According to ESPN The Magazine's Ryan McGee, a partnership that would pair two of the most popular auto racing drivers in America together is entering the final stages.
The article, which cited an anonymous source that is "close to the negotiations," claims that Danica Patrick could soon be driving a stock car with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Nationwide Series team, JR Motorsports, for a part-time schedule as the driver will attempt to test the waters of NASCAR.
The proposed deal would have Patrick in a car at the season-opening race at Daytona in February.
Sources reported over the summer that Patrick had signed a contract extension to remain with IndyCar Series team Andretti-Green Racing for three more years. The IndyCar Series runs 17 races per season over the span of under eight months. However, an official announcement has yet to be made.
JR Motorsports currently runs two entries in the Nationwide Series; the No. 88 full-time and the No. 5 part-time. Both Earnhardt Jr. and the team have a strong relationship with GoDaddy.com, a sponsor for Patrick in the IndyCar Series.
JR Motorsports's plans are still undecided as the end of the 2009 Nationwide Series closes in. It is known that Kelly Bires will step into the No. 88 next season for a full-time effort. From there it appears to depend on sponsorship as far as the amount of races are run with other teams.
Patrick has been rumored since February to be stepping over to stock racing as her contract was in its final year at AGR. She has one win on her resume in the series; in 2008 in Japan when she became the first female race winner in series history.
ScottsMiracle-Gro rejoins Edwards for six Cup races in 2010
Roush Fenway Racing officials announced that ScottsMiracle-Gro will makes its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series return to the hood of Carl Edwards next season for six events in the series after the Aflac and Scotts announced a partnership today.
The Scotts Turg Builder paint scheme will be featured at the Budweiser Shootout, the March events at Atlanta and Bristol, April's Texas date and the May races at Richmond and Charlotte.
ScottsMiracle-Gro, who was the sponsor of Edwards's first career Cup Series victory in 2005, also sponsors the Missouri native in the Nationwide Series, which Edwards will run full-time in for the sixth consecutive year.
“The Scotts Company is thrilled to partner with Aflac, Carl Edwards and get back into Cup racing,” Jim Shertzer, Sponsorship Manager at The Scotts Company, said. “Our company has a great relationship with Carl Edwards and we’re excited to kick-off spring in Daytona in the Scotts Turf Builder car in 2010.”
Aflac, which will sponsor a bulk of Edwards's 2010 season in the Cup Series, partnered with ScottsMiracle-Gro for the six race sponsorship package.
“Aflac and Scotts are two great companies that have supported me during my career,” Edwards said. “I earned my first Cup victory in a Scotts car and am looking forward to driving for them again in the Sprint Cup Series in 2010.”
WWE in JGR's corner at Texas
After Joe Gibbs Racing's Kyle Busch and Joey Logano co-hosted WWE's Monday Night Raw last week, several WWE supserstars will be in attendance for the Nationwide Series race at Texas this weekend. Scheduled to appear are Jerry “The King” Lawler, R-Truth and WWE Divas Nikki and Brie Bella.
GameStop, Logano's race sponsor, is promoting the new SmackDown® vs. Raw® 2010 video game. Busch and Logano will be racing specially designed cars for the race. Logano will pilot the “SmackDown” car while Busch will drive the “Raw” car.
