Danica Patrick NASCAR rumors swirling

Voted among Jenny Woo's Top 10 Sexiest Female Athletes Danica Patrick said Saturday night that she can't see herself anywhere but on the IndyCar Series to chase her goal of winning the Indianapolis 500.

"I really feel that if you want to win Indy, you need to be in IndyCar," she told ESPN in an interview aired before the start of the Firestone Indy 200.

Reports suggest that her physique alone would create a great challenge. 

Patrick became a national sensation after she finished fourth in the Indianapolis 500 in 2005 -- the highest finish ever by a woman. That buzz is why where she races in 2007 has prompted widespread speculation. She finished a season-high fourth Saturday night.

Patrick told ESPN her goals of winning the Indianapolis 500 haven't changed because her parents attended a Nextel Cup race last weekend. But she said those goals would be reassessed when she wins the Indianapolis 500.

The Indianapolis Star reported Saturday that Patrick could make a decision in the next week on whether to remain in open-wheel racing or switch to stock cars in 2007. The newspaper said she had met twice with Bobby Rahal, co-owner of the Rahal Letterman Racing team and her current boss.

A Racer is Born

Danica Sue Patrick (born March 25, 1982) is an American auto racing driver competing in the Indy Racing League. She was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, and was raised in Roscoe, Illinois. She was named Rookie of The Year in the 2005 IRL Championship. In May 2006 , she published her autobiography, Danica: Crossing the Line. Patrick began karting in 1992, and went on to win several national championships in karting. She moved to England at the age of 16 in order to advance her racing career; rather than finishing high school, she earned a GED. Focusing primarily on road racing, Patrick raced in several developmental open-wheel series while in Europe, including Formula Ford and Formula Vauxhall. Her biggest achievement was finishing second in England's super-competitive Formula Ford Festival, the highest-ever finish by either a woman or an American in the event.

In 2002, Patrick signed a multi-year deal to race for the team of Bobby Rahal. After making several starts in the Barber Dodge Pro Series, she moved to the Toyota Atlantic Championship for 2003. Driving for the highly regarded Rahal Letterman team with sponsorship from Argent, Patrick achieved moderate success in the Toyota Atlantic series. She won one pole and was a consistent finisher on the podium (top three); however, she never won a race. In 2004, Patrick finished third in the Championship.
It has been reported that Danica Patrick might defect from the IRL to NASCAR starting in 2007. Her father, T.J. Patrick, has managed her career since childhood and is currently talking to some NASCAR teams, as well as other IRL teams. Her current contract expires at the end of the 2006 season with Rahal Letterman Racing and it appears highly unlikely that there will be a contract renewal. NASCAR is significantly more popular than IRL in the United States.

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Tyrone Black, www.sports911.com

Originally published July 16, 2006 12:03 pm EDT