[roundman]

Very close. Nationwide series, compliments of Dale Jr.


http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar...ory?id=4622687

IndyCar Series and crossover media star Danica Patrick is nearing completion of a two-year contract with JR Motorsports, the NASCAR Nationwide Series operation owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., and a source close to the negotiations described them as "in the final phase."
A second source close to the situation confirmed the deal is moving forward, saying "talks are moving in a very positive direction and it would probably be a surprise if it didn't happen."
The partnership is expected to make its on-track debut during next February's Daytona Speedweeks, with Patrick's first action coming in the ARCA race.
Both the Patrick and Earnhardt camps declined comment.

Patrick, the 2005 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year and the first woman to win an IndyCar Series race, will compete in NASCAR's second-largest series for JR Motorsports while continuing to race full-time for Andretti Green Racing in IndyCar.
Patrick signed a three-year contract extension with AGR earlier this year, leading many to believe that she had put any NASCAR plans on hold. While the relatively sparse IndyCar schedule -- 17 races spread over seven and a half months -- leaves plenty of room to run a number of other events, calendar conflicts between the two series appear to make running the full Nationwide schedule all but impossible.
"Danica Watch" has been a season-long source of headlines and garage gossip in IndyCar and NASCAR throughout the 2009 season, as the 27-year old driver made repeated trips to North Carolina to chat with potential stock car suitors, including Tony Stewart's Stewart-Haas Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. A decision to sign with JR Motorsports would establish a direct tie to Hendrick, which supplies engines, cars, and technical assistance to Earnhardt's operation -- as well as Stewart's.
A souce close to the situation characterized team owner Rick Hendrick as an "important player" in the deal.
Earnhardt and Patrick already have a corporate connection, in current sponsorship deals with GoDaddy.com. The Web site registration service is a sponsor on JR Motorsports' No. 88 Chevrolet, which has been earned four Nationwide Series wins this season with Brad Keselowski at the wheel. Keselowski is leaving the team at season's end to drive for Penske Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
GoDaddy.co, also recently signed on to sponsor Hendrick's No. 5 Chevy beginning in 2010. That car is currently driven by Mark Martin, who is signed through 2011.
As recently as last weekend, some Sprint Cup stars, most notably open-wheel defector Juan Pablo Montoya, have suggested that Patrick concentrate on running one series only instead of jumping back and forth from IndyCar to stock cars. Patrick herself has openly expressed reservations about diving into NASCAR's notoriously long schedule.
But even those who have advised her to resist the temptation to double dip admit that the potential financial windfall might be worth the grind of logistics and the learning curve of stock car racing.
Patrick made headlines in April 2008 when she won an IndyCar race at Twin Ring Motegi, the first for a woman in a major American non-drag racing series. She was the first woman to lead a lap at the Indianapolis 500, in 2005.
A woman has never won a race in any of NASCAR's top three national series. The last regular female competitor in the NASCAR Nationwide Series was Patty Moise, who started 22 of 26 races in what was then known as the Busch Series in 1995. Shawna Robinson won the pole position for a Busch Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1994.

[Misiotoagodia]

He's hitting that.

[feeshyLew]

Me too.

[tadacia]

she should fit right in with jr, overrated drivers with big media personalities that can't win a race

[Tamawaipsemek]

she should fit right in with jr, overrated drivers with big media personalities that can't win a race

However, Ole, she did win a race...and placed 3rd in the Indy 500 IIRC.