Danica could return at Indy in 2013: with which team?

[marcostraz]

Recently, Danica expressed her willingness to make the double "Indy/Charlotte" in 2013...if this will come true, with which team will this happen? She runs in NASCAR with Chevy, and I think we cannot see her at Indy with other brands...the actual Chevy team in IndyCar are: Penske, Andretti, KV, Panther, Dragon, Carpenter, DRR...I doubt she'll return with Andretti (I read some bad considerations from Michael), I doubt KV because there is her rival Tony...Penske is undoubtedly the best choice, but if Roger will not have desire/interest/space to run her, what could happen? That Stewart-Haas Racing field a car directly? Or in conjuction with Panther or Carpenter?

[MagVanisher]

Hmm, so she wants to do "double-duty" eh?

Regardless of what IndyCar team she will end up for the weekend, I hope that she could win the 500 as well as the 600. I'm tired of seeing her as a publicity stunt, I wanna see her win and let Silvestro, Legge, and Beatriz follow her example!

[Down F0rce]

Go Daddy would have a say in it as well I'd imagine.

[Paradise City]

Andretti would be persuaded to field another car. They had a few additions/satellites this year and presuming GoDaddy are still on board with Andretti it'll be handy way of shaking a few more cents out of the 'Danica brand'.

[ptclaus98]

Andretti is the only possibility.

[Flyin Ryan]

well I question whether she really will due to NASCAR and Stewart-Haas influences, but if Chevrolet and GoDaddy want her too she will, which leads to Andretti if that bridge has not been burned down, maybe a jointly entered Andretti/Stewart car

[Jonerz]

(Desperately adding fuel to the speculation fire Toe Stew (Tony Stewart) has been a name thrown around by some Indianapolis-types as a possible IndyCar team owner. He has Randy Bernard's cell phone number and texted RB his approval after this weekend's race.

Chris

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

(Desperately adding fuel to the speculation fire Toe Stew (Tony Stewart) has been a name thrown around by some Indianapolis-types as a possible IndyCar team owner. He has Randy Bernard's cell phone number and texted RB his approval after this weekend's race.

Chris

That'd be a full-time team, not a one-off built around Danica.

[JohnSSC]

Joy.

I am hoping that this remains a rumor. That said, Danica has shown herself to be as adept in positioning her "brand" and attracting $$ as anyone not named Andretti as anyone I have seen in years. If someone throws a large enough certified check at her, she will do it.

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

That said, Danica has shown herself to be as adept in positioning her "brand" and attracting $$ as anyone not named Andretti as anyone I have seen in years.

Michael Waltrip. And he has a lot less going for him in the looks department than Danica.

[JohnSSC]

While I would not disagree on Waltrip being in the mix, he isn't even close in that contest!

Lyndon Johnson was once quoted as saying: "I've had more women by accident than Jack Kennedy has had on purpose." I think an appropriate paraphrase here is that "Danica has had more money by accident than Michael Waltrip has had on purpose."

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

While I would not disagree on Waltrip being in the mix, he isn't even close in that contest!

Lyndon Johnson was once quoted as saying: "I've had more women by accident than Jack Kennedy has had on purpose." I think an appropriate paraphrase here is that "Danica has had more money by accident than Michael Waltrip has had on purpose."

I'd love to have that criticism from people about myself, and hey, I could actually afford to race at higher levels then.

[JohnSSC]

It is what it is.

My only thought here is that if someone makes it financially attractive, it'll happen.

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

It is what it is.

My only thought here is that if someone makes it financially attractive, it'll happen.

Yes. The drivers for that are Chevy and GoDaddy.

[BSchneiderFan]

I'd have thought a semi-detached effort run by another team. Panther would be an obvious one - a GoDaddy-sponsored, Chevy-powered car.

[Yannick]

If this happens, it's likely going to be with the team in the GoDaddy colors.
Yet, for the time being, this is just talk. I don't believe her trying the "double" until it's confirmed. A Stewart/Andretti entry would be cool especially given Tony Stewart's own IndyCar history, and John Andretti has done this kind of partnership before in his Petty/Andretti entries.

Of course, since the other guy who would be interested in the "double", A.J.Allmendinger is driving for Penske who don't want to waste their energy on a 4th car, the most likely candidate to try the "double" surely must be Danica Patrick. I guess she would also be the most welcome. The refresher training session might turn up on TV somewhere even.

However, she is doing fairly well in NASCAR for a rookie, or so I have heard, so I don't see her switching series again any time soon - at least as long as the oval portion of IndyCar stays as small as it is.

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by Yannick

Of course, since the other guy who would be interested in the "double", A.J.Allmendinger is driving for Penske who don't want to waste their energy on a 4th car.

Sounds like something for Roger to give to Jay.

However, she is doing fairly well in NASCAR for a rookie, or so I have heard.

I don't know if you'd call it doing fairly well. I expected a bit more out of her in results for likely having the best-financed non-Cup regular car in the series. She has an average finish of 20th in Nationwide and the back third of the grid in Nationwide are complete crap. There's 16 drivers that have started all 11 Nationwide races, and of those she's 9th.