[Team Yates]

No Danica at Phoenix UPDATE but Daytona? Don't look for Danica Patrick to make her first NASCAR Nationwide Series start in the #5 JR Motorsports car at Phoenix International Raceway in two weeks, according to NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick. When asked before Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Talladega if Patrick, who has signed to stay in the IndyCar Series with team owner Michael Andretti, would make her first NASCAR start near her Scottsdale, Ariz., home, his answer was short and simple. "No," Hendrick said. "That's not going to happen."
According to sources within the NASCAR garage area, Patrick's asking price to compete in Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series races is $300,000 per race. If she were to run a truck race and a Nationwide race on the same weekend, the price is $600,000. Even with the sheer amount of publicity that Patrick would bring to NASCAR, team owners don't appear interested in paying that price.(Sports Illustrated)(11-4-2009)
UPDATE: Danica Patrick is nearing completion of a two-year contract with JR Motorsports, the NASCAR Nationwide Series operation owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., and a source close to the negotiations described them as "in the final phase." The partnership is expected to make its on-track debut during next February's Daytona Speedweeks. Both the Patrick and Earnhardt camps declined comment. Patrick will compete in NASCAR's second-largest series for JR Motorsports while continuing to race full-time for Andretti Green Racing in IndyCar. Earnhardt and Patrick already have a corporate connection, in current sponsorship deals with GoDaddy.com. The Web site registration service is a sponsor on JR Motorsports' #88 Chevy, which has been earned four Nationwide Series wins this season with Brad Keselowski at the wheel. Keselowski is leaving the team at season's end to drive for Penske Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. GoDaddy.co, also recently signed on to sponsor Hendrick's #5 Chevy beginning in 2010. That car is currently driven by Mark Martin, who is signed through 2011.(ESPN)(11-4-2009)

[LSC9901]

I hope for the sake of JR Motorsports that she pans out better for the company than Dale Jr himself has done for HMS !!

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

I hope for the sake of JR Motorsports that she pans out better for the company than Dale Jr himself has done for HMS !!

Whatcha talkin about? Hendrick house a cash cow for souvenir sales.

[Robertdjr]

Originally Posted by Quality88

Whatcha talkin about? Hendrick house a cash cow for souvenir sales.

I'm taking a little trip down to Texas on Saturday just to hang out at the track. Who knows, somebody might feel sorry for me and sell me a really cheap ticket in a suite. Anyway, I'll see what kind of lines are at the trinket trailers, and who has the longest lines.

[Miz+Zou]

When i first heard she was racing for him i was really surprised, and i was surprised that he would just give a short and simple no for Arizona i mean whats not to trust lots of drivers start in the Sprint cup series and not the nationwide series

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Robertdjr

I'm taking a little trip down to Texas on Saturday just to hang out at the track. Who knows, somebody might feel sorry for me and sell me a really cheap ticket in a suite. Anyway, I'll see what kind of lines are at the trinket trailers, and who has the longest lines.

Would be interesting to know.

[Team Yates]

Danica to JR Motorsports? Maybe Not: Dale Earnhardt Jr. says a deal to put Danica Patrick in his Nationwide Series car isn't imminent, and even if it were, JR Motorsports wouldn't necessarily have the funding for the IndyCar Series' most popular driver. Multiple media outlets have reported in recent weeks that Patrick was on the verge of signing with JRM for a part-time Nationwide schedule next season while continuing to run the Indy Racing League. Patrick and JRM share a sponsor in GoDaddy.com, but Earnhardt says it doesn't make the deal a cinch. "We've had a relationship with GoDaddy, so that makes us look like a nice fit, but they're moving (next year), so we don't really have it anymore," Earnhardt said after Sprint Cup practice Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. "We're having to search around." JRM's #88 Chevy currently driven by Brad Keselowski is sponsored by GoDaddy.com, but the company will move to Cup next year to back the #5 Chevy of Mark Martin at Hendrick Motorsports, which has an alliance with JRM. Earnhardt says JRM has only "three-quarters to half a season" of sponsors for the #88 in 2010. Earnhardt says the lack of funding is what's driving JRM's interest in Patrick, who also has been pursued by Roush Fenway Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing. Patrick also has met with Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing, and Earnhardt says he's talked to her along with Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick. Patrick lives in the Phoenix area, but offseason sponsor commitments are expected to keep her from attending Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500. "She's very interested in trying NASCAR, and a lot of people weren't sure whether she was serious or not, but she is serious," Earnhardt said. "There's a lot to learn there for her. She's got to get in the cars. She's got a lot of (stuff) to do before she ever takes the green flag for anything. But she's talked to a lot of people. I've spoken with her a couple of times just about the lifestyle and the difference in the series vs. what she does now." Besides GoDaddy, Patrick has sponsorship ties to Motorola's Boost Mobile brand and Tissot. Earnhardt believes she might be able to bring those companies to NASCAR, though without some TV advertising campaigns that could be considered risqué.(in part from the USA Today)(11-14-2009)

[LSC9901]

JR Motorsports could be just making a legal statement. Last week on Wind Tunnel it was reported that she cannot enter into, or at least cannot discuss other possible ventures until her contract is signed with Andretti. That should occur around Nov 30th. After that she may have more ability to talk about other ventures she is exploring. It is also possible that Andretti isn't willing to allow her to drive in other series because of possible injuries that would prevent her from driving for him.

Time will tell.