Danica Patrick says she’ll announce Monday whether she will enter next Saturday’s Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway, but her crew chief doesn’t want to wait. “My vote will be ‘go,’ ” Tony Eury Jr. said after the IndyCar Series star finished sixth in her stock-car debut Saturday night in the ARCA series. “I’m all for it. I want her to get as much seat time as she can.” Eury said he and team co-owner Rick Hendrick originally were skeptical about Patrick competing in the Nationwide race at Daytona because there are so many Sprint Cup drivers in the field. But, Eury said, the way Patrick rallied from a spinout that left her in last place with fewer than 30 laps remaining was impressive. Eury added that his father, Tony Eury Sr., stayed in Mooresville, N.C., to finish working on the Nationwide car if Patrick opts to race. (ESPN.com)(2-6-2010)
UPDATE: Danica Patrick will enter Saturday’s Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com on Sunday. The IndyCar Series star who is beginning the transition to NASCAR made the decision after finishing sixth in Saturday’s ARCA debut at DIS. An official announcement will be made on Monday. Patrick will be guaranteed a spot in the field using the points Brad Keselowski accumulated in the #88 for JR Motorsports last season [actually the team will use points from the CJR Racing #11 car]. Patrick’s biggest reservation about Daytona was keeping JR Motorsports teammate Kelly Bires out of the event and perhaps costing a driver competing for the championship valuable points if she makes a mistake.(ESPN.com)(2-7-2010)
UPDATE: Danica Patrick will make her NASCAR Nationwide Series debut in the #7 GoDaddy.com Chevy this Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, JR Motorsports general manager Kelley Earnhardt announced. Patrick, Earnhardt, and team officials convened Sunday following the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) event at Daytona, in which Patrick raced to a sixth-place finish in her stock-car debut. The decision for Patrick to compete in the Daytona Nationwide Series event is supported by sponsor GoDaddy.com and JRM co-owners Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Eury Jr., and Rick Hendrick.(JR Motorsports PR)(2-8-2010)
