Danica is Coming...

Danica Mania is here. Last Thursday, JR Motorsports announced Patrick’s NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule. She will be running at least 12 races, and may end up running the season opening Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway depending on how well she does in the Daytona ARCA race.

“If she’s involved in a big wreck, she may realize that she needs a little more plate racing experience before stepping onto the track with some of the best drivers in the world,” says Brinton Hester, 20, of Chattanooga, TN.

The ARCA race is known for being somewhat of a wreck fest, with many inexperienced drivers trying to cut their teeth in the series. Patrick may end up fighting just to stay in the race and within the draft rather than racing for the win.

However, the ARCA race is only one race. Patrick still has at least 12 other races she’ll be competing in during the 2010 season, not to mention the full IZOD IndyCar Series schedule.

“I think it will take time to adjust to the car [and] the pace of race weekend,” said Sam from California.

Even Patrick knows it’s going to take some adjusting to a hectic schedule such as this. However, the schedule is all lined up and there’s no backing out now. However, one driver affected by all this is Kelly Bires. Depending on how well Patrick does in the race, Bires may end up being sidelined for her at Daytona. It’s caused discussion among NASCAR fans about whether or not Bires is getting the shaft for a more marketable driver or if this is just the way of the NASCAR world and there’s nothing wrong with it.

“While it may not be fair, it is the reality of the business,” said Sam. “In some ways, he will gain from [the] exposure of being her teammate.”

Yes, Bires is certainly known as the “other” driver of Jr Motorsports, though Jimmy, 27, of Lancaster, Calif. said that Bires probably isn’t well known by the average race fan anyways.

And, as Lindi Bess, 45, of Napa Valley says, “All is fair in love and NASCAR!”

Try telling Bires that. However, NASCAR is a business and teams will do what they can to ensure that their team thrives, even it means putting an inexperienced driver in the racecar. The GoDaddy.com sponsorship is in place for Patrick, and Bires probably wouldn’t have any without it. Whatever it takes to make the sponsor happy is probably what the team will do.

Brinton even made the point that the deal that Bires has now is better than what he had last season. Being Patrick’s teammate may not be a bad thing, as mentioned earlier, from an exposure standpoint. If Bires proves that he can do better than Patrick in the same equipment, it might open up more opportunities for Bires.

However, as mentioned previously, she’s coming and there’s no stopping the hype, the coverage, and the debate. Steve Daniels, 52, of Birmingham, Ala. makes a prediction that many, but not all, can agree with: “Danica Patrick is a good driver with good equipment. She’ll do well but not spectacularly so.”

And I leave you with that!

Summer Dreyer - ARN Writer

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