The long awaited, and often rumored, announcement about Danica Patrick’s plans for 2012 will take place at noon Eastern Daylight Time at a press conference at her sponsor’s, GoDaddy.com’s headquarters.
For the past two years Ms. Patrick raced full-time in IndyCar for Andretti Autosport and part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports. Her best finish in 20 Nationwide races is fourth at the race in Las Vegas this year.
What pundits and insiders are expecting is that Patrick, the only woman to have won an IndyCar race, will remain with JR Motorsports for a full-time campaign in the Nationwide Series and up to six races in NASCAR’s top division the Sprint Cup including a debut at the season opening Daytona 500 for Stewart Haas Racing.
There is a connection between JRM and SHR which is Hendrick Motorsports. Rick Hendrick, owner of HMS is a part-owner of JRM. SHR gets all of its' chassis and motors from HMS.
The last piece of the puzzle is some unfinished business at the Indy 500. Her contract with Andretti Autosport expires at the end of this year. In her rookie year she qualified fourth and finished fourth at Indy. Her best finish was third in 2009 which is the best finish for a female driver at Indy.
There has been some speculation that her new contract will permit Patrick to run the Indy500 which, as a Sunday race, does not usually conflict with the Nationwide Series which primarily races on Friday nights or Saturday afternoons.
All of the unknowns should be answered at the press conference.
For the past two years Ms. Patrick raced full-time in IndyCar for Andretti Autosport and part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports. Her best finish in 20 Nationwide races is fourth at the race in Las Vegas this year.
What pundits and insiders are expecting is that Patrick, the only woman to have won an IndyCar race, will remain with JR Motorsports for a full-time campaign in the Nationwide Series and up to six races in NASCAR’s top division the Sprint Cup including a debut at the season opening Daytona 500 for Stewart Haas Racing.
There is a connection between JRM and SHR which is Hendrick Motorsports. Rick Hendrick, owner of HMS is a part-owner of JRM. SHR gets all of its' chassis and motors from HMS.
The last piece of the puzzle is some unfinished business at the Indy 500. Her contract with Andretti Autosport expires at the end of this year. In her rookie year she qualified fourth and finished fourth at Indy. Her best finish was third in 2009 which is the best finish for a female driver at Indy.
There has been some speculation that her new contract will permit Patrick to run the Indy500 which, as a Sunday race, does not usually conflict with the Nationwide Series which primarily races on Friday nights or Saturday afternoons.
All of the unknowns should be answered at the press conference.