Danica Patrick to make stock car debut at Daytona

Danica Patrick will make her stock car debut at NASCAR’s most storied track – Daytona International Speedway – in the season-opening Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards on Saturday, Feb. 6.

Patrick, who announced plans today to compete in a limited NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s race team JR Motorsports and sponsor GoDaddy.com, will use the 80-lap, 200-mile race to prepare for the partial NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule.

The Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 event on Saturday, Feb. 6 is part of a racing tripleheader day at Daytona International Speedway with Daytona 500 Qualifying presented by Kroger and the Budweiser Shootout All-Star race all being held on the same day. Tickets start at $39.

The Izod IndyCar Series star is slated to test at Daytona International Speedway later this month in the Dec. 18-20 ARCA test session, which is open to the public with free access to the Oldfield Grandstands through the lobby of Daytona 500 Experience. In addition, trams will be available to transport race fans into the Sprint FANZONE to view all the testing action for $15.

“There’s not a better venue for Danica Patrick to begin her foray into stock car competition than historic Daytona International Speedway,” Track President Robin Braig said. “Her entry into stock car racing on the daunting 31-degree high banks of Daytona is going to be a storyline that race fans are going to want to witness in person.”

While Patrick doesn’t have any stock car experience at Daytona, she has turned laps around the road course in both the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and during an Izod IndyCar test back in 2007.

She has made two Rolex 24 At Daytona starts with a best finish of eighth in 2009 edition of the twice-around-the-clock sports car challenge.

In addition to her NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule, Patrick, who was the 2005 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year and the first woman to win an IndyCar Series race, will continue to race full-time for Andretti Green Racing in the Izod IndyCar Series in 2010.

From DIS