Chris Trotman for NASCAR/Getty Images (Dover 9-24-10)

Patrick was on hand Friday at JR Motorsports for the official announcement and to unveil her #7 Go Daddy Chevrolet for next season. She’ll, once again, run a partial schedule in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series and compete in thirteen races including the first four:

“I know we’re all anxious to get the whole schedule put in place, but I’m extremely excited to be able to confirm our participation in the first four races of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series season, and also unveil another beautiful Go Daddy car,” Patrick said.  “Go Daddy has been extremely good to me in both series.  I know Bob Parsons (Go Daddy founder and CEO) is a huge fan of our racing program, and I thank him for all the support.  We’ll have four extremely challenging and unique races to start our 2011 season, and I’m anxious to return to a lot of those tracks with at least a little bit of familiarity.”

JR Motorsports general manager Kelley Earnhardt and Tony Eury Jr, Patrick’s crew chief, joined her for the press conference.

“Danica has shown immense dedication in her NASCAR endeavor,” Kelley Earnhardt said.  “She proved last week (at Auto Club Speedway) that even a little bit of experience goes a long way, as she drove an exceptional race.  Starting this weekend at Charlotte, she will compete in each of the final five races of 2010.  Add the first four Nationwide races of next season, and that’s a solid stretch of seat time she will get to continue learning the intricacies of these race cars.  She has done a commendable job so far given the limited seat time, and we appreciate her work ethic and dedication to Go Daddy and our race team.”

Patrick just finished the IndyCar season a disappointing 10th in the series standings, her worst since finishing 17th her rookie year.

“I think I knew this would be the hardest year I’ve ever had just because of all the NASCAR stuff,” Patrick said in a recent interview. “I didn’t expect IndyCar to be such a tough year, but I knew there would be a lot of humbling experiences and that has definitely happened.”

Patrick has yet to score a top-20 finish in NASCAR competition. Can we expect a better season for her in 2011?

photo credit: Ron McQueeney

“This tastes just as good second time,” Franchitti said after leading an incredible 155 of the 200 laps.

The win wasn’t entirely easy for the Target Chip Ganassi driver. Running low on fuel over the closing laps, Franchitti had to slow his pace down and hold off a fast charging Dan Wheldon. Mike Conway collided with Ryan Hunter-Reay which caused an explosive accident as the leaders were coming to the finish.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPPeEHH9rzE

“Up until 10 laps to go, I was pretty relaxed. Then all hell broke loose with fuel savings and all,” Franchitti said. “To come back after going away for a year, win a championship and win the Indy 500. Thank you. Thank you to everyone on Team Target.”

By the way, Franchitti had 1.6 gallons left when he drove to his car to victory circle.

Franchitti became the 17th driver with more than one Indianapolis 500 wins. His 2007 Indianapolis 500 victory came after the race was cancelled 34 laps short of the full 200-lap distance due to rain. Franchitti’s second Indianapolis 500 win ties him with such greats as Al Unser Jr, Emerson Fittipaldi, Tommy Milton, Bill Vukovich, Rodger Ward, Gordon Johncock and Arie Luyendyk.

“I’m just a driver,” Franchitti said. “Those guys are legends. I’m so lucky to be drive for Chip and Team Target, getting in good cars, especially having gone away after we won in ’07. To be invited back was pretty cool. To have won a championship and an Indy 500, I didn’t expect any of this.”

It was an important day for team owner Chip Ganassi. He becomes the first car owner to win both, the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500 in the same year. NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray won his first Daytona 500 in February. Ganassi Racing could make history tonight if one of his drivers wins the Sprint Cup Series event tonight at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (update: Kurt Busch, driving for Penske Racing, won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Sunday night)

“I’ll think about that later,” Ganassi said. “I want to congratulate Dario. I want to thank everybody who put together this team. It was a little dicey there at the end, on fuel at the end. He saved fuel when he had to.”

“We’re here to win. All he wants to do is win,” Franchitti said about his car owner, Ganassi. “If you’re not interested in that, or if you take your eye off the ball, he lets you know. That’s all he cares about, and that’s cool.”

2005 Indianapolis 500 winner, Dan Wheldon held on for a runner-up finish. “I can tell you that if I have to race until I’m 86 years old, I’m going to race until I’ve won another Indianapolis 500,” Wheldon said.  (The Indy 500) “is such a great race, and it’s just disappointing not to win.”

Polesitter Helio Castroneves was the pick to win the race. Castroneves was in the lead with 9 laps remaining, but made a trip to pit road on lap 192. He stalled his race car exiting the pits.

“Well, we always say the one that makes the fewest mistakes wins the race and I made one that put us too far back,” Castroneves said after his 9th place finish. “We were fighting understeer and oversteer all day but we were still there fighting at the end and we still managed a top-10 result. Congratulations to Dario. Those guys were on it today and they deserve to be Indy 500 champions.”

After starting last, Tony Kanaan worked his way up as high as second. He made a final stop for fuel with 4 laps to go. Kanaan finished 11th.  Still, he picked up 22 positions.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiKjs_Pakg8

Danica Patrick battled an ill-handling car every since her team unloaded the car at the race track. She battled from a 23rd starting position to a 6th place finish. She’s scored five top-10 finishes in six Indianapolis 500 starts.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LakrjuOtfZs

Danica Patrick was initially credited with a 5th place finish. Upon video review of the finish, IndyCar officials changed the finishing order based on several drivers making passes while the race ended under caution.

For the complete finishing order, click here (indycar.com)

Mike Conway was airlifted to a local hospital. It’s being reported that he was alert and awake and will be treated for left leg injuries. Two male fans seated in the grandstands were also treated at a nearby hospital for injuries from flying debris from the crash.

Replay of the last lap accident:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh2LjdVewb4

photo credit: from www.indycar.com

It’s the fourth Indianapolis 500 pole for Castroneves.

“This place, you’ve got to expect the unexpected, my friend,” Castroneves said.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXiYxtW-dFc

Castroneves’ teammates, Will Power and Ryan Briscoe, will start second and fourth, respectively.

For the Indianapolis 500 starting line-up, click here (indycar.com)

Legendary actor Jack Nicholson will wave the green flag.

TV coverage of the 94th Indianapolis starts at Noon from Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Sunday on ABC.

Helio Castroneves is the odds makers favorite to win the Indianapolis 500. If Castroneves wins, he’ll join an elite company of drivers who’ve won the prestige race four times: Rick Mears, Al Unser Sr. and A.J. Foyt. No driver has won more than 4.

“For me, Rick, A.J., Al, they’re the gods of racing, the legends,” Castroneves said. “Even to be compared with those guys … is an honour.” Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Castroneves+wheels+Indy+history/3083064/story.html#ixzz0pM36H7Ml

Castroneves will be one of 4 past winners in the 33-car field for Sunday’s race. Dan Wheldon, Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon have also won the race once before.

Last year, Castroneves beat 2005 winner Dan Wheldon to the finish by 1.9819 seconds.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zjOzOtdyTY

An official announcement was made Tuesday afternoon (December 8th) ending over eight months of speculation and rampant rumors on whether or not she would make a move to NASCAR in 2010.

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

Patrick will run a partial schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, a team owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rick Hendrick. Patrick and Earnhardt Jr. are both sponsored by GoDaddy.com. The internet company will sponsor Patrick in both racing leagues.

“It’s been a long time coming, but the stars finally aligned for me with Go Daddy and JRM,” Patrick said. “I have always said I love to drive, and if I could make it work to race in both IndyCar and NASCAR – with the right sponsor, like GoDaddy.com and the right team, like JRM – then I’d love to drive in NASCAR!”

She will continue to run full-time in the IndyCar Series while pursuing NASCAR. Her stock car debut will come in the ARCA Re/Max Series race at Daytona International Speedway on February 6, 2010. Although her Nationwide Series debut could come in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway, it is almost certain she’ll race at Auto Club Speedway, the second series’ race on the ’10 schedule.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FYRsC0TcIk

Patrick will drive the bright green no. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series.

For the official GoDaddy.com press release, click here.

A press conference was held on Thursday, Dec. 17th at JR Motorsports in Mooresville, North Carolina to introduce JRM’s 2010 line-up. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick fielded questions from the media along with Kelley Earnhardt and Kelly Bires, the newly named driver of the no. 88 in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series. Bires replacing Brad Keselowski.

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

When will Danica make her official NASCAR race debut? It was one of the biggest questions of the day. Will it happen at Daytona International Speedway?

“The race is basically a Cup race — some 30-odd drivers from Cup (are) running that race, and is that the right time for me to start or not? I’m really not sure,” Patrick said. “You only get one grand opening, as I’ve heard. We want it to be the right opportunity. We want to make sure everything is going the right direction, and everyone is on board with that. There is support across the board if I do or don’t do it. It’s just really a matter of time when we make that decision. We don’t want to over-commit and underdeliver.”

JR Motorsports Director of Competition, Tony Eury Sr. added, “The biggest decision is going to be made, Danica is going to make it.  She doesn’t know what to expect. I think she wants to wait until after the ARCA race (Feb. 6). She wants to do good. She doesn’t want to start off with negative press. If she thinks she can be in the Nationwide race and be a competitive car in the race, I think you’ll see her there running. If she doesn’t think she’s quite ready for that after the ARCA race, I don’t think you’ll see her there. … Whatever her decision is, we’ll be prepared for it.”

[podcast]http://thepitstoponline.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/NFS-WEB-7-24-09.mp3[/podcast]

2-time Indy 500 Helio Castroneves will start from the pole. His 3rd Indy pole and taking the annual pit stop contest. His Penske Racing teammate Ryan Briscoe will start next to him in the middle of the front row. That 1-2 punch gives team owner Roger Penske a good shot at his 15th Indy win. Sam Hornish Jr scored the last Indy 500 win for Penske in ’06.

“We’ve got a good chance this year with two cars on the front row,” said Penske. “But, to win here, everything has to work perfectly, everything.”

Penske will have 3 cars in the Indianapolis 500 for the 1st time since ’94. Even though Castroneves is back in, Will Power was rewarded with his own ride. He had been subbing for Castroneves until his legal issues were resolved. It was announced on Friday that federal prosecutors dropped the remaining tax evasion conspiracy charge against Castroneves and his sister.

“I feel very lucky,” Castroneves said. “My life is starting all over again. I’m having fun doing what I love doing best, and I’m going to try to win Indy again. It is definitely going to be an interesting race.”

Castroneves might be the favorite to win. It could come down to Penske vs. Ganassi. Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti are the past 2 Indanapolis 500 and IndyCar Series champions.

Andretti Green Racing’s Tony Kanaan is another driver to mention. In 7 starts, he has yet to win even though he’s led laps in each of his Indy 500 races -- a record. He was runner-up in the ’04 race -- his best Indy 500 finish.

Look for Paul Tracy on Sunday. He’ll start from the inside of the 5th row. He leads all active drivers with 31 career wins. “I’m not here just to race and have a good day,” Tracy said. “I want to win.”

We can’t forget the confrontation between Tracy and Castroneves after their “controversial” side by side finish under caution in 2002′s Indy 500. Tracy insisted he passed Castroneves coming to the checkered flag. It took 6 weeks for race officials to analyze video and announce Castroneves was the legit winner. Whew.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_frzAK-Md

33 cars to start on Sunday. An estimated 250,000 is expected to attend.

There’s also a slight chance for thunderstorms in the forecast.

2009 Indianapolis 500 starting line-up, click here.