From the Marbles - NASCAR

From the Marbles

Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:46 pm EST

Danica and Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Together at last?

By Jay Busbee

This is as juicy as NASCAR gossip gets, as silly as Silly Season can be: Danica Patrick is reportedly close to signing a deal with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports Nationwide team.

ESPN's Ryan McGee and Marty Smith broke the news on Wednesday, indicating that a source reported that talks are in "the final phase." We've heard this kind of thing before, but multiple sources are indicating that both Danica and JR Motorsports are very close to a deal.

As with so much else this season, the unexpected centerpiece of the entire deal was Brad Keselowski. As long as Jet Ski was in JR Motorsports' camp, he held down the spot that could have been available to Danica. But when he signed with Penske, the door opened wide.

The obvious question is, when would Danica Patrick make her NASCAR debut? Depending on logistics and approval, her first race could come either in Daytona or at California right at the start of the 2010 season. ESPN reported that Danica wants the number 7, her IndyCar number.

Still up in the air would be how many races Danica would run. She would likely run the 17 IRL races and then slot in Nationwide runs as necessary -- a rigid schedule which would nonetheless pay off huge for both her and JR Motorsports.

I don't need to tell you what a marketing juggernaut a Danica-Junior team would be. The Nationwide Series would instantly become the equal of the Sprint Cup in the eyes of the casual fans (who, presumably, are going to wonder why Danica isn't racing against Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon). And yes, there would be the usual carping about neither one of them winning much of anything.

But that's not what's important. What's important is that Danica is -- if this goes through -- going to bring some much-needed new eyes to NASCAR. And if she's a gimmick, so be it -- she'll be gone and back to IRL before her contract is up. She's not going to totally embarrass herself or the sport; she's too talented of a driver for that.

As for Sprint Cup? Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Danica's got to prove she can handle a Nationwide car first. (She's actually got to get into a Nationwide car, which I won't believe until I see it.) But I wouldn't be surprised to see Danica running at NASCAR's highest level come 2012.

Daytona just got a whole lot more interesting, didn't it?

Sources: Danica near NASCAR deal [ESPN.com]

________

For more daily NASCAR news and info, click here to bookmark Yahoo! Sports' From the Marbles, and follow us on Twitter.

digg delicious
more

187 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. Carol
    1. Posted by Carol Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:54 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Betcha she won't be running Motorola as her sponsor.
  2. Candace G
    2. Posted by Candace G Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:13 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    she'll probably Go Daddy as her sponsor, as her and Jr share it. But man did this piss me off. How is it that a driver (gender is irrelevent) with absolutely NO nascar experience can get a stable ride (if this goes through) but drivers like Landon Cassill and Brad Coleman can't?! man that sucks.
    I said the same thing as you though, Jay, earlier when I was watching it on ESPN, "I'll believe it when I see her in the car."
  3. Willy Doer
    3. Posted by Willy Doer Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:14 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    This is worse than a soap opera. WTF...
  4. kinggeorge
    4. Posted by kinggeorge Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:24 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    She gets the ride the same way Menard and Stevie Wallace do...they bring the money with them.
    Part of me would love to see her succeed to help revive the sport. And part of me would love to see her (as a driver, not a woman) fail miserably because she is "all show and no go". Be interesting to see which part of me wins out.
  5. Kim
    5. Posted by Kim Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:37 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    KG, you just want to see her! ;-)
  6. ted d
    6. Posted by ted d Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:50 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    In every sport you need a gimmick... That gimmick brings new eyes, fans,money and exposure to the sport so that the hard core fans can have company to watch the races...lol... Hard core fan bases are small, gimmicks make up the enrollment...
  7. kinggeorge
    7. Posted by kinggeorge Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:52 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I didn't say which parts of me were in conflict.
  8. T Stewart
    8. Posted by T Stewart Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:56 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    She will do good! To bad she's married, she could cause quite a few spin outs with that body!. lol
  9. marylou
    9. Posted by marylou Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:02 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    I'm looking forward to see Danica in Nascar, I think it will bring some excitement, something new new for everyone to talk about. I personally think she will do well in Nascar and I think she will pick it up faster than some of the other drivers have. I also think she is making the right choice going with JRM she will be with the best have the best equipment and sponsors, she should do very well. Good Luck Danica and Great Racing.
  10. RICK C
    10. Posted by RICK C Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:10 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    And the Danica saga continues......
  11. letsgopens29
    11. Posted by letsgopens29 Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:18 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    god... can't they just let it go... Personally I think she's an idiot for wanting to go nascar. She has matured as an indy car driver, this year was her best effort and i think she could do better the next years. Nascar would be a waste of her coughtalentcough. she's not the best driver by any means. but why waste away driving nascar... ugh.
  12. Chris
    12. Posted by Chris Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:18 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    If Danica Patrick's deal with JR Motorsports gets done, then NASCAR becomes much more interesting!
    I ask why, she cant win in Indy, what makes anyone think she can win in NASCAR. It wont me watch NASCAR any more then I don know, which is the last 10 laps of the race!
  13. Elaine
    13. Posted by Elaine Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:34 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Well Jr, I think you might want to think twice before signing that contract. Personally, I thought you had more common sense. I hope this is a joke! Don't be shocked when your fan base takes a pit fall. This hard core Jr. fan will be an X fan. Stay true to who you are. You do not need her or any of the crap that will go along with it.
  14. the doctor
    14. Posted by the doctor Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:41 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    The only good part of this is that it gives Jr a good excuse to quit wasting a sprint car and manage his nationwide team. But then, if he drops out of sprint cars that would open up a better ride for Danica.
  15. plushmike
    15. Posted by plushmike Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:47 pm EST

    Report Abuse

    To answer your last question...no, Busbee, it didn't.
  16. cousintom9
    16. Posted by cousintom9 Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:12 am EST

    Report Abuse

    yes it is a gender thing-i tune in to see hot rednecks in fast rides, not female midgets. nascar is completely losing all edge.
  17. ollie g
    17. Posted by ollie g Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:17 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Joke,Joke,Joke! Go CrapCar. There is no crying in CrapCar. If she wins, which will be never,do we think she will cry in victory lane?This is just another PR play by CrapCar to make up for its sagging ratings. Dale Sr would roll over in his grave if he knew!!!!!!
  18. Tyler G
    18. Posted by Tyler G Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:36 am EST

    Report Abuse

    It's all about the benjamins...you know how much money she's gonna bring to NASCAR? Seems like a no-brainer to me...regardless if she sucks.
  19. Fluke
    19. Posted by Fluke Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:59 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Its a perfect match. An overrated driver who is only where he is cause of his daddy, teams up with an overrated driver who is only where she is cause she is a somewhat attractive female. I hope this happens cause I will enjoy watching this crash and burn
  20. Jake!
    20. Posted by Jake! Thu Nov 05, 2009 1:40 am EST

    Report Abuse

    2 drivers that never win= ?
  21. DC
    21. Posted by DC Thu Nov 05, 2009 1:45 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Given the new Nationwide Car (that looks like a stock car!).....the always competitive and fun racing in the series...and now possibly Danica....I'm more likely to tune into the Nationwide series as opposed to the Sprint Cup in 2010.
  22. Skippy
    22. Posted by Skippy Thu Nov 05, 2009 2:29 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Mixed feelings about this. I think NASCAR is unwatchable. It's just very boring. I am a Danica fan and as long as she runs a full IRL schedule then what she does in her off time from Indycar is obviously complete up to her. The IRL has numerous problems as a series but yet it is still so much more interesting to watch. They are slowly but surely fixing those problems and I hope Danica is a part of the IRL for years to come. I have tried many times to give NASCAR a shot and have given up. It seems that sooner or later she will be involved at least on some level with NASCAR and I'm just kind of annoyed that I'll have to watch again. Oh well, I wish her luck and please to all you NASCAR fans give IRL a chance and you will see the difference and come to appreciate that it is so much better to watch.
  23. RICK C
    23. Posted by RICK C Thu Nov 05, 2009 3:05 am EST

    Report Abuse

    Mrs. Hospenthal , I presume....
  24. tacomasilverado
    24. Posted by tacomasilverado Thu Nov 05, 2009 3:12 am EST

    Report Abuse

    I love it! Danica is cool , shell be great for the sport, but it aint enough to fix the mess nascar is in. Ill def.l get me some Danica gear!
  25. Lance R
    25. Posted by Lance R Thu Nov 05, 2009 3:26 am EST

    Report Abuse

    I hope she does well. She will be coming from a 1367lb, 650hp car, to a 3400lb, 750 hp...good luck! Better hit the gym. Look how long it took Montoya to get there, and he hasn't won much yet. He's in the chase, and he's successful, but it's taken awhile. I hope peeps don't think Danica is gonna be good real soon.

From the Marbles

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

Jay Busbee

From the Marbles is a NASCAR blog edited by Jay Busbee. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

Contributors:
Jay Hart, Carol Fitzgerald, Nick Bromberg,

Related Photo Gallery

More NASCAR Photos »

Y! Sports Blogs

From the Marbles Recent Readers

(provided by MyBlogLog)