Danica Patrick made a big announcement this week on national television. But the only people affected were Indy Racing League officials and those in need of winter clothing.
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| Patrick: 'As I said, I've made no mystery that I'm curious about NASCAR and I would like to do it.' (US Presswire) |
As for any NASCAR initiatives, as usual Ms. Patrick played it coy.
"I understand the level of curiosity on the NASCAR side of things, so I do understand that," Patrick said during a national media teleconference. "But the primary focus of Monday was to announce our IndyCar program and our new sponsorship with Go Daddy. It's important that everyone was focusing on that and not things that aren't true."
But Patrick of course left the door open about the chance of adding a stock car career to her resume.
"As I said, I've made no mystery that I'm curious about NASCAR and I would like to do it," she said. "As a driver if I had the chance to be able to run in both series and try it and challenge myself, I would like to do that."
And so the song and dance continued, much to the chagrin of a large faction of NASCAR Nation.
Patrick's continual flirtation and non-commitment about a potential NASCAR program has worn thin with many inside the NASCAR community. In fact, it's built resentment with thousands of fans that have grown tired of the "Will She or Won't She" story.
When Patrick finally does make her plans clear, which will most likely happen after this weekend's NASCAR Awards Banquet ceremonies in Las Vegas and joins JR Motorsports for a 10-12 race Nationwide Series program in 2010, she will have a serious public relations issue to overcome right out of the box.
She'll have to win over a significant group of fans that feel she doesn't warrant the privilege of running in NASCAR over other more qualified stock car drivers who have paid their dues in the sport but cannot find a competitive ride.
But while Patrick may not possess the stock car experience of others currently looking for work in the NASCAR garage, you can't argue with her star power and marketing abilities.
She'll bring a giant spotlight with her to NASCAR as well as thousands of curious fans and most likely millions of sponsorship dollars. That may very well be even more important than her lack of time in a stock car during a time when NASCAR could use a boost in the exposure department.
However, Patrick hasn't done herself any favors with the long drawn out process of telling the world what her NASCAR plans will be.
The sooner she does that and straps herself into a stock car to learn the trade, the better.
Then the dog and pony show can end and Patrick will have her chance to show the world she's capable of competing in NASCAR racing.
Or not.
Garage chatter
• Steve Addington appears headed to Penske Racing to guide Kurt Busch and the Miller Lite Dodge next season. The former Kyle Busch crew chief was replaced by Dave Rogers at the end of this season and has reportedly left Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch lost Pat Tryson to Michael Waltrip Racing and the Penske organization, which named Jay Guy as crew chief for newcomer Brad Keselowski earlier this week, has been looking for a suitable candidate for nearly three months.
• Now that Kansas Speedway has cleared the final hurdles for a lavish hotel and casino resort to be built on track property look for NASCAR to move a second date to the track by the 2011 season. Parent company International Speedway Corporation will lobby NASCAR for another Cup weekend at Kansas with that date more than likely coming from one of its other properties. While many believe Martinsville Speedway is the target for losing a date, if attendance doesn't pick up at Auto Club Speedway look for the Southern California track to have one of its two weekends harvested in favor of Kansas.
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson plans to return to the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January, once more driving for the Gainsco/Bob Stallings Racing team. Johnson will join the lineup with Alex Gurney, Jon Fogarty and Jimmy Vasser in the Jan. 30-31 event. Johnson has raced in five of the last six Rolex 24 races, including the last two with the Stallings team.
• A number of NASCAR drivers are headed to Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., this weekend for the annual Snowball Derby late model stock car race. Kyle Busch, David Stremme and Steven Wallace are among the more than 70 entries for the race, which will also include Matt Kenseth's son, Ross, and Bill Elliott's son, Chase.
• Word is there may be a shakeup on the NASCAR television front in 2010 with a few new faces in new places. In other TV news the Indy Racing League announced its 2010 broadcast schedule with the bulk of events again carried on Versus Network, which is still without a deal to be included in DirecTV's lineup, costing the league millions of potential viewers.
