Danica Patrick Full Time in NASCAR Makes Too Much Sense
Kamis, 26 Mei 2011 by Android Blackberry
It wasn't difficult to picture what was going by way of Danica Patrick's mind as she sat in line on pit road at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday.
For a driver whose primary objective inside the IndyCar Series would be to win its largest race, she was staring in the really genuine possibility that she wouldn't even qualify for the beginning grid.
If she had not currently decided to produce the jump complete time to NASCAR, that was 1 of these moments that would have crystallized the choice.
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| Danica Patrick Full Time in NASCAR Makes Too Much Sense |
ESPN reported this week that the selection has, certainly, been made, that IndyCar's greatest star will drive full time inside the Nationwide Series in 2012 after which in Cup in 2013.
And even although Danica nonetheless insists she has barely provided any thought what she'll do, it's genuinely a no-brainer.
IndyCar has grow to be a growing number of difficult for her to succeed in. Half the races are run on road or street courses and her strength is on ovals.
And she drives for Andretti Autosport, which has an impeccable Indy pedigree but whose wins are number of and far among.
Staying at Andretti is really a dead finish for Patrick and dabbling at NASCAR on a part-time basis isn't accomplishing a great deal either.
It's time to fish or cut bait.
NASCAR presents endless possibilities for any driver who comes with a substantial fan base as well as a slew of sponsors. Patrick has each.
However the question becomes -- does she keep with JR Motorsports for a further Nationwide season or look for greener pastures?
Greener pastures would make more sense. Like Andretti, JR Motorsports has the name but not the wins. Plus, it has no Cup plan and no plans to start out one.
JR Motorsports has a close alliance with Hendrick Motorsports. There will not be any room on that team any time soon, but Patrick may be farmed out to Hendrick West, AKA Stewart-Haas Racing.
But you can find other possibilities that combine robust Nationwide teams with all the chance of a Cup ride.
Joe Gibbs Racing's Nationwide cars run up front week just after week. Gibbs is also a three-car team with area for a fourth if sponsorship becomes offered.
Roush Fenway would also be a very good selection. Ford is undoubtedly on the rise and Roush puts with each other an incredible system for its Nationwide teams. Patrick would be a superb choice to ultimately replace the underperforming David Ragan inside the UPS automobile.
Roger Penske's team is one more chance. Penske won the Nationwide Series championship final season with Brad Keselowski and could expand back to a third Cup team.
Plus, Penske has what Gibbs and Roush do not -- an Indy car capable of fulfilling Patrick's dream of winning the Indy 500. That's considerable because her reported selection to make the leap contains a provision to also race in subsequent year's Indy 500.
Chip Ganassi could do likewise.
Wherever she ends up, she's at least not producing the mistake that some other open-wheel drivers have made in jumping towards the Cup series too soon.
Kimi Raikkonen, for example, is about to make his Nationwide debut right after 1 15th-place finish inside a Truck Series race. And also the former Formula One globe champion will probably make his Cup debut prior to the year is out.
Even a driver as talented as Juan Pablo Montoya needed three Cup seasons to get the hang of stock-car racing
