Should Danica Go To NASCAR
There is a lot of speculation about whether or not Danica Patrick will leave the IndyCar Series and move to NASCAR. Patrick is in the final year of her contract with Andretti Green Racing and has said she will consider all offers.
NASCAR is by far the most high profile and lucrative motorsport in the world right now, therefore looking very attractive for a driver. Additionally, Danica Patrick is one of the most high profile drivers in the world and would be a tremendous boost in publicity wherever she goes.
Few drivers have successfully made the transition from open wheel racing to stock car racing, Tony Stewart has shown he is a champion no matter what he drives. Juan Pablo Montoya, struggled for years in NASCAR before becoming a contender. Sam Hornish, Jr., with the most wins in IndyCar Series history, has yet to win in NASCAR. Dario Franchitti left NASCAR after one unsuccessful season in NASCAR to return to the IRL where he is winning again. All of these drivers were champions on the open wheel circuit, Danica Patrick has only won one race.
Patrick’s style of racing is not conducive to NASCAR success, either. She has a tendency to fall back in traffic and then pick off cars one at a time after the field spreads out. In NASCAR, the field seldom spreads out. The cars stay bunched up. Fender to fender racing is part of what makes NASCAR popular. If Patrick gets annoyed when she can’t pass Milka Duno on the track, what will she do when she tries to pass Jeff Gordon? Even worse, how will she react when Kyle Busch is behind her?
Patrick has stated she would like to drive for a top team with good equipment. The problem with that is the top teams already have solid drivers. Would Rick Hendrick get rid of Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., or Mark Martin in order to take a chance on Danica Patrick? Jack Roush, owner of Roush-Fenway Racing, has said she would need to spend a couple of years in the truck series or Nationwide series, NASCAR’s version of the minor leagues. Would Patrick be agreeable to that? A more likely option would be with a secondary team, one that needs sponsorship money to field an additional car. A team like Hall of Fame Racing might fit the bill. Stewart-Haas racing, which is successful and looking to expand, would be her best hope. They have equipment from Hendrick, and have shown they can win.
It would be a huge gamble for Patrick to leave the IRL. Without a championship, or even a win in the United States, she has become the face of IndyCar. She is in a good place, contending for wins and high in points. She has shown she can drive in the IndyCar series. Many would question her ability in NASCAR, claiming she is just a publicity stunt for some team. I don’t think she would take kindly to that. Unless an unbelievable offer comes along, I expect Danica to stay in open wheel where she can keep driving for victories.
