July 20, 2009
By Matthew Pizzolato
Matthew Pizzolato
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When Danica Patrick toured the shop at Stewart-Haas Racing last Monday, two questions arose. Was she maneuvering for a possible NASCAR ride for next season, or was this a well orchestrated publicity stunt?
It would be possible for her to get some much needed stockcar experience this season. The last race in the Indycar schedule is Homestead-Miami on October 10th, giving Patrick a chance to qualify for six Cup events or five Nationwide races.
Other open wheel drivers that have made the switch to stock cars have struggled recently. Juan Pablo Montoya and Sam Hornish Jr., both drivers with Championships in open wheel racing have had limited success since switching to stock cars.
Tony Stewart came from an open wheel background and has succeeded quite well in NASCAR, winning two Championships and quite possibly on the way to his third this season. Perhaps with his tutelage, Patrick could learn the necessary skills to become successful in stock cars.
Stewart said as recently as a month ago that he would be open to adding a third car to the team if the right driver/sponsor combination became available.
“I wanted to make sure we had two cars that were competitive and had a chance to win a championship,” Stewart was quoted as saying in a Terry Blount article for espn.com. “I'm proud of the fact that I think we're at that point. So if the right situation came along, we would entertain it.”
Could this be the “right situation” that Stewart was looking for? However, after Patrick visited his shop, Stewart seemed to be downplaying the third car scenario.
“As far as a third team goes, I think right now the biggest thing is you've got to make sure you can fund it first. You can build a team, but if you don't have the money to run it, it's not going to work. So, making sure that you've got proper funding is obviously the biggest thing,” Stewart was quoted as saying in a Yahoo Sports article by Jay Busbee.
Danica Patrick is a darling of the media and would undoubtedly bring her own sponsors with her, so Stewart wouldn’t have to worry about finding funding for her team. Companies would be lined up to sponsor her anyway.
Such a scenario would be a boost for Stewart-Haas Racing, a much needed boost for NASCAR, and a major boost for Danica Patrick. It makes the most sense for Patrick especially, because she would essentially be driving Hendrick Motorsports equipment, the best cars in the NASCAR garage. She wouldn’t have to worry about equipment failures; she could just get behind the wheel and race.
On the other hand, there is no such thing as bad publicity. Patrick could be using her visit to Stewart-Haas to drive up her asking price for a contract in Indycar. Yet, why would she remain in Indycar when the world of NASCAR beckons?
If Patrick makes the switch to stock cars next season, and there is a good chance she will, then more than likely she will be driving for Stewart-Haas Racing.
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