Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The 2009 IndyCar Series season had its
share of news stories, ranging from Dario Franchitti's masterful return to
open-wheel racing to Helio Castroneves' acquittal in his federal tax evasion
trial. Speculation of Danica Patrick's future also has made for an interesting
year on the circuit.
-best fifth in points this year. Since her
rookie season in IndyCar in 2005, Patrick has been the sport's biggest star.
She became the first female to win a major closed-course auto racing event
with her victory in April 2008 in Japan. But her future in the series remains
uncertain, as she entertains the idea of a transition to NASCAR.
Patrick reportedly has signed a three-year contract to stay at Andretti Green
Racing, but a limited number of stock car races continues to be an option for
her.
NASCAR driver and owner Tony Stewart said in September that Patrick was
seriously considering a switch. Her experimentation period would likely
involve NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series races, as well as
ARCA events.
Patrick made multiple trips to Stewart's race shop in North Carolina this
summer to seek advice.
Michael Waltrip Racing and JR Motorsports -- Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Nationwide
team -- recently have expressed interest in the 27-year-old driver.
For quite sometime, NASCAR has been savoring the possibility that Patrick will
come to their sport, given her enormous popularity and wide marketability.
The coming weeks should be interesting for both IndyCar and NASCAR, as Patrick
continues to ponder her future.