JR Motorsports will field two cars in the season-opening Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway, and new driver Danica Patrick could be driving one of them. Full-time driver Kelly Bires, meanwhile, might not be racing at Daytona. Because of sponsorship, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the team’s #88 Hellmann’s car, which Bires is scheduled to drive for much of the season. Patrick may drive the #7 car, team co-owner Kelley Earnhardt said Wednesday during the Charlotte Motor Speedway media tour. Patrick and the team will not decide whether she will run the Feb. 13 Nationwide race until after she competes in the Feb. 7 Automobile Racing Club of America event. Bires or Mark Martin would likely drive the car if Patrick does not. Patrick’s #7 car will be locked in for the first five races as JR Motorsports has formed a partnership with CJM Racing, which ceased operations during the off-season. CJM Racing’s #11 points that car finished 15th in the owner standings in 2009 will be used by the #7.(Scene Daily)(1-20-2010)
