Danica Patrick poses with the No. 7NASCAR Nationwide Series GoDaddy.com / Chevrolet at a press conference to announce her full transition to NASCAR at the GoDaddy.com Headquarters on Thursday in Scottsdale
Aug 25th 2011 – Danica Patrick has moved over full time to Nascar. After six years racing in IndyCar, and five of those with Honda/Dallara for Andretti Autosport, the American beauty will move over to Nascar full time. Having participated in Nascar part time in 2010, she had her best career finish of 4th in series on March 5, 2011 at Las Vegas Motor Speedwa, the best finish by a woman in a NASCAR top-circuit.
Statement from NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France.
“We are pleased Danica Patrick has chosen to race full time in NASCAR in 2012. She has demonstrated a strong desire to compete and NASCAR provides the best opportunity to race against the top drivers in the world with the largest and most loyal fan base in motorsports on a week-to-week basis. Danica has shown solid improvement in NASCAR and we believe her decision to run full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, with additional races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will be exciting for our fans and a great challenge for her.”
Danica Patrick and Go Daddy CEO Bob Parsons
INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard issued the following statement regarding Danica Patrick’s announcement today.
“Danica has always been a great ambassador for INDYCAR, and there is no doubt she has left a positive impression on our sport. She has touched millions of fans and many that were new to motorsports. Danica attracted a fan base that every athlete and sports property in the world would love to have. We should give her a great farewell the rest of this season as she opens a new page in her career and wish her continued success with her new direction. ”
On May 29, 2005, Patrick became the fourth woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500, her fourth place was the highest ever finish for a female driver at the Indy 500, besting the previous record of ninth set by Janet Guthrie in 1978. Patrick led 19 laps overall.
JR Motorsports is a NASCAR team based in Mooresville, North Carolina, co-owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Rick Hendrick. It currently fields the #7 GoDaddy.com/Tax Slayer Chevrolet Impala for IZOD IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick, Josh Wise, and team owner Dale Jr. and the #88 Grand Touring Vodka/Unilever Chevrolet driven by Aric Almirola in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
