Patrick's NASCAR Schedule Set
Racingone.com
Danica Patrick will compete in 12 NASCAR Nationwide Series races with the possibility of 13 in her debut season with JR Motorsports, co-owner and general manager Kelley Earnhardt announced.
The only event uncertain on Patrick's schedule is the Feb. 13 season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevy is entered in the event, but its driver will not be determined until after Patrick's race in the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) event on Feb. 6.
Patrick will compete in the Daytona ARCA race in a JR Motorsports-prepared No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevy. Beyond Daytona, Patrick's 2010 campaign is confirmed starting with the Feb. 20 race at Auto Club Speedway and the Feb. 27 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Following Vegas, Patrick will take a four-month hiatus to focus on her IndyCar Series responsibilities before returning to drive the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevy in the Nationwide Series June 26 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The remainder of her schedule includes Nationwide races at Chicagoland Speedway (July 9), Michigan International Speedway (Aug. 14), Dover International Speedway (Sept. 25), Auto Club Speedway (Oct. 9), Charlotte Motor Speedway (Oct. 15), Gateway International Raceway (Oct. 23), Texas Motor Speedway (Nov. 6), Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 13), and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 20).
While Patrick's participation in the Daytona race is to be determined, JR Motorsports will still field two cars for the Nationwide Series season opener.
Due to sponsorship reallocation for the upcoming season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the No. 88 Hellmann's Chevy in place of Kelly Bires in what is the first of two scheduled races for the JRM co-owner.
Bires will return to the seat of the No. 88 Chevy the following week at Auto Club Speedway and could be called upon to drive the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevy at Daytona should Patrick not compete in that event. GoDaddy.com will serve as primary sponsor for 10 of Patrick's 12 races in the No. 7 Chevy in 2010