As the second most popular sport in America, someone from outside the country might assume that most people understand Nascar. Unfortunately, there are still quite a few of us who happen upon a race while channel surfing and see little more than a lot of left turns and the occasional explosion.
The NASCAR Pace Car for the Capital City 400 was previously revealed to be a new 2012 Ford Focus Electric, and now we’ve got the pictures to prove it.
Really want to support your favorite NASCAR driver? Check out Wallhaulers, from The Real Art of Racing. They create unique, limited, one-of-a-kind racing doors of popular NASCAR drivers.
These aren’t beat up, used doors coming off of actual race cars, but rather high-quality replicas that are individually hand-made in the good ‘ol U.S. of A. Measuring in at 54 inches by 29 inches and weighing in at 7 lbs, this may be the perfect work of art to put up on your wall if you’re a NASCAR fan. Each door goes through the same process NASCAR teams use to apply the vinyl decals, ensuring a perfect fit and finish.
They’re affordable too at $250. And better yet, a portion of each sale goes to the driver’s favorite charity that you’re supporting.
Watch a video of Wallhaulers showing off the door-making process after the break.
Who ever thought the Baywatch star famous for her slow motion running on the beach scenes would ever be a race enthusiast, let alone own and run a race team.
Well you better beleive it, because Pamela Anderson has started her own race firm called Downforce1, and will have cars competing in the European Le Mans Series as well as the International GT open series.
Pam has been a long time NASCAR and F1 fan, and is taking her passion to the next level with Downforce1. ”Fast Cars and Fast women go together and here we are surrounded by men I love it,” said Pam on the sidelines of a NASCAR race. The team will run an Aston Martin Vantage GT2 in the ELMS.
Markus Fux, the marketing chief and team coordinator is the only driver as of right now listed on the Downforce1 website, a stable which will no doubt have to be added to if the team hopes to compete in NASCAR by next year.
Pamela has also announced her intent to have a Nascar team assembled by 2013, of which she will surely be the mascot.
The Chevy Impala has become a staple in NASCAR for the past few years, having claimed the checkered flag an astonishing 79 times since 2007. Just this past week, Tony Stewart took the win at Las Vegas and was one of three Impalas in the top five when the race ended.
Impressive as that may be, Chevrolet is ready to turn the page in 2013, welcoming in the new rules from NASCAR that has already helped produce great-looking race cars including the new Ford Fusion and Dodge Charger. But unlike their fellow American automakers, Chevrolet isn’t quite yet ready to debut what they have in the works for next season.
The biggest news announced from Chevy is that their 2013 NASCAR race car will not be an Impala, rather Team Chevy will be racing a vehicle based on a new nameplate to the brand’s lineup. Exactly what that new model will be is anyone’s guess, but the rumor mill is already churning and pointing towards a return of the rear-drive Commodore sedan from Australia – last sold here as the Pontiac G8.
Chevy did promise that both cars will be unveiled sometime this year but for now we’ll just have to wait patiently.
“We are keeping the wraps on the new car for now and will continue to prepare for next season by testing camouflaged vehicles,” said Jim Campbell, vice president, Chevrolet Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “We know that Chevrolet fans are eager to see the new racecar and we hope that the prospect of being able to own one just like it will make the wait a little more bearable.”
After catching sneak photos of the new 2013 NASCAR Dodge Charger a few weeks ago, the American automaker headed to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and unveiled the real deal.
SRT Motorsports unveiled the Charger set to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next season and we’re pleased to see that Dodge fans won’t have a difficult time identifying the car on the track. After NASCAR changed the rules on where automakers could put the glass and solid body pieces on their race cars, Dodge’s designers and engineers were able to make their NASCAR race car closely resemble the street version.
“We know NASCAR fans are passionate about cars,” said NASCAR President Mike Helton. “We’re excited about the results of the collective efforts of NASCAR, Dodge and the other manufacturers to create the 2013 Sprint Cup cars. The 2013 Dodge Charger race car design is a great example of what we look forward to seeing on the race track next season. We thank Dodge and all the manufacturers for their efforts, as we see the results here today with the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Dodge Charger.”
SRT Brand and Motorsports President Ralph Gilles was also at the unveiling, expressing his excitement for the new Charger race car, hoping to build off their 2009 Dodge Challenger racing campaign. More importantly Gilles reminded the public that “the Dodge Charger street car is the only rear-wheel-drive model in Sprint Cup competition that is available with a V8 engine.”
Unfortunately we are going to have to wait an entire season before the 2013 Charger hits the track, but we expect it to be a formidable competitor when it does.
Dodge‘s performance department, SRT, announced its 2013 Dodge Charger will be revealed during next week’s Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A little more than a week ago, the first images of the new race car leaked from Penske Racing.
Thanks to a 2010 NASCAR summit held with all four participating automakers, the series decided racing cars should carry a brand identity and look more similar to their production versions. Because of this, the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2013 Dodge Charger race car will look much closer in line and design language to the standard production Charger. According to SRT president and CEO Ralph Gilles, “The fans were like, ‘Hallelujah, finally the race cars look a lot like the cars I can buy and drive.’”
While the new 2013 Dodge Charger Sprint Cup car gets revealed next week, Penske Racing is currently the only team to field Dodge cars for the 2012 racing series and had just announced the end of its contract with Dodge after 2012 and a new partnership with Ford for 2013. Naturally, this threatens the chances of seeing the new Charger sprint car race next year
Despite the uncertainties, Penske Racing is actively participating in testing and development for the Charger. Penske Nationwide driver Sam Hornish Jr. was the first to test the new race car and said, “The car looks the best out of any of the new cars, that’s for sure. Nice sharp lines and you can see a lot of the street car in the race car. It brings the Charger’s identity back onto the racetrack.”
Look out for the new 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dodge Charger at the upcoming Kobalt Tols 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It will be unveiled at the Neon Garage before the race begins.
Involved in racing since 1972, Roger Penske has fielded many cars of different makes in his NASCAR efforts.
First entering the sport with a red, white and blue AMC Matador for Mark Donohue in 1972, Roger Penske has since fielded Chevrolets, Mercuries, and Pontiacs. From 1995 through 2002, Penske raced with Ford. Finally, from 2003 on, Penske formed an alliance with Dodge.
For 2013, Penske made the announcement that it will return to Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition. According to Penske and Ford Racing’s Jamie Allison, the deal already underwent several months of negotiation. Allison called the deal a “historic day” for Ford Racing.
For Roger Penske, this new arrangement with Ford gives the team a chance to “make sure [they] can beat any team in NASCAR in the future.” What’s more, this new alliance is also meant to allow Penske Racing to take on the Ford Roush Fenway Racing Team head-to-head rather than entering as the black sheep Dodge team. Currently, Penske’s two-car effort is the only Dodge team in the series. In a year, there will only be three manufacturers in NASCAR: Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota.
Roger Penske continued, “When we weighted the plus and minus of opportunities, it was apparent to us we need to win NASCAR Sprint Cup championships. We’ve been trying to do it alone. But having the opportunity to benchmark with someone like Roush, who has been world class as we saw with the performance last week with Kenseth (winner of 2012 Daytona 500) and how good their cars are, we felt it was time to evaluate other options.”
At the moment, Penske would not commit to running his own engine department and will receive their engines from Roush Yates Engines instead, something other Ford teams are also doing. Although Roger Penske has about 70 employees in his engine department, the team believes in taking advantage of the shared engine information with Roush during practice and testing sessions.
As for Chrysler Group motorsport division CEO Ralph Gilles, he wished Penske all the success and pledged company support for Penske’s efforts to win races and championships this season. Gilles spoke in behalf of Dodge, “Our motorsports involvement isn’t limited to NASCAR. We do value our NASCAR program and will be evaluating the opportunities available moving forward. As those opportunities materialize, we’ll reveal our 2013 plans, not only in NASCAR but in other forms of motorsports,” he said.
[Sourc: ESPN]
Despite the dramatic explosion, folks didn’t seem to care very much for this year’s Daytona 500.
After experiencing the first-ever rain postponed race at Daytona, the event itself took a while to get started after a multi-car wreck on the first lap and then another two hour delay when Juan Pablo Montoya collided with a jet turbine track dryer, erupting into flames. Eventually, Matt Kenseth crossed the finish line to win the race.
Despite the multiple unforeseen surprises, or because of them, the 2012 Daytona 500 pulled a TV rating of 8.0, the race’s second lowest TV rating since 1995. According to Fox Sports, more than 11 hours of live coverage was provided over the span of three days. An average of 13.7 million viewers tuned in to watch the race, significantly lower than last year’s 15.6 million viewers.
In 1995, The Daytona 500 drew 11.4 million viewers for a rating of 7.8. The lowest TV rating since 1995 goes to 2010, when Fox only drew 13.3 million viewers for a rating of 7.7. Finally, the title for the highest rating belongs to the 2006 event, when NBC drew 19.4 million viewers and earned itself a rating of 11.3.
[Source: Inside Line]
Yesterday, the Daytona 500 was cancelled for the first time in its 53-year-old history due to weather. Heavy rains have been falling in the Daytona, Florida area and even though NASCAR hoped to start the race today at 12:00PM EST, it has been postponed once again until 7:00PM EST.
Everything surrounding The Great American race has been exciting so far, especially all the buzz around Danica Patrick. But it will be Carl Edwards that will start on the pole when and if the race gets underway. The opening race also marks the debut of electronic fuel injection to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as well as the debut of a 2012 Toyota Camry as the pace car.
Pro golfer Bubba Watson bought himself a “General Lee” Dodge Charger for $110,000 at an auction because he loved it, not because he wanted publicity
Nevertheless, that is exactly what Watson got after being scheduled to drive the ’69 Charger on a parade lap before the March 4 Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix until NASCAR pulled the plug.
Why? Well, NASCAR is worried about the Confederate flag on the roof that made the General Lee famous, believing it would have a negative impact as the sport tries to grow and appeal to different demographics.
“The image of the Confederate flag is not something that should play an official role in our sport as we continue to reach out to new fans and make NASCAR more inclusive,” NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said.
The decision was made jointly by officials with NASCAR, the racetrack and the track ownership group International Speedway Corp. Unfortunately the decision has already irked Ben Jones, former actor in The Dukes of Hazzard who is also a former Georgia congressman.
“At a time when tens of millions of Americans are honoring their Union and Confederate ancestors during this sesquicentennial of the Civil War, NASCAR has chosen to dishonor those Southerners who fought and died in that terrible conflict by caving to political correctness and the uninformed concerns of corporate sponsors. This action by NASCAR is a provocative and unnecessary over-reaction to a problem that doesn’t exist. It is a disgraceful and gratuitous insult to a lot of very decent people. It is prejudicial toward those good-hearted folks who, like Uncle Jesse Duke, are in fact ‘never meanin’ no harm’,” Jones said.
Watson for the most part has remained neutral, but still believes that NASCAR should understand that the Confederate flag on the roof of the General Lee wasn’t used in the show for what people see it as today. Either way, Watson will still be attending the race in Phoenix; he just won’t be behind the wheel of the General Lee.
[Source: USA Today]
The new NASCAR Dodge Charger isn’t set to even make an appearance until next year, but the team out at Penske Racing is already hard at work in preparing it for its racing debut.
Much like the 2013 NASCAR Ford Fusion that was revealed earlier this year, the 2013 Dodge Charger actually looks like a stock car, resembling its factory counterpart. While the cars themselves may increasingly share a great deal underneath, it’s nice to see that a new generation of NASCAR stock cars are inheriting their design from the actual production models.
The photos taken over at Penske Racing also reveal the new fuel injected engines that the Chargers will run in the 2013 race season.
[Source: Randy Ayers' NASCAR Modeling via Jalopnik]
Rick Hendrick, owner of four NASCAR teams under Hendrick Motorsports, picked up the first Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in person at GM’s Oshawa Assembly Plant yesterday as production of the 580-hp, 556 lb-ft of torque American sports car kicked off.
Hendrick is clearly a die-hard Camaro enthusiast, having purchased the first 2010 Camaro Coupe, the first 2011 Camaro Convertible and now the first Camaro ZL1 available for public sale all through Barrett-Jackson auctions. Even better, all three of his purchases had all proceeds benefiting local charities.
The first ZL1 to ever leave the production line features a black exterior with the optional Exposed Carbon Fiber Weaved Hood Insert and power Sunroof. The interior was packed with black leather with suede microfiber inserts on the seat and dash and also on the steering wheel and shift knob.
“Through a disciplined approach and a relentless focus on execution, the Oshawa team has worked efficiently to ensure a successful, high-quality launch of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1,” stated Dan Hermer, plant manager at the Oshawa Assembly Plant.
The Chevy Camaro ZL1 starts at $58,000.
If you’re a die hard NASCAR or Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan, you may want to start digging around for $79,900. Up for sale is JR Motorsports car number 10, which was also one of Dale’s first stock cars to wear his now infamous #88.
The 2007 Chevy Monte Carlo is a race-ready car, but was retired after only one race to join Jr.’s National Hot Rod Tour. Recently, the Monte Carlo was purchased by a private party. That person then had it serviced and ran it for three laps at Carolina Motorsports Park with the American Vintage Racing Association (AVRA). Now you can own the vehicle, and with it a membership in the AVRA complete with real track time and full track support.
The exterior of the vehicle is pretty self explanatory, but under the hood is a fully built 358-cubic inch SB2 V8 powerplant with 725-hp. Beyond that is just a whole lot of race-ready engineering that’s gone into the chassis (built by Ronnie Hopkins), suspension, and there’s no mistaking the gutted interior full with a NASCAR-spec roll cage.
[Source: RK Motors]
How’s this for putting a breast… er, we mean foot… in your mouth? NASCAR race car driver Kasey Kahne is furiously back peddling after making some objectionable remarks on Twitter about breast feeding.
The comments were made on Twitter after Kahne saw a woman breastfeeding her child in a supermarket. At first, he tweeted: “Just walking through supermarket. See a mom breastfeeding little kid. Took second look because I was obviously seeing things. I wasn’t!” A minute or so later, he added: “One boob put away one boob hanging!!! #nasty” and “I don’t feel like shopping any more or eating.” Those last two were quickly deleted shortly after he posted them, but not before others saw and were appalled with what he wrote.
After being swamped with thousands of comments on his site, he issued an apology on Facebook a few hours later, saying: “I apologize. It was in no way my intention to offend any mother who chooses to breastfeed her child, or, for that matter, anyone who supports breast feeding children. In all honestly, I was surprised by what I saw in a grocery store. I shared that reaction with my fans on Twitter. It obviously wasn’t the correct approach, and, after reading your feedback, I now have a better understanding of why my posts upset some of you.” He also apologized on Twitter to a woman who had objected to his breast feeding comment, whom he called “a dumb bitch” – it’s unclear whether or not he made this remark because he was surprised that someone had something bad to say about him.
His racing-team sponsors Great Clips weren’t amused by his comments, and hours before his apology was made, the hair salon chain tweeted two women Kahne had blasted online: “Our apologies for this. Please know that response was uncalled for & does not reflect our organization.”
We’re wondering if Kahne is going to go the Ashton Kutcher route and hire someone to make sure his tweets aren’t too offensive.
[Source: Toronto Star]
The Ford Police Interceptor has long made its name chasing after speeding cars. However, at the Ford Championship Weekend NASCAR races at Homestead Miami Speedway this November 18-20, the roles are reversed as the 2013 Ford Police Interceptor Utility and Sedan are honored to serve as pace cars to lead the pack for the weekend.
Pacing the grid for the Ford 200, Ford 300 and Ford 400 NASCAR finale events is the Police Interceptor Utility. The first ever pursuit rated utility by Ford, the Interceptor Utility will be serving as the lead pace car, serving pace duty for all three races. The Interceptor Sedan will serve as the split pace car for the weekend. Both vehicles should be capable of performing without a cinch. The police vehicle market leader for the past 15 years, Ford’s latest generation of Police Interceptors are specifically designed and engineered with safety and technology innovations just for the rigors of police duty. How hard could pacing NASCAR be?
Lisa Teed, the brand manager for Ford Police Interceptors is pleased to share, “Having the opportunity to bring our new Police Interceptors to pace what is shaping up to be one of the most exciting weekends in NASCAR history is a great honor. Both of the Police Interceptor vehicles provide the highest level of safety, performance, durability, driver convenience, and comfort, and we’re excited to be able to show off these new vehicles to the millions of fans on site and watching on national television.”
Jamie Allison, the director of Ford Racing, continues, “Using our new range of Ford products to pace signature events like Ford Championship Weekend is an important part of our marketing strategy. We’re thrilled that we’re able to help launch the new Police Interceptors at Ford Championship Weekend, and know that the fans will be excited to see these unique vehicles performing out on track.”
Both the Ford Interceptor Sedan and Utility vehicles are available with a selection of three different V6 engines that deliver both better fuel economy and more horsepower than the discontinued Panther chassis V8 Crown Victoria. The base 3.5 liter TiVCT V6 delivering 280-hp and a top-tier Ford EcoBoost twin turbo V6 producing at least 365 horsepower are available for the all wheel drive Interceptor Sedan.
The all wheel drive Interceptor Utility will also get a 3.7 liter V6, promised to provide at least 300 horsepower.
Both Ford Police Interceptors will be produced in Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant.
It’s official – Danica Patrick will be making her NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the 2012 season-opening 54th annual Daytona 500.
Patrick’s schedule with Stewart-Haas Racing will begin on Feburary 26 with “The Great American Race.” Other races on her schedule include Darlington, Bristol, Atlanta, Dover, Texas and Phoenix.
“Each year, the Daytona 500 produces unforgettable moments that forever change the lives of fans and drivers,” said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. This year’s race sees Patrick as the third woman to compete in the Daytona 500. She follows Janet Guthrie, who made two Daytona 500 starts in 1977 and 1980, and Shawna Robinson, with one Daytona 500 start in 2002.
Winter is coming – is your car ready? If you need a new set of windshield wipers to keep the snow from obscuring your view, now’s the time to pick some up, as Teflon has just announced a contest that could win you a trip to see a NASCAR race.
The contest, which is on now until November 30, gives you the chance to win an all-expenses-paid NASCAR 2012 weekend. It also includes VIP pit passes and the chance to meet Jeff Gordon.
In addition to the sweepstakes, Teflon is also running a special promotion on its windshield wipers. You can purchase Teflon SHIELD wiper blades at Advance Auto Parts stores for a special discounted price (buy one, get 50 percent off the second one), and a portion of the sale will be donated to the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation. You save money and you get to help a good cause – it’s a win-win situation.
To enter the contest, just fill out the form found on the Teflon NASCAR sweepstakes page.
Everything Breast Cancer Awareness touches turns pink, so why should an all-American fire breathing Chevrolet Camaro SS be any different?
Next weekend, September 10th, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Richmond International Raceway will feature two special American Cancer Society “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” Camaro SS pace cars to raise awareness.
GM Chevrolet pledges to further support the cause by donating $200 for every caution lap the pink Camaro SS pace cars perform. Moreover, Chevrolet will participate in other American Cancer Society “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” events as well.
It’s an unfortunate color for a Camaro SS, but who can say no to such an important cause?
NASCAR is off to college. No, they won’t be enrolling in any classes – the racing circuit is on campus in hopes of recruiting a new generation of upmarket fans.
If you’re off to school next week, be on the lookout for the NASCAR U CREW. These “brand ambassadors” will be visiting 12 college campuses to host events and garner interest for local racing tracks. A joint effort with University Directories On Campus, NASCAR is targeting 12 schools that are located close to a Sprint Cup race being held this fall. A few colleges and the corresponding races include the University of New Hampshire and the Loudon race on September 25; University of Delaware and Dover on October 2; and University of Miami and Florida International and Homestead on November 20.
According to NASCAR CMO Steve Phelps, he believes that the “U CREW” will give “our current fans the avenue to express their passion and our future fans the vehicle to experience the sport.”
The NASACAR U CREW ambassadors will be holding 10 events on campus, as well as participating in other promotional activities. They will be offering special ticket packages, hospitality and tailgating events on race days.
NASCAR will have its work cut out – many colleges tend to have a focus on football and related events. Do you think that NASCAR’s promotion will attract new fans? Let us know in the comments section below.
[Source: Media Post]
NASCAR big boys, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon attended a Chevrolet Volt Homecoming Parade in metro Detroit on August 18 as a part of the festivities surrounding the annual Woodward Dream Cruise.
Over 50 owners from 12 different states attended the even, with both Johnson and Gordon included in the pack as actual Volt owners. In pure racing fashion the duo waved flags to mark the start of the parade. Both NASCAR drivers spent plenty of time talking up the electric Chevy crowd at the parade.
“These cars are just another step in the right direction of going green. Hopefully the Volt will provoke more thought and change,”said Jimmie Johnson.
As for Jeff Gordon, he touched on how Chevrolet is always pushing the envelope in the right direction. “With Chevrolet celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, I can’t think of a better vehicle to show off the brand’s heritage and where it’s headed.”
Check out the video after the jump!
Now this is one subject that’s likely to polarize opinion, the fact that a Toyota Camry, will pace the 2012 Daytona 500 in February.
A generation ago, the very notion that a Japanese car would be leading the field during a NASCAR race was almost unthinkable, now, it appears to be a reality. However there is some logic to this. The Camry has, for the last 13 out of 14 years, been the best selling car in America and since 1986, all of those sold here, have also been built here, at Toyota’s Georgetown, Kentucky assembly plant.
As the car has woven its way into the heart of America’s psyche it’s started popping up everywhere and it seems to have been greeted with a growing amount of enthusiasm, even amongst stock car racing insiders.
“NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway provide a uniquely American platform for manufacturers to display their technology, innovation and overall automotive excellence,” remarked Joie Chitwood III; President of Daytona International Speedway. “After nearly eight years of competing at NASCAR’s highest level, I’m pleased to have the 2012 Toyota Camry pace the DAYTONA 500.”
Toyota has been competing in NASCAR since 2004, beginning with Tundra pickup based stockers in the World Truck series. It has won five consecutive manufacturer’s titles in that series, while propelling drivers to the championship on three separate occasions (Jeff Bodine 2006 and 2010; Johnny Benson 2008).
In 2007 Toyota began running Camrys in the Nationwide Series and has since claimed 60 wins and three manufacturer’s cups as well as propelling Kyle Busch to the driver’s title in 2009.
Getting back to pace cars, Toyota has already used Camrys at the following NASCAR tracks: Auto Club Speedway of Southern California, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Dover International Speedway in Delaware, California’s Infineon Raceway, Kansas Speedway, Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway, Richmond International Raceway; Wisconsin’s Road America and Watkins Glen International.
So, the very notion of a Camry pacing the Daytona isn’t perhaps too much of a stretch, though Toyota could perhaps use this opportunity to try and make the pacer at least a little bit exciting.
Click here to read AutoGuide’s 2012 Toyota Camry Review or watch the video review after the jump:
In West Virginia, fans sure do love their NASCAR races. In fact, that state boasts the most NASCAR fans per capitia. And five days after a NASCAR race is aired on TV, accidents caused by aggressive driving rise notably.
The Journal of Applied Social Psychology wanted to see if aggressive, crash-filled racing influenced the day-to-day driving habits of West Virginians. And according to the study, it really did. Looking at aggressive-driving accidents from 2003 through 2006 (about 29,000), these types of accidents rose significantly five days after the televised event took place (over 23 accidents recorded versus 19 on other days). Surprisingly, on the day of the race, accidents actually dropped.
As for the five-day lapse, research found that delayed effects are commonly found in studies the media’s effects on behaviour.
[Source: Wall Street Journal]
Reports are coming in that Danica Patrick is leaning towards a full-time move to NASCAR for 2012, running a full Nationwide Series with JR Motorsports and limited Sprint Cup Series races with Tony Stewart’s team. One shake-up in any agreement with Patrick however is that she still desires to run in the Indy 500 even if it complicates her Nationwide championship hopes.
“I would like for her to run fulltime, and I’m sure she is considering that, and I think she would enjoy it,” said JR Motorsports co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. peaking at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “I feel confident that she’s content where she is and happy with what we’re doing. I think things are looking positive for us to put something together.”
It appears that Patrick’s NASCAR driving aspirations are positive, with both Stewart and Earnhardt Jr. giving her plenty of praise and both looking forward to getting her behind the wheel of their race cars. Whether or not a deal can be worked out so that she can juggle the busy schedule involved with the Indy 500 during the month of May makes things interesting for Patrick’s 2012 season.
[Source: Associated Press]
