Published: Tuesday, Feb. 09, 2010
Updated: 11:30 pm Monday, Feb. 08, 2010
Patrick to make her NASCAR debut at Daytona
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closeDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Danica Patrick will make her NASCAR debut this weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
The IndyCar star will drive the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in Saturday’s second-tier Nationwide Series race.
The decision announced Monday to race at Daytona was made after team officials dissected her stock-car racing debut in the ARCA race at Daytona on Saturday. The team had left the option to race up to Patrick, who wanted to assess her first race before deciding whether to enter one of the most prestigious Nationwide races of the season.
Patrick overcame a midrace spin to finish sixth.
“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.”
Patrick had been hesitant to make her debut at Daytona because of the top talent that race attracts. Sprint Cup drivers have won nine of the past 10 Nationwide races here, and the lone exception was Martin Truex Jr., who won in 2005 in JR Motorsports car.
Patrick will be joined in the field by Dale Earnhardt Jr., her car owner. He has five wins and 10 top-10 finishes in 17 Nationwide races at Daytona.
Earnhardt will be driving JRM’s flagship No. 88, while Patrick will be in the car she will drive in 13 previously announced races. Her schedule after Daytona includes the Feb. 20 race at California and the Feb. 27 race at Las Vegas.
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