Danica makes it official, she's coming to NASCAR

Danica Patrick announced today that she'll drive in a limited number of Nationwide races this seaosn for JR. Motorsports. She will make her stock-car debut on Feb. 6 in the ARCA race at Daytona International Speedway. That is so she can get some experience on that track and with those cars to be eligible to compete in the Nationwide event at Daytona.

She will drive the No. 7 GoDaddy.com in the Nationwide series. While it wasn't announced how many races she'll do, she said her primary focus will be the IndyCar season. What will likely happen is that she'll run a few races before and after the IndyCar season. What you're likely to see is her in about 10 events this year. Her contract with JR. Motorsports goes through 2011. Mark Martin's contract with Hendrick Motorsports goes through 2011, so if everything went perfectly for Patrick, there could be a way for her to join Hendrick Motorsports in Cup in 2012. Again, that's a way long way off, though.

As for this season, Tony Eury Jr. will be Danica's crew chief.

A NASCAR spokesperson said that Danica has already been approved to compete in the Camping World Truck and Nationwide series as of now.

"It's no doubt going to be challenging,'' Dancia said at a press conference in Phoenix on Tuesday. She noted that the last time she was in a stock car was about 7 years or so ago when she drove a Busch car at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. "I have a lot to learn. I really like the wheel to wheel action. The wheel-to-wheel bumping looks exciting.''

Said Kelley Earnhardt, who runs JR Motorsports: "I think it's reasonable for her to be in the top 15 in the (Nationwide) series when she's running.''

More to come later. Also will have more later today (maybe this evening) on the Motorsports Businiess Forum here in Orlando. Lots of interesting things from NASCAR looking at a corn-based ethanol for 2011, to an ESPN/ABC executive saying that the criticism from NASCAR for ABC's broadcast of the Talladega fall race was something that would have been better to have taken place in private. And, you may be able to see more Cup races online live in 2010 if things work out. More later...

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