Danica Patrick is going to run in NASCAR races. It’s not a question of if, but when? That raises the question of how will she get the experience necessary to run at the top, in the Sprint Cup series?
Even though there is no official confirmation of her renewing with Michael Andretti, Patrick would be able to run in NASCAR and NASCAR-type sanctioned races when the IndyCar series is not running.
Two of NASCAR leading drivers think that a part-time schedule of IndyCars and NASCAR-type stock racers would not be all that helpful.
“I wouldn’t be driving both cars to be honest. I just wouldn’t. I wouldn’t do it because they drive so different,” said Juan Pablo Montoya the 1999 Champ Car champion who left Formula One, now driving in his third year in NASCAR.
“You’re going to get comfortable in one thing and then you’re going to make it to the other thing and every times it’s going to be like night and day.
“When I drive the 24 hours and I get to Daytona it feels really weird and I’ve been driving stock cars for three years now. I do two test days and the race and come back for the (Daytona) 500 and it feels really weird to drive again. So, I wouldn’t,” Montoya added.
Jimmie Johnson, looking for fourth straight Sprint Cup title, agreed.
"I heard Juan's comment and I think that is a valid point to make. I believe she has that opportunity just to run stock cars exclusively. I think the overall thing she's trying to accomplish and I think what everybody is eventually getting at is that seat time is everything to learn these cars and learn these tracks.”
“She may have raced on these tracks but not in a closed body vehicle. So, it boils down to seat time. Just not to be in a hurry, drive anything with a body on it ... ARCA, Truck, Nationwide, Cup. Hit some walls. It is tough because she is obviously going to have a big spot light on her. Hit walls, tear up equipment, make mistakes.”
“You have to go through that. You cannot short cut that aspect. It doesn't matter if it is Juan Pablo who has been an F-1 driver coming in or a guy coming from a local short track. You have to go through those experiences to learn,” Johnson said.
photo:IndyCar
Even though there is no official confirmation of her renewing with Michael Andretti, Patrick would be able to run in NASCAR and NASCAR-type sanctioned races when the IndyCar series is not running.
Two of NASCAR leading drivers think that a part-time schedule of IndyCars and NASCAR-type stock racers would not be all that helpful.
“I wouldn’t be driving both cars to be honest. I just wouldn’t. I wouldn’t do it because they drive so different,” said Juan Pablo Montoya the 1999 Champ Car champion who left Formula One, now driving in his third year in NASCAR.
“You’re going to get comfortable in one thing and then you’re going to make it to the other thing and every times it’s going to be like night and day.
“When I drive the 24 hours and I get to Daytona it feels really weird and I’ve been driving stock cars for three years now. I do two test days and the race and come back for the (Daytona) 500 and it feels really weird to drive again. So, I wouldn’t,” Montoya added.
Jimmie Johnson, looking for fourth straight Sprint Cup title, agreed.
"I heard Juan's comment and I think that is a valid point to make. I believe she has that opportunity just to run stock cars exclusively. I think the overall thing she's trying to accomplish and I think what everybody is eventually getting at is that seat time is everything to learn these cars and learn these tracks.”
“She may have raced on these tracks but not in a closed body vehicle. So, it boils down to seat time. Just not to be in a hurry, drive anything with a body on it ... ARCA, Truck, Nationwide, Cup. Hit some walls. It is tough because she is obviously going to have a big spot light on her. Hit walls, tear up equipment, make mistakes.”
“You have to go through that. You cannot short cut that aspect. It doesn't matter if it is Juan Pablo who has been an F-1 driver coming in or a guy coming from a local short track. You have to go through those experiences to learn,” Johnson said.
photo:IndyCar