Fresh off a pretty impressive sixth-place finish on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway in an ARCA race, Danica Patrick has decided she will make her NASCAR debut on Saturday at DIS in the circuit’s Nationwide race – bet on it at WagerWeb.com.
Patrick was originally scheduled to debut on Feb. 20 at the Nationwide race in California, but that’s been bumped up to this week’s DRIVE4COPD 300 season-opener at Daytona because she felt so comfortable in the ARCA race — she started 12th in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 and finished sixth, including a late rally from 23rd position all the way to the front pack in just under 20 laps. Crew chief Tony Eury Jr., who initially was against Patrick beginning her limited Nationwide schedule at Daytona, didn’t hesitate to give a yes vote after the ARCA event.
“Racing in the Nationwide Series race was my goal during this entire two-month preparation process, but we wanted to make sure it was the right thing to do,” Patrick said in a statement. “The ARCA race was a blast, and I’m not ready for my first Daytona Speedweeks to end just yet. I want more racing.”
This week’s Nationwide race will have several top-tier drivers participating in it. They are pros at knowing how to use the draft in a high-speed restrictor-plate event in which the cars are bumping and banging on every lap. If you want to compare the Nationwide circuit to ARCA, it’s probably like calling the Nationwide series about the Triple-A level of minor-league baseball and ARCA being a Single-A level.
“I think Danica proved to everyone that she can compete in stock cars at a high level, and right now seat time is extremely important,” said Kelley Earnhardt, general manager of JR Motorsports, a team she owns with brother Dale Jr. “She has worked extremely hard during the past two months for this opportunity. Her dedication and work ethic is infectious.
“It’s pretty much a [Sprint] Cup race,” Kelley Earnhardt continued. “So many Cup drivers will be in it, Dale [Earnhardt] Jr., Tony Stewart and many others. She knows how important it is for her to have the respect of the other drivers.”
Patrick is now scheduled to be in 13 Nationwide races this season. She will drive the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet on Saturday. Her teammate, Dale Jr., will drive the No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet. One thing is certain: The Nationwide series will get more publicity this weekend than it ever has before.
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