was asked about the incident between Kyle and Elliot after the race he said, “ You can’t fix a crybaby”. I was laughing so hard last night when I heard him say that I almost couldn’t see the road for the tears in my eyes. Kyle Busch and Elliot Sadler will both be in the Nationwide race tomorrow night so you might want to get stopped somewhere and watch that one. Good luck finding a truck stop that will actually have it on the television in the drivers lounge though. The Nationwide race will be on ESPN2 Friday night at 7:30 P.M.
Me? I’m heading to Indianapolis as soon as this shipper decides that they want to load me. My 1700 appointment got pushed back to 2200. Nice. By the way remember when I said I wanted to ask Mr. Peters why he made such a screwed up clutch pedal? Well I got to looking at it today and there was a bolt under it that needed to be adjusted in order for it to feel right. One minor adjustment and I was back into comfortable clutching. Even with my shoes off lol! The two closets now I still can’t figure. I’m off down the road. Stay safe out there.
TW
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